STEP INSIDE LIVING SPACES
Stay On Top of Trends
William Hickman, Marketing Manager at United Carpets & Beds, shares his flooring
recommendations for different living areas within the home.
With more than 4.2m people regularly working from home and a freelance workforce on the rise, it’s more important than ever that people are happy with their living spaces.
Although easy to overlook, decisions around flooring should be carefully considered if living areas are multi- functional or if homeowners are spending time working from home.
Considerations such as sound, heat, style and of course comfort are all important. Using a thick pile carpet in heavy traffic areas such as the stairs and landing will help dull out any sounds if working in a full house. The thicker pile, combined with a quality underlay, will also be less vulnerable to wear and tear while people are running up and down the stairs.
Carpet throughout the landing and main living area can also allow for heat retention helping homeowners keep their energy bills low; potentially a key focus for those conscious of running up heating bills throughout the day. Lifestyle and household should also be considered; if a customer is working from home but has a pet dog or cat, a twist pile carpet allows more scratch- resistance while fur and hair is easier to remove from a berber loop style.
If the living space allows for different zones, ask the customer to consider low maintenance laminate flooring for areas such as the kitchen and dining area; bring easy-to-clean and relatively water-resistant makes it the ideal choice. Contemporary vinyl flooring or luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) is another great option for an office space or living area, adding style at a relatively low
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cost in comparison to options such as hardwood flooring which also require more maintenance.
Social media is playing an increasing role in the decision-making of homeowners when it comes to interior design. Gone are the days where a bank holiday trip to the local paint/ flooring/furniture retailer provided a potential customer with all the information they needed to make a home-altering choice.
With consumers following trends and bloggers on social media or utilising a brand’s website or AR-optimised app, it’s evident they are a lot more knowledgeable and savvy when it comes to what they want in their home. It’s becoming even more popular, and affordable, for people to update interior décor with soft furnishings and accessories regularly, changing the scheme of a room. Flooring is more of an investment so being able to recommend neutral or long-lasting stylish options is imperative for retailers, while also offering advice on easy updates such as rugs.
For flooring retailers, keeping on top of interiors trends for paint shades and appliance themes is just as important as knowing their deep pile from their berber loop. Customers have often visualised their home renovation as a whole – and have perhaps even created it using Pinterest mood boards or a design app. Being well-versed in colours, what’s hot in textures and styling and the latest household trends ensures you can add value in an information saturated retail landscape.
www.unitedcarpetsandbeds.com/beds www.tomorrowsretailfloors.com
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