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The Art of the Backsplash
New Flooring Options
Affordable Accents
The Art of Mixing Finishes
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New Flooring Options
 Photo credit: Jamie Kern, Design Theory Interiors
flooring can even be used on the walls to create the wood or brick look you are trying to achieve.
 Photo Credit: Shaw Floors
The
infinite range of style, like this new Matrix style porcelain from Shaw
that imitates paint on canvas, makes tile a perfect choice for the
bathroom. |
New choices appeal to budget-conscious and environmentally sensitive buyers.
Flooring selection is one of the most important - and expensive -
decisions that buyers make in a new home, so it's no surprise that they
are paying closer attention to this decision. Consumer hot buttons
include affordability, durability and environmental consciousness, and
the latest flooring choices address all of these.
Green choices
As is true with other materials, sustainability is a major trend in
flooring, according to Joe Ventura, president of ArtWalk Tile, a
national tile retailer in Rochester, N.Y. Ventura specializes in
LEED-certified products such as cork and bamboo floors, as well as
tiles that make use of recycled material, or that are made in a
sustainable manner: for instance by recycling the water used to press
the tiles, or reusing the heat from the kilns to heat the building
they're produced in. "They are a little more expensive than normal
tiles, but when people hear they're green products, they don't mind
about that extra 50 cents or dollar per square foot," Ventura says.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based flooring consultant David Capezza says that
one of the most interesting green trends he's seeing in flooring today
is the resurgence in what he calls "upscale linoleum." It's made
entirely from natural materials: a combination of linseed oil, wood or
cork powder, resins, and ground limestone, attached to a jute backing.
It's also easy to install; requires no underlayment; is very durable
and waterproof; and comes in a variety of styles that mimic other
materials, such as tile, wood, slate and even marble.
Tile Innovations
Ceramic tile remains a wonderful flooring option for the kitchen and
bath, and some of the newer choices also hit the green button. For
instance, Shaw Floors recently announced a line of porcelain tile,
designed in Italy and manufactured in the U.S., with 40 percent
recycled content. The recycled material makes the tile more
environmentally friendly and also helps control costs, says Emily
Morrow, Shaw Floor's director of color, style and design.
Another innovation is tiles manufactured with clips, such as Snap Stone
and Kwik-Tile. They allow installers to snap the floor together
quickly, and eliminate the need for mortar or backer board - both of
which raise the installed cost of a tile floor.
Like all ceramic tile, these new options are waterproof and virtually
indestructible, and offer looks ranging from rustic to contemporary.
"Some of the decorative tiles and mosaics offer ways to incorporate
interesting design elements into a floor without breaking the bank,"
says interior designer Ceil Petrucelli of Bennington, Vt. "You could do
some type of a border with mosaics or make a rug pattern in a bathroom
floor."
Improved Laminates
Some buyers love the look of hardwood flooring but are less enamored of
the high cost, or the warping, expansion and contraction that are
common with solid wood. For those people, Morrow and Capezza point out
that the lower-cost options of engineered hardwood (a plywood or
fiberboard core topped with a hardwood veneer) and hardwood laminate
(similar in construction but with a laminate top veneer that's made to
look like real wood) have progressed light years in terms of quality,
ease of installation and durability.
Capezza says that people looking at traditional hardwoods would be
remiss not to consider engineered wood. "In the past, the choices
offered by engineered floors were limited, but now you can get them in
exotic tones. And the veneers are thicker than ever so the product will
last longer."
There has also been innovation in hardwood laminates, according to
Morrow. She works in research and development and frequently looks at
prototypes of new products. "I come through and give it my ‘high heels'
test," she says. "They have fooled me with the sound, the touch and
look of laminate."
Whether the choice is wood, tile or linoleum flooring, Morrow says
there's one thing that needs to be considered: the realities of daily
life. "We're moving away from any flooring that is high-maintenance,"
she says. Manufacturers are now offering more textured surfaces;
mottled surfaces; and heavily grained hand-scraped products. "All those
products make it easy for families to live in their homes and not spend
all their time wiping off footprints and handprints."
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