High-end hardwood’s timeless
appeal has kept this segment of the market healthy even during the worst
of economic times. Suppliers of classically beautiful hardwood floors —
with all the natural charm that is being emulated today in other
flooring categories — said consumers consider these floors to be a
fashion statement that not only appeals to the design aesthetic in their
home but adds value too.
And according to Paul Walker, general manager of
HomerWood, luxury hardwood’s appeal is resulting in some retailers
bringing designers on staff — a practice more common now than even five
years ago. “Flooring has become more important to consumers — it’s no
longer utilitarian, it’s a fashion statement,” he said.
Steven Skutelsky, managing director of PID
Floors, noted that from a design perspective, flooring can make or break
a project, adding, “With the number of unique and beautiful options
available to the high-end customer today, it becomes more than just a
flooring choice, but a lifestyle choice. It’s something that consumers
know will set them apart from their friends and colleagues.”
Custom design capabilities are also luring
consumers to the high-end wood market, explained HomerWood’s marketing
manager Wendy Wescoat, because it allows consumers to choose the styles
and visuals — such as smoking, scarring and staining processes —that
match their home’s aesthetics.
Jenny Partouche, U.S. sales manager, FP Bois,
said that with premium hardwood floors, consumers can be confident with
their purchase. “Customers are now more concerned with where the wood
comes from and if it has been grown in a sustainable way,” she
explained. “They request better quality products for their home because
they know it will last longer and not harm their family.”
High-end trends
Today, said PID’s Skutelsky, customers are
continuing to move away from the rustic look and instead are choosing a
product that looks very clean. “Rift and quartered white oak, for
example, is very popular right now,” he said.
Jose Alonso, DuChateau’s creative director, said
there is a strong market for floors with character; wider and longer
planks also continue to be popular.
Indeed wider and longer planks show no signs of
stopping as they continue to grow across price points. Natalie Cady,
hardwood category manager, Shaw, said wider, longer planks provide a
larger format to showcase style and design which, she said, is appealing
to those looking for high-end products with an artisan touch.
Gray tones continue to trend and have become the new neutrals, offered HomerWood’s Wescoat.
“We have rolled out new color gradations of gray
across our lines. Kerf cut floors with weathered visuals are also
trending,” she said.