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Distressed Wood a Hot Trend in Flooring
 Identifying distressed wood as the next hot trend in flooring, Armstrong Floor Products (Booth 1359) will debut its Artesian Color-Wash Collection at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) this week in Orlando, Fla. The new material is part of the Robbins® Fine Hardwood Flooring line.
“From a visual standpoint, we are beginning to see an emerging trend related to burnt and charred effects,” said Sara Babinksi, the company’s principal designer. “As it relates to flooring and hardwood, it is often called French bleed.”
The new type of distressing has an almost smoky look, she said. It is dark and dramatic on dark woods yet soft and supple on light woods like yellow birch and maple. The effect may be a brown wash versus black tone.
Armstrong Floor Products employs an international team of more than 20 to incorporate global trends into stylish new flooring designs.
Responding to a resurgence in consumer demand for products that are hand-made and unique, Armstrong will also be exhibiting its Century Farm collection. From Armstrong Hardwood Flooring by Hartco®, the woods are subtly sculpted. Ends and edges have a soft, pillowed effect, with delicate areas of chisel created by hand for a rustic yet refined look.
For the first time, consumers have the opportunity to choose hardwood that can be used on any level of their home because the same visuals are available in both solid and engineered construction.
Solid hardwoods in the Valenza Collection include exotic species in unusual grain patterns: Cabreuva, Jatoba, Kempas, Lapacho, Pradoo, Pangali Ironwood and Sakura.
“While exotics continue to be an important interior look, we as consumers also are discovering domestic species other than oak and maple,” said Babinski. These domestic exotics include cherry, yellow birch, walnut and hickory, and they will be showing at the IBS as Turlington American Exotics by Bruce® Hardwood Flooring.
There is a heightened trend toward realism and natural images across all hard-surface flooring categories, and inspiration is taken from nature, according to Babinski. Consumers are inclined to like active graining and depth of color — whether natural or stained — and surface treatments such as hand-scraped, hand-sculpted and distressed that bring an artisan quality to hardwood flooring.
Armstrong World Industries is a member of the National Council of the Housing Industry — The Supplier 100 of NAHB.
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