FOCUS ON WOOD & LAMINATE The Wood Life Experts from wood flooring specialist Kährs Group have rounded up


some of the biggest wood floor trends to watch out for this year to help you advise customers on the best fit for them!


Endless design opportunities mean that wood floors continue to be a popular choice for customers in 2018. With trends developing fast, it’s important to understand the needs of your customer and how they can work with the latest wood floor trends in their home.


A Pop of Pattern


Patterned wood flooring never ceases to make people go “wow”. There are plenty of pattern options available, including unique bygone-inspired Dutch and French patterned flooring, which have the power to transform a room instantly. And let’s not forget Chevron and Herringbone designs, which continue to soar in popularity for their striking and classic look. With patterned designs available in engineered formats, these timeless patterns are easier than ever to install in the modern day.


This year, ‘matt’ continues to go a step further with ultra-matt surface treatments taking the market by storm.


Emanuel Lidberg, Head of Design at Kährs Group, said: “Traditional lacquer finishes reflect light which distracts from the floor’s appearance. Our new, ultra-matt finish minimises reflections so that the wood’s natural grain and tone can be appreciated to the full."


Ultra-matt wood floors are ideal for customers with design-led interiors with abundant natural light, for example with floor-to-ceiling glazing. The result is a durable floor with a look and feel of untreated, newly-sawn timber.


The Dark Side


Over the past few years, ‘scandi- chic’ light and grey floors have been the focus for many customers, and, although these colours are still very much in demand, dark floors are taking


16 | Tomorrow’s Retail Floors Muted Marvels


Statement floors aren’t for everyone, and might not work for a certain room. Natural and grey-tone oak floors offer your customer a minimalist and timeless base to complement other interior fabric, wall and décor trends. 2018 is the year


back some of the limelight this year. Smoked oak and walnut designs in chocolate and deep ebony shades look great in a large space and achieve a certain look of luxury.


Ultra-Matt


of dusky pink and bold purple shades for walls and, with interior trends constantly evolving, a more neutral floor colour can be a great option for customers who want something more low-key, but equally as beautiful in their home.


Rustic Beauty


Rustic wood floor designs have been popular for some time and there are no signs of this trend disappearing! Think distressed floors, with saw marks, lots of colour variation and heavy brushing, emulating the look of a vintage reclaimed board. Designs with handscraping and large natural cracks and knots are also increasing in popularity, with customers wanting ‘wood to look like wood’.


Eco-friendly


Perhaps the most important ‘trend’ of all, is that people are striving to be as eco-friendly as possible when purchasing goods, and flooring is no exception. Engineered wood flooring is constructed with the environment in mind, with the top layer on show being the main wood species (e.g oak) and layers underneath a quick-growing species (e.g pine), thereby using less of the valuable hardwood surface layer compared to traditional solid wood flooring.


Kährs’ dedication to the environment doesn’t stop at multi-layer construction – Kährs is working with local, national and global organizations to ensure the forest stock is sustainable for generations to come. In Sweden, the total forest volume is 60% larger today than it was in the 1920’s.


With plenty of big trends this year, customers will be searching for their perfect on-trend wood floor, so be sure to advise on designs which work best for them and the nature of their household to find the best fit!


www.kahrs.com/en-GB/consumer www.tomorrowsretailfloors.com


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