FOCUS FEATURE: INTERIOR DESIGN HOME


This more expensive option waning in popularity


could


FLOORING TRENDS OF 2022


Paint trends this year have varied from soft neutrals for calming interiors, nature inspired earthy hues and botanical tones to bring the outside in, right through to strong colour blocking for a bold look and colour drenching for a cocoon effect. So how has this affected flooring choices by consumers?


and tone while having to meet the durability needs of modern homeowners – the sector, according to online


W


ith flooring often being one of the key foundation elements for a living space


– setting the style


Flooring (FDF), has maintained strong sales


retailer Factory Direct in the UK, with a


number of trends dominating throughout 2022. FDF’s MD Paul Hambidge explains: “I’ve spent 35 years in the flooring business, and for at least the first 30 of those, grey was relatively non-existent in the hard flooring space. Now, it is a consistent bestseller. While initially it was more about modern greys, the move this year has been towards earthy grey-browns. I think this allows for a modern look but with a cosy feel, as toning down a grey with a brown hue offers more neutrality. “Grey is the main colour we


sell across all flooring categories, from laminate and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) through to vinyl cushion flooring or real wood. Oak designs have always been strong in the popularity stakes – providing a failsafe traditional option with style longevity – but we’ve certainly seen weaker sales of oak design-based flooring during 2022.” The weaker sales of oak-based flooring designs are mirrored by real wood sales, which Hambidge says have also proved much less popular in 2022. Real wood offers


8 DIY WEEK DECEMBER 2022


be


related to the cost of living crisis. However, FDF has not seen a downturn in overall sales and consumers across all age brackets are much more comfortable with buying flooring online and laying it themselves; mainly for the huge savings it offers.


Vinyl trend-setters A major development in the flooring arena in the last couple of years is heightened sales of vinyl cushion flooring, an extremely cost- effective option. FDF reported an unprecedented increase


in vinyl


cushion floor sales in 2021 – and this has continued to increase in 2022. Hambidge continues: “The ’70s lino perception of vinyl flooring seems to be a distant memory now with consumers embracing it – and it’s not hard to see why. The design options are always on-trend: vinyl manufacturers are trend-setters in flooring due to the advances in digital printing, meaning new designs can be brought to market fast. The maintenance is low, the flooring durable and installation straightforward.


It’s a budget-


conscious option that can offer a high-end look for a relatively low cost compared with alternatives.”


“Grey is the main colour we sell across all flooring categories, from laminate and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) through to vinyl cushion flooring or real wood.” Christoph Vandermeersch,


regional sales director at leading vinyl


flooring manufacturer


a classic look with longevity but requires more specialist care and maintenance and is much more expensive


than alternatives. He


adds: “Real wood sales are definitely down although when we do have orders they tend to be for large volumes, explains Hambridge.”


Beauflor, says: “Vinyl flooring was once considered old-fashioned, but these days, especially with digital print, any effect can be recreated, from wood effects through to industrial finishes like concrete, or high-end Portuguese-inspired or Victorian tiles. For us, the pandemic was a major catalyst for increased sales as consumers seemed to want ease of installation with unrivalled breadth of design, but since then popularity has remained as many are recognising that vinyl is an excellent value-for-money solution. “Design is a key element we believe, and this was confirmed recently when


we conducted


research among UK consumers which highlighted their attraction


to vinyl was down to the perfect imitation of ceramics and wood, at a much more affordable price point. Equally, we’re seeing that although budget is a key consideration in today’s climate, sales of high-quality vinyl have increased, showing consumers are happy to spend that little bit extra for longevity,” he adds.


Herringbone obsession Just as the trend for grey tones has remained strong in recent years, so has the obsession with herringbone designs, which is still a key bestseller for FDF. “Across all flooring categories, herringbone is a top design choice for consumers. It dominated our sales in 2020 and has been as strong as ever this year. Again, the herringbone designs in vinyl cushion floor offer a much cheaper and simpler way of achieving this high-end look. Laminate is still a best-selling flooring product for us, offering a durable solution with an endless array of designs, plank size and style – as well as easy installation for a capable DIYer. But LVT has also increased


popularity because of the emergence of click-install options,” comments Hambidge.


The phrase ‘home is where the heart is’ has never been so relevant, as the continued desire to make improvements in the home that make it a cosy, attractive and suitable space for our multifunctional living needs shows no signs of waning. In fact, a recent survey from flooring retailer Factory Direct Flooring (FDF) highlighted that home redecoration emerged as one of the lowest sacrifice areas, with homeowners looking instead cut back on other lifestyle factors in tough times - including eating out, holidays and socialising. Hambidge concludes:


“As our


homes become increasingly multi- functional we need harder-wearing flooring products that offer longevity and can withstand the rigours of modern life. “As our recent survey revealed, we cherish our homes and making them a comfortable place we want to spend time in is more important than eating out or going on holiday when pennies are tight.


It doesn’t


have to cost the earth, nor do people have to compromise on design authenticity and choice. I think this is the main reason behind the growth in popularity of wood and tile alternatives that we’re seeing. Consumers no longer need to invest in the real deal to get the real look.”


• For more information about FDF visit www.factory-direct-flooring. co.uk.


www.diyweek.net


exponentially in


REVEALED


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36