Photo Courtesy: Armstrong
If it’s time for a new look in your home, one of the most dramatic differences you can make is with new flooring. Today’s options are increasingly inviting—and plentiful. From hardwood to frieze (the new shag rugs) to tile and more, the many flooring possibilities beckon to homeowners ready for a fresh take on style.
Trends in 2011 include bolder colors, wider hardwood planks, area rugs, and frieze (pronounced frih-zay) rugs. Stone lookalikes in vinyl and a new glass/porcelain tile mix mean that you can transform every room in your home from the floor up. But perhaps the biggest trend is a renewed passion for hardwoods.
“The wood has exploded in popularity,” says Jackie Klaassen of Bareville Flooring & Tile in Leola (717-661-6522; www.barevilleflooring.com). “Twenty years ago you would have maybe put it in the foyer and the dining room, but now it’s being installed throughout the whole first floor.” Marquetry medallions are also showing up as an accent in foyers.
Hardwood—the New, yet Classic, Favorite
Homeowners are favoring wider boards, deeper hues, and hardwoods. Solid hardwoods are completely constructed of a single type of hardwood. Engineered hardwoods consist of plies of softer woods with a layer of the finished-surface hardwood on top. Elmer Stoltzfus of Heritage Floors in Ronks (717-687-7906; http://heritagefloors.brandsource.biz/) says engineered hardwood is popular because it doesn’t contract and expand as much. “It’s more moisture-resistant, so it can be used directly on concrete or in a basement.”
Both types are long lasting and are similarly priced, except for exotic woods. Patrick Helf of Embee and Son in York (717-793-8500; www.embeeandson.com) explains, “Some exotics are not being harvested, but there are some beautiful open-grain and fine-grained woods available in engineered hardwood, such as lyptus [from eucalyptus] or sapele [a tropical wood].” Helf recommends ordering prefinished planks rather than selecting on-site finishing, unless you’re matching existing pieces.
Other Floor Décor
Carpeting: It’s not surprising that, with hardwoods in such demand, wall-to-wall carpeting is less popular. Instead, the area rug rules. Klaassen says she’s seeing more Orientals: “We have a lot of machine-made Oriental looks that are very reasonably priced. People can spend $1,000 versus $10,000 or $15,000 and get a similar look.”
Meanwhile, 1970s-era shag rugs have had a makeover. Frieze rugs, popular with younger consumers, are now easier to clean and come with longer warranties. And you won’t be limited to yesteryear shades like mustard or avocado. Stoltzfus notes, “Friezes are still geared toward the neutrals, but color has really come back again.”
This is true whether we’re talking about rugs, hardwood, tile or vinyl. Rather than basic beige, the new neutrals come in shades like Rum Raisin, Rainforest Green, and Salsa Chachacha. Each flooring material offers advantages. For a stronger yet still neutral palette, try porcelain tile in a marble or aged wood look.
Tile: According to Helf, porcelain tile stands up well: “It’s stronger, and the color runs through the entire tile, so when it chips you don’t see a different color.” Stoltzfus says new manufacturing technologies have produced a more affordable porcelain tile. “We’re selling a lot more than we did 10-12 years ago.”
Bamboo and Cork: Bamboo flooring is still strong, as is cork. A very green choice, the new stranded bamboo is less permeable and more durable. Cork is also a good choice for heavy-use areas. Klaassen says, “It’s soft on your feet but doesn’t show every mark. Stilettos are definitely the worst on floors. Some of the softer woods show these marks easily, but you don’t see it on the cork. It’s pretty forgiving.” Another advantage to these products is that they cut down on allergens and microbes in the home, a huge help for people with allergies.
Vinyls: New in vinyls is FiberFloor, a resilient sheet flooring. “It’s inexpensive and great if you have rental properties,” says Helf, “because it’s easily patched or pulled out and replaced.” Vinyl tiles are popular as well. “People are going back to vinyl,” notes Stoltzfus. “They now come with 3-D and high-def imaging and can look very much like stone.”
Laminates: Klaassen says laminate doesn’t scratch as easily as wood. “In a kitchen, it’s durable just like your counter and resists water laying on it.” Helf notes that it’s more dent-resistant and less expensive than hardwood floors (laminate runs from $2-$5/sf, versus solid at around $6/sf and engineered at about $5-8/sf). “If you have wooden cabinetry, ceramic tile laminate would work so you don’t have two woods to coordinate.”
Linoleum: One of the greenest choices, the new “marmoleum,” is made from all natural ingredients, is low VOC, and is great for people with allergies. Bold colors and patterns make it a striking choice.
When choosing your flooring, it’s good to look at the whole picture, since it’s a long-term investment. Is “green” important? Do you deal with allergies? Is heavy use or moisture the biggest issue? Talk to a flooring specialist, and investigate the many beautiful yet practical flooring options. Bareville Flooring and Embee & Son both have places on their websites where you can explore different types of flooring, and on Heritage Floor’s website you can even design your own space. Whatever you decide, remember bolder colors, wider planks, and hardwoods are on the rise. And don’t forget the new shags—frieze is definitely “in.”
