Special New trends in vinyl, laminate, LVT, PVC and design floors

SPECIAL DESIGNS ARE STILL PROVING A HIT

ABOUT DURABILITY, COLOUR CONTRASTS, SKIRTING BOARDS, AND MUCH MORE

It’s not so easy to write about trends now that it’s been two years since the last major flooring shows. However, extensive enquiries amongst various manufacturers have revealed that there are some clear trends for 2022. Apart from (we almost wrote ‘obviously’) fixed values such as easy fitting, the increasingly easy maintenance, and the authenticity/natural look of the decors, we do notice some main strands.

Durability

The first clear trend is one which we’ve seen before, but it is continuing. With all floors, you see how manufacturers are fully committed to durability. What stands out is how much attention they pay to the materials used to make a floor, the manufacturing process, a long lifespan, and maintenance which is both easy and, especially, ecological.

If we consider the manufacturing process of PVC, a floor which did particularly well last year, we notice that there’s been an unmistakable advance by EVC, a ‘little sister’ which is characterised by exceptional durability. The special feature of EVC floors is that they can be completely dismantled and fully recycled, whilst at the same time they meet the same requirements as PVC. Indeed, EVC is made partially from re-used materials (granules, with 60% rock powder and 40% polypropylene).

Special designs are still in

We see another striking trend in the form of design floors, which are still popular. For anyone who might still have doubts, all indications suggest that herringbone and Hungarian point will continue to do very well in 2022, including in all finishes which you can suggest yourself. However, there’s more than just those two designs. On several occasions, we’ve seen the approval of special fitting patterns like hexagons or tiles.

Then, we could also note that (extra) wide planks continue to appeal to the market. You find these wide and very wide planks in all sorts of designs, including herringbone and Hungarian point. It doesn’t really relate to special designs, but we must also refer to the revival of the skirting board. The skirting board is completely back and fitting it has never been so easy. From flat adhesive skirting boards to high skirting boards against the wall, everything is available and in diverse materials.

Dark colours

The next trend which we also think will continue in 2022 is that of diverse shades of black. We see black in all possible variants, from pitch black to matt. Actually, the fact that black is doing well shouldn’t surprise anyone when you see how this shade has done well in the interior in recent years, including in the kitchen. This is mainly about creating contrasts. For instance, designers often choose a play on light colours in the interior and black on the floor or the exact opposite. A dark PVC herringbone, for instance, can provide a statement from the occupant, whereby the rest of the interior consists more of tranquil and neutral colours, with walls in a light and mild shade. However, there’s more than just black. We see light beige emerge remarkably often, certainly on walls. We notice this in combination with light floors, which, in the case of wood, are untreated.

Moreover, to return to something above, anything is possible in terms of designs!

Main sources: various producers and laminaatenparket.nl, Karwei.nl, Floer.nl, and woonleven.com.

Two specialists

Egger

The EGGER Design Green Tec floor – sturdy, waterproof, and sustainably produced The sturdy, waterproof, and stain-proof surface withstands daily use, whilst the integrated cork bottom layer absorbs impact noise. And so, there’s no need for an extra subfloor to provide sound insulation. The innovative covering layer makes the floor durable, resistant to tiny scratches and stains, and easy to clean. Unlike vinyl floors, the EGGER Design Green Tec floor has no PVC whatsoever. The floor is waterproof for up to 72 hours, so it is suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, and such like. Moreover, the surface is anti-slip and meets the conditions for use class 33 (commercial use). You can get that little bit extra in a room by choosing the right plank size, and there are two options. Big rooms come more into their own with broad and long planks like the Large size, whilst smaller rooms will look bigger with narrower planks in the Classic size.

Meister

Design flooring MeisterDesign. rigid: 25 new decors The waterproof rigid core flooring range from MEISTER will be launched on 1st April 2022 with a fully revised selection of decors. Instead of 20 products in the three collections MeisterDesign. rigid RD 300 S, RL 400 S and RB 400 S, MEISTER customers will be able to choose from 36 variants, including 25 new designs. The rigid core floors are characterised by high stability and brilliant decors, and – like all other MEISTER floors – are made in Germany. MEISTERWERKE will also offer a new return and recycling programme in conjunction with this floor type. It will allow customers to return any leftover planks and dismantled MeisterDesign. rigid flooring at the end of the product life cycle, and guarantees that products are recycled as part of a complete material cycle.