Hardwood Floors February/March 2017

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

By Emily Morrow Finkell

Designer Insights

New Design Trends in Hardwood Flooring for 2017

or cracked. Shiplap is a word that’s no longer just a word to describe shiplap; it has now become part of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ design aesthetic. Shiplap is also what has led to our seeing hardwood migrating from the floors to the walls in the form of wall boards that instantly add architectural detailing where ho-hum Sheetrock would have ordinarily been hung. From a design perspective, I love the influences that the Gaines couple has brought to market since it makes for a more forgiving, livable, low maintenance and mixable design sensibility that’s also affordable and attainable for any demographic group and style. While most cable television design shows will not give much attention to the flooring, you’ll see it be transformed from an unattractive color of carpet to a neutral hardwood floor or wood visual with rugs layered strategically. I’d love to find a program that can show how easily the right flooring choices can make an old or dated space look incredibly well-styled and up-to-date. Even better would be to create a show that walks viewers through the options that are out there and why each is different.

There are some amazing new shifts in the interiors world for 2017 and more importantly the floors on which we will be walking as well. After 12 months of serious observation and supporting data from sales, it is safe to say that 2017 should be a rewarding year for all of us who have “hung in there” hoping for a more robust economy. Taking the mega-trends into account – the ones that aren’t mere blips on a radar, but lasting and noteworthy in how they impact our choices – manufacturers, flooring retailers, specifiers and designers will need to be tuned in to finding flooring that reveals “character” in new ways. Authenticity, primitive or indigenous designs, and travel-inspired looks are key adjectives when describing the biggest trends. Just look at the major movement that Chip and Joanna Gaines and their urban farmhouses started with design projects on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper.” Joanna’s choices for the clients on the show have resulted in the carefully curated Magnolia Home brand which includes primitive details, burlap, rustic metal, nailhead accents and lots of wood – painted, distressed and/

Photos courtesy of Emily Morrow Finkell

CHARACTER Sophisticated designs in carpet and rugs that are layered upon American-made hardwood floors.

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