Flooring manufacturers are addressing the demanding needs of interior architects, designers, store planners, visual merchandisers, and specialty retail owners at GlobalShop 2017, the annual show for retail design and shopper marketing, held March 28-30 in Las Vegas.
With the retail and hospitality sectors in search of the next hottest designs and formats, flooring is increasingly at the forefront of the decision-making process. Manufacturers at the show report retail as one of the fastest growing commercial sectors in 2016. Flooring becomes the literal foundation upon which these projects flourish because of the high-end designs that provide a timeless look as well as durable finish for a longer lasting wear, according to Debra Lechner, commercial marketing director, Armstrong Flooring.
“Our new and enhanced flooring collections help specifiers address the concerns of specialty retail owners including operating costs, the customer experience, lighting, layout, and merchandising that all affect sales,” she said.
Retail owners factor in the customer experience when choosing flooring. The experience begins from the moment a consumer steps in the store and flows through browsing through merchandise, making the final purchase, and leaving.
Armstrong Flooring featured products that perform in high-traffic retail spaces, including luxury vinyl, hardwood, and laminate. The Armstrong team hosted product demonstrations using 3D goggles to showcase the latest in luxury flooring in virtual reality retail environments. The VR Flooring Visualizer allowed visitors to virtually change the flooring and room scenes to see how it affected the environment.
Karndean Designflooring showcased its full retail product portfolio, including its newest products, LooseLay Longboard and Korlok. In addition, Karndean’s six gluedown ranges were on display at the show. Karndean’s gluedown ranges offer highly realistic wood and stone looks in more than 200 varieties and sizes. These ranges may be installed in conjunction with design strips, borders, or special cuts to create a customized floor unique to any space. In retail environments, this allows for highlighting featured displays, creating pathways which facilitate traffic flow, or incorporating a custom logo.
Aspecta by Metroflor exhibited Aspecta One, a collection of dryback luxury vinyl tiles with a 2.5-millimeter gauge and 20-mil wear layer. The collection is suitable for healthcare, education, hospitality, retail and corporate sectors and is available in 22 tile options and 24 plank varieties, as well as a series of 4x24-inch planks featuring wood motifs.
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