Flooring Trends for 2015

We've welcomed in the New Year and hopefully you survived the much welcomed home invasion from all your friends and families or perhaps you were lucky enough to be the invader this holiday season.  If you are like me this is a time I start to think a lot about change, usually the how much gym time thought comes about which usually doesn't go all that well, but more so I start thinking about changes around me and that means HGTV, renovations thoughts and Pinterest searches abound.  But I thought I would provide some insight into the world of flooring and the trends that they are telling us to be mindful of this year and for the most part I would say they are trends we had seen in the ladder part of 2014.

To see examples of any of these trends below click on the link to our Pinterest Board below and decide for yourself if these trends are a good fit for you.
http://www.pinterest.com/gabrielebrands/


HARDWOOD:

According to the World Floor Covering Association engineered hardwood took over solid hardwood in terms of sales in 2014 and they see that trend continuing as people turn to wanting wider planks and longer boards.  Engineered hardwood is more structurally stable when it comes to these two features in hardwood.  The good news is they are typically easier to  install especially as more products become available as floating installations.  The other trend they mention is that lighter tones was the choice in many executive homes last year and that tends to become inspiration as many of these installations become the magazine shot or focal point on many Pinterest pages and home shows. 

VINYL:

The change over from sheet vinyl to luxury vinyl tile and plank has been quit drastic in our area. The installation is easier as many styles are offered in a click but also it more often can go over an existing floor where a sheet product would require a new subfloor for installation. The looks are quite realistic in either a wood or ceramic look and the durability on the surface is great and it's ability to survive a flood make it quite appealing in basement applications.


CARPET/AREA RUGS:

Soft surface use like carpet has definitely decreased in homes with the rise of hard surface products but there's still a place in many homes where they want the cozy feeling or where we are concerned of noise bouncing off all the hard surfaces, or where we want our kids to play.  The trend in carpet is toward the use of pattern in it's design, it gives the floor some dimension while maintaining the cozy feel.  When it comes to wanting to mix the hard surface with an area rug the trend predicted this year is a touch of blue.  Designers are wanting a little mix of blue to enhance the mood without overwhelming the entire space with blue. 


CERAMIC/PORCELAIN TILE

This product has probably seen the most drastic change in design and that trend seems to be continuing.  We are still seeing the larger tiles dominate the market, in fact it's almost impossible to find a 12" x 12" tile anymore.  The real push has been with hardwood look ceramic and the looks have become incredibly real especially with old world or aged wood looks.  Centura Distributors have also informed us of a trend toward hexatile, designers are loving the bold architectural statement that this type of tile shape brings to a room.


COLOURS:
As far as colour for 2015, no matter which type of flooring you decide is right for your lifestyle, the design world much like the entertainment world is talking about 'Shades of Grey'.   Check out this great read from Farrow & Ball, 'Decorating Trends 2015' and notice with their paint colours trends the floor is typically a grey.  http://us.farrow-ball.com/trends-2015/content/fcp-content