Decor trends for 2011
Do-it-yourselfers "LOC-in" latest trend in hardwood floors
According to experts in the hardwood flooring industry, the hot trends for this year will be wider board floor designs and easier to install options that you simply "LOC" into place.
The recent innovation in the flooring industry that continues to gain momentum with designers, builders and do it yourselfers alike is the Mercier Wood Flooring "LOC" product category. It's an engineered floor that does not require glue or mechanical fasteners to install using a locking system optimized for low cost of production and superior installation characteristics.
"This product addition presents customers with a user-friendly installation product for multi-story developments, basements, and is an ideal choice for the do-it-yourself market," explained Michel Collin, Marketing Director of Mercier Wood Flooring, one of North America's leading hardwood flooring manufacturers.
This innovative engineered wood flooring with a 2G LOC features a 2mm sawn veneer of hardwood in either red oak or hard maple bonded to an HDF core. Solid wood will expand or contract with heat and moisture, whereas engineered wood flooring, because it's made of cross banded layers of wood, offers more dimensional stability, Collin explained.
In fact, for the past several years Mercier has offered its customers the widest variety of choices in the country allowing them to design their floor the way they want, thanks to their exclusive Design+ program. This year to answer the consumer demand for wider board designs, Mercier's has added a 5" option to its LOC category in classic Red Oak and Hard Maple.
According to designer Nancy Soccio of Dolce Design in Montreal, consumers will appreciate these classic hardwoods made available in the popular wider options. "Red oak is a classic choice. It's a hardy, noble wood that adds soothing warmth to your home with its pink highlights. While hard maple is more pale and uniform," she added. "It's dense, finely grained look combines harmony and wellbeing to any decor."
There are also established trends in wood flooring fashion that will continue to forge ahead, according to Collin, and these are the movements towards pronounced colour variations and rare exotic species. "Our exclusive line of exotic species from South America, for example, is sought after by discerning homeowners for its stylish rich natural shades blended with the inherent hardness and durability of exotic woods."
For the dark wood floor enthusiasts, Collin said Mercier has developed beautiful new rich stains for its Heritage product line: Graphite and Macchiato for solid, engineered and LOC versions in varying widths. More information on the latest trends in wood flooring is available at www.mercierwoodflooring.com.