From the CEO’s Desk
The Feeling of Home
One of the things I love most about flooring is how deeply personal it becomes. Customers may start by looking at colors, styles, or samples, but what they’re really trying to create is a home that feels comfortable, welcoming, and uniquely theirs. The right floor becomes part of everyday life. It’s where families gather, where memories are made, and where people spend the moments that matter most.
A beautiful floor can completely change the feeling of a space. It can make a room feel calmer, brighter, warmer, or more connected. And helping customers discover the flooring they truly love is one of the most rewarding parts of this industry.
That’s where great dealers make such a difference. You help customers navigate all the choices and bring their vision together in a way that feels right for their home and their lifestyle.
At Southwind, we’re proud to offer products designed to support those conversations with beautiful visuals, thoughtful styling, and options that work across a wide range of homes and design preferences.
— Drew
Drew Hash
President & CEO, Southwind Floors
Support Where it Matters Most
Helping Customers Visualize the Bigger Picture
One of the biggest challenges customers face during the design process isn’t choosing a product. It’s visualizing how everything will come together once the project is complete.
Customers are balancing a lot of decisions at once: lighting, furniture, paint colors, textures, and overall style. Flooring becomes the foundation that ties those elements together, which is why visualization tools continue to play such an important role in the showroom experience. Through the Southwind website, customers can use our Roomvo integration to upload photos of their own space and preview Southwind floors directly in their home. It’s a helpful way to explore different styles, colors, and layouts before making a final decision.
Many dealers are finding success by pairing visualization tools with the traditional showroom experience. Seeing a floor in their own room online, while also viewing physical samples in different lighting conditions at home, helps customers feel more confident in their final choice.
- natural versus artificial lighting
- warm and cool tones
- texture layering
- furniture coordination
- and overall room atmosphere
can help customers feel more confident and excited about their final decision.
Sometimes the most valuable part of the showroom experience is helping customers see the bigger picture.
Color Inspiration for 2026
Pairing Floors with Pantone’s Color of the Year
Pantone recently introduced its 2026 Color of the Year: PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, a soft, airy white designed to reflect calm, quiet, and thoughtful living.
As customers continue looking for homes that feel peaceful and restorative, colors like Cloud Dancer create opportunities for flooring that complements soft interiors and natural textures.
Southwind floors that pair beautifully with light, calming palettes include:
- Warm oak visuals with subtle grain movement
- Soft natural wood tones that add warmth without overwhelming the space
- Clean, neutral carpet styles that support layered textures and fabrics
- Waterproof flooring options that balance performance with a relaxed design aesthetic
Popular design aesthetics customers continue asking about include:
MODERN ORGANIC – Natural textures, soft neutrals, and light woods that create calm, grounded spaces.
CONTEMPORARY COASTAL – Bright interiors, airy palettes, and clean flooring visuals that help rooms feel open and relaxed.
RUSTIC WARMTH – Rich wood visuals, layered textures, and warm tones designed for comfortable gathering spaces.
TIMELESS TRADITIONAL – Classic hardwood looks paired with balanced color palettes and elegant furnishings that never go out of style.
Product Feature: Waterproof Laminate That Feels Like Home
Southwind’s laminate collections, Revive and Resurge continue to stand out for customers looking for the warmth and realism of wood with the durability needed for everyday life.
Both collections are designed for busy homes and feature:
- Waterproof protection
- Attached 2mm IXPE underlayment for added comfort and sound reduction
- Uniclic locking systems for fast floating installation
- AC4 wear ratings suitable for residential and light commercial spaces
Where they differ comes down to style and feel.
Revive features wider, longer planks with embossed-in-register texture for a more elevated hardwood look, making it especially popular in open-concept spaces.
Resurge offers a slightly narrower plank with a versatile style that works beautifully across a wide range of room sizes and layouts while delivering excellent value.
Both collections carry Lifetime Residential Warranties and provide realistic wood visuals designed to hold up to spills, pets, kids, and everyday traffic.
Why Customers Continue Choosing Laminate
Today’s laminate offers a balance of performance, comfort, and value that continues to resonate with homeowners.
Compared to hardwood, laminate is more resistant to scratches, dents, and changing humidity. Compared to tile, it feels warmer and quieter underfoot. And compared to many vinyl products, laminate often delivers a more natural wood feel and stronger sound absorption.
For customers wanting beautiful wood-look flooring that performs well in real life, Revive and Resurge continue to be strong solutions.
Team Spotlight
Meet Loretta Kilgore
This month, we’re proud to highlight Loretta Kilgore, Sales Administrator in our Dalton, GA Sales Department.
There’s a good chance that if you’ve interacted with Southwind, Loretta has helped make things run smoothly behind the scenes.
Loretta works closely with both our sales team and our customers to make sure the right information gets where it needs to go. She manages the dealer portal, keeps sales materials and reports organized and up to date, supports our Territory Managers with day-to-day questions, and helps oversee communication coming through our general company inboxes. She also monitors and responds to our shared newsletter inbox, making sure customer questions, feedback, and comments are heard and routed to the right people across the company.
What makes Loretta stand out is her willingness to help wherever she’s needed. She may not always have the answer immediately, but she’s the kind of person who will work hard to find it. Her steady, solutions-focused approach makes life easier for both teammates and customers alike.
And in a world where most people avoid phone calls, Loretta still believes in picking up the phone and talking directly with people. Customers and coworkers appreciate that personal touch and know they can count on her when something needs attention.
Loretta’s role touches nearly every part of the company at one point or another, and we’re grateful for the care, consistency, and positivity she brings to Southwind every day.
The Final Word
Confidence in the Details
A lot goes into helping a customer feel good about their decision.
Sometimes it’s the product itself. Sometimes it’s seeing the right room scene. Sometimes it’s simply having someone who can help pull all the pieces together with confidence.
That kind of experience is what customers remember long after the project is finished.
–– The Southwind Team