By Gabriel Gerges, DVP Builder for Single and Multifamily, Southwind Floors
Where is soft surface flooring, carpet and/or carpet tile, used in new builds for single-family and multi-family environments?
Soft Surface flooring is still a favorite in bedrooms. Consumers still like the warmth underfoot and sound abatement that carpet offers. Those characteristics paired with the beautiful designs that you find in our newest Southwind lines have kept carpet in those spaces. Hard surfaces have cemented itself in most areas of the home. The cleanability and durability of hard surface products has added a lot of value to consumers. The types of hard surface products are dependent on the application and tend to vary based on geography, personal preference and other factors.
What attributes make carpet a good choice and why?
There are lots of unique patterned goods that create beautiful solutions for the consumer. The versatility of carpet is unmatched by hard surface products. The ability to produce items in varying color ranges, patterns and textures allows for endless design possibilities. It can be customized to suit various interior styles and preferences. Warmth and comfort are unequivocally better on carpet than any other flooring product. Carpet is an excellent choice for areas where noise control is important. An overlooked advantage to carpet is also the reduction of slips and falls compared to hard surface flooring options like tile or hardwood. Better traction can make this a suitable product for young children or elderly individuals.
What constructions, fibers, styles, and colors are trending in soft surface—carpet, carpet tile?
At Southwind, we find that PET continues to dominate the value and mid-price ranges of broadloom carpet in residential remodels and new construction channels. Cost advantages, combined with an ongoing excess of production capacity vs. demand will continue this trend in the foreseeable future. Demand for nylon is still primary in premium or luxury price ranges, however PET share is growing in these constructions, as well. Tweeds and tonal Cut Pile textures in subtle earth tone color assortments are still a dominant portion of the residential markets. However, interest for small-scale organic and geometric patterned constructions is showing growth.
While LVP is taking share in main street commercial installations, (primarily away from broadloom carpet) the demand for entry level and mid-priced carpet tile still represents opportunities in this channel. Nylon is still very much in demand in mid-to-upper price point carpet tile, with PET and Polypropylene constructions in much of the entry level price points.