March 13/20, 2017: Volume 31, Issue 20
By Ken Ryan
Surfaces served as the staging area for the bulk of new flooring introductions for 2017. However, there were many other noteworthy introductions of the spring that were not shown at the big show.
Following are some of the spring introductions unseen at Surfaces.
American OEM
The company introduced 10 SKUs in its Covelo Canyon collection and eight offerings in Casa Bonita through Hemisphere Hardwood, an importer out of Paraguay. Inspired by the natural beauty of California wine country, the refreshing looks of Covelo Canyon pioneer a new design style—“modern rustic”—by combining fashion-forward styling with hand-crafted textures and natural character. The combination of modern colorways, a low-gloss finish and tailored edges create a sophisticated floor made from premium, FSC-certified materials for wood that’s both sustainable and appealing to the consumer.
Anderson
Mystique from Anderson is a distinguished-looking painted maple hardwood floor that incorporates a caulk paint visual with contrasting high and low lights to create an outstanding visual movement. In addition, the aesthetic charm and sophistication of the extra-long 96-inch planks create a dramatic visual impact. The Mystique line is a 5 x ½-inch ply core engineered maple available in five colors: Shadow, Starlight, Fog, Nightfall and Eclipse.
Mirage
Mirage expanded its product lineup to meet ever-more-stringent quality and design requirements. Its new board lengths—up to 82 inches—make rooms appear bigger due to the fact fewer boards are needed. Another plus: Fewer joints are visible, yielding a more even look. The new lengths represent an average increase of 25% on Mirage’s engineered products in 5- and 6½-inch widths.
Gelato and Peppermint, two new floors with notes of gray, were added to the Sweet Memories collection. Gelato is a beige-gray that imparts a distinctive, luxurious look ideal for minimalist modern décors. Peppermint is a pure ash gray that brings a touch of minerality. Gelato and Peppermint are offered in Maple in 31⁄4 and 41⁄4 widths, in engineered in 5, 6½ and 73⁄4 widths and in lock technology in a 45⁄16 wide format.
Mullican
Devonshire is one of Mullican’s newest engineered products. This 3⁄8-inch-thick, 5-inch-wide product is available in seven selections of hickory and oak. Made in the U.S. and offered in random lengths up to 4 feet, Devonshire offers a classic hardwood flooring look that has been enriched with a lightly wire-brushed matte finish. The product is protected by the company’s Alpha A’Lumina Real World Finish.
Wexford, a second new offering, comes in a 5-inch width and random lengths up to 7 feet. Wexford is a European-inspired line that combines three traditional North American sawing techniques to create a classic European look. This collection features the company’s patented Aqua Shield system.
Shaw
Shaw Floors has introduced a bevy of products across all segments.
The company called its 2017 tile collection the most significant in company history. Among the introductions are larger 18 x 36 sizes that improve the speed of installation and enhance the visual appearance with fewer grout lines. New introductions include contemporary visuals, such as concrete, metallic and other cutting-edge looks, as well as decorative accents.
Other introductions include Stellar, a porcelain tile reflecting a fusion of ancient bedrock and modern stained concrete available in large-scale options. Tessuto is a porcelain style made in the U.S. that features the warmth and elegance of an aged fabric enriched by a technology called clarity digital imaging. Tessuto is available in a modern five-color palette and full range of trim pieces. In Hacienda, Shaw used its clarity digital imaging to emulate one of Anderson Hardwood’s most distinctive wood styles. This glazed porcelain plank, with special staining and hand-scraping techniques, is made in the U.S. with 40% recycled content.
In carpet, TruAccents is a collection of Anso nylon and ClearTouch Platinum styles on a single display. The 2017 collection includes friezes, loops, LCLs and tonals in both fiber systems for an exceptional range of styles and price points. The TruAccents display is a compact, rotating unit allowing for easy placement on the showroom floor. It comprises four quadrants—two with ClearTouch Platinum styles and two with Anso nylon products.
Epic Plus Extreme Nature hardwood is available in a 91⁄4 x 82½ wide x ½-inch thick format. In its Extreme Nature collection, Shaw offers three species in four textures including Landmark Maple (three colors) that emulates the unique complexity of an authentic timeworn surface.
Shaw Floors’ newest laminate collection, Repel, has been specially designed to take laminate to the next level in water-resistance technology. Repel provides ample time to clean spills and offers the added scratch, stain and fade-resistance benefits of laminate.
In resilient, Floorté now comes with an antimicrobial attached pad to provide a healthy dose of noise reduction in the following styles: Classico Plus, Premio Plus, Alto Mix Plus. Featuring the latest technology in resilient flooring, Shaw introduced Alto HD in four high-definition visuals and six new styles in the Alto Mix line including multiple lengths and widths.
Tuftex
Tuftex Stainmaster PetProtect, Tuftex Signature and Tuftex Classics styles are new for 2017. Tuftex Stainmaster PetProtect products resist soil accumulation and prevent the absorption of difficult pet stains. These styles are constructed of SuperiaSD nylon fiber, which is resistant to fading from aggressive cleaning or exposure to light. Tuftex’s Signature collection draws on West Coast inspiration with a range of styles—from high-end textures and elegant patterns to exotic cables and shags. Its sophisticated color palette is woven through key collections including Naturals, Impressions and Architecturals. Classics offers retailers tried-and-true nylon products available branded or unbranded.