Laminate puts Flooring in the Spotlight - Innovative Design Ideas secure Market Success

Classic or modern? Natural or avant-garde? Woodgrain or creative design? Modern laminate flooring has an option for any style. Rarely has the palette of colors and patterns been as extensive as it is this season. The product has matured in many ways, and supplies a large global market with individual design ideas. Whether it is at home or in the office – laminate flooring offers many possibilities that make its application more flexible than any other flooring, and make it perfect for the requirements of modern design.

Attractive wood décors are still number one with the consumers worldwide. Almost all wood species are represented – from alder to maple, cherry to mahogany, oak to walnut. The desire to have a natural yet comfortable environment has secured these wood patterns a lasting market success. More than ever, the décors imitate grain and color of the original wood. Reproductions of wood have recently focused on emphasizing the surface structure and supporting single hues. The latest trend is a modern interpretation of a light colored oak leading the floor into a new optical direction. Particularly popular to install are the two panel parquet patterns, ship deck flooring and country manor style. The biggest success is a new surface with wood squares that give the appearance of framed pictures.

New and modern colors in the wood palette, such as eggshell, crème, white, and rosé, bring a lightness and fresh breeze into the room. Décors in yellow and orange, toned down with white, recall a Mediterranean ambience. Mat surfaces in a bleached or whitewashed appearance only help to support this mood. Yet, even strong, glowing colors such as gray, red, and blue are among the laminate flooring décors. When combined with white and silver it creates interesting contrasts – an expressive variation that is particularly attractive in spacious rooms.

Innovative “Stone“

In America it is in high demand, in Europe it is coming next season: the new creative décors, first and foremost décors giving the impression of stones or tiles. Available in squares and rectangles, so real that even the joints can be imitated. Especially popular is a new variation called “slate” in strong gray and anthracite hues, which sets innovative accents through their unique optic. Experimenting with new colors and formats, and creating new designs opens up new applications for the material, such as marble and granite décors. The true-to-nature imitation of these stones is technically one of the most challenging tasks in the development of the new décors. Among the exceptional innovations are décors in a double panel width (40 cm), which permit new possibilities for the design. This is particularly popular in the group of tile décors but also with certain wood reproductions.

Metal décors are becoming more fashionable – foremost in those places where individual and effective presentation plays a major role. When it comes to outfitting stores and offices or even trade show exhibition booths, they are absolutely “en vogue“. Whether they have a smooth or brushed surface, metal décors appeal through their glossiness and structure and they offer an ideal base for present exhibition objects. The palette of available colors stretches from light silver and aluminum appearances to dark anthracite. Expressive effects can also be achieved through the mix of different patterns and décors. Light wood reproductions can be combined perfectly with silver and aluminum metal décors, a design variation that has gained popularity in furniture design and has now moved into flooring. More change and variations can be achieved through design squares or accent tiles, both have a strong appeal in private as well as public space.

No matter which décor variation strikes the clients fancy: laminate flooring has a solution for all design wishes. This floor covering creates a multitude of new ideas for an individual interior design and it makes the floor becoming the focus of attention. Whether it is shades of the same hue or contrasting the color and furnishing concept – the versatility of laminates puts flooring into the spotlight.