FLOORING & FLOORCARE


LATEST TRENDS


STAYING ON TOP OF THE


DIY Week speaks to Elia Green, Commercial Director at UK Flooring Direct, about the current state of the UK floor covering market, the latest trends, new developments and her predictions for the future.


T founder


he floor covering market is a £2 billion industry in the UK with wood and laminate remaining fairly steady at


around 13 per cent of the market share. That was just overtaken by vinyl flooring which has jumped from 11 per cent to 14 per cent over the past couple of years.


The overall flooring market is expected to grow by three per cent in 2021 and the demand for wood floor coverings is expected to be maintained, with annual growth rates of between three per cent and five per cent from 2021 to 2024. So, it’s a major element of the DIY


and home improvement sector and, therefore, vitally important for us here at UK Flooring Direct to not only react to the latest trends but to try to spot them before they happen. In many ways, that is how the business was born originally.


Ahead of trend Our


and CEO, Jason


Ashby, saw two trends back in 2005 – the rise of Internet retail and a move towards wooden flooring. With just £500 in the bank and a £299 website, he launched UK Flooring Direct and it has grown into a £50 million business selling to every corner of the UK, employing around 200 people. We are targeting £100 million in sales in the next few years. That growth has come from continuing to stay ahead of trend and that is done through a mix of inspiration and information. Using social media such as Instagram and Pinterest to see what types of flooring people are talking about but also taking the data from our own sales teams to see what is hot and what is not.


As well as monitoring the very latest on flooring, we also have to keep track of trends in décor such as the popularity of greys


14 DIY WEEK JANUARY 2021


and what floors work with them. That said, flooring is still seen as more of a medium-term purchase compared to other forms for home improvement so, at this stage, customers tend to take a bit more of a considered view. The average replacement cycle


is around eight years, currently, but that timeframe might become shorter with flooring becoming increasingly positioned as a contemporary home décor product. Of course, the past year has been dominated by Covid-19 and there is absolutely no question that this has impacted the floor covering market, in more ways than one. Firstly, people have been spending


more time at home and, therefore, have become increasingly keen to make improvements where they can. That might be through being furloughed from work or, simply, having more time at the weekends when there has been so little else to do. The first lockdown meant that tradespeople were unable to go into people’s homes so it meant that customers wanted something that looked good but that was both affordable, as job security has been reduced, and easy to fit, as they will probably have to do it themselves.


New developments There have been major improvements in laminate decors and new developments such as waterproof options and that was already helping to grow sales. Water- resistant or water proof options offer great practicality, and that’s an area I would anticipate growth in the coming year as they are great for kitchens and bathrooms. Being such an easy DIY option made it a real winner during the lockdown period and I think that will continue well into 2021 looking at the current situation around Covid-19. On top of that, the use of modern vinyl flooring, especially Luxury


Vinyl Tiles (LVT) has significantly increased in recent years and, as I mentioned above, this is the fastest growing sector within the overall marketplace because we are seeing a much greater attention to detail in these products to make them look like the ‘real thing’. A recent but growing trend is


creating a parquet or herringbone design by laying planks in different directions, which can make a room look larger and enhance the overall look of the floor.


I believe this is


something that we will see more of over the coming year as people look for new ways to create a feature of their floor. Oak remains the dominant wood


type within flooring, however pale shades such as whitewashed woods and light greys are also popular and can help reflect the light. That said, darker wood colours – such as aged oaks and dark greys – have also gained share, providing a strong contrast to lighter interior décor schemes.


On top of that, there is a growing


trend towards wider and longer planks across real wood and laminate, as well as more rustic details such as knots and ridges, providing the appearance of reclaimed wood. Another factor that has added to the wider appeal of laminate and engineered flooring, is their compatibility with modern


underfloor heating systems. Carpet has often been preferred over a smooth floor because it is perceived to be warmer in the winter months but that advancement in heating systems is starting to change that perception. Interestingly and, again, possibly as a consequence of Covid-19, there appears to be a gradual shift in the design of UK homes from open plan living to more modular and flexible spaces as homes adapt to those working or studying from home, therefore spaces and flooring need to be multi-use and adaptable. To this end, flooring can be used effectively to clearly define specific zones within larger spaces and that could mean a mix of flooring types where a space allows and benefits from it.


Market forecast To conclude, we are expecting a growth across laminate, engineered, LVT and solid wood floors over the coming 12 months, especially if the housing and commercial property market grows as many forecast. Like every industry, Covid-19 has impacted what we do but also the way our customers behave, and we will be watching very closely what happens once normality resumes (whenever that is and whatever it looks like) to see if it invokes any fresh trends in our marketplace.


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