When you are thinking about flooring for your retail business, office space, hotel, restaurant, medical center, or other commercial location, you have to juggle a variety of concerns. What is going to be the most durable? Which will help reduce impact on your staff’s joints? Which is safest for visitors? What will hold up to heavy foot traffic or be easiest to maintain? What type of style do you want? Do you prefer bold colors, patterns, or textures, or do you want to keep it classic and simple? What about cost? Phew… there are a lot of questions to answer! We’ll help: here are some top commercial flooring ideas to get you started.
What’s On-Trend for 2020?
The right commercial flooring option depends on your business. A hospital has much different needs than a restaurant, which has much different needs than a retail shop. So hopping on the latest trends isn’t always the best approach. That said, it is good to get an overall sense of what’s going on in the industry, for inspiration if nothing else!
Luxury Vinyl Tile and Carpet Tiles Gain Ground
Both of these versatile surfaces have surged in popularity over the last few years, and this is a trend we expect to endure. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and carpet tile have proven themselves quite capable of keeping up with the practical and aesthetic demands in offices, schools, hotels, and even areas like healthcare. We’re also seeing LVT pop up on walls. It’s a particularly great choice for accent walls: you can, for example, recreate the look of wood which would not be feasible otherwise.
Thanks to innovations in printing technology, LVT can take on beautiful, organic visual qualities. You can get the effect of tumbled edges, grout lines, and other details found in natural stone.
Another factor at play in LVT’s popularity is the increasing push for environmentally-responsible commercial flooring options. More manufacturers are certifying their products, using rapidly renewable US-grown plant-based materials, significantly reducing volatile organic compounds, and implementing recycling programs.
Carpet tile is winning more fans as well: it is easy to install, which drastically cuts downtime for businesses. It also provides a great deal of design freedom. Manufacturers are using patterns and colors creatively, and commercial spaces tend to benefit because you can easily delineate different areas, while adding touches of personality. Carpet tile is also exceptionally durable, a major concern across industries.
We Want More Green Flooring
As mentioned there is an increasing appetite for commercial flooring that is environmentally-friendly and made with sustainable materials. We are seeing more:
- Cork. Made from cork oak bark, this is an exciting option because the trees do not have to be cut down. Their bark regenerates every three years. Cork is antimicrobial, durable, and can reduce allergens.
- Bamboo. Bamboo is quickly renewable and flooring is available in a wide variety of colors and styles.
- Linoleum. This isn’t your grandmother’s linoleum! Today’s options are eco-friendly (made from linseed oil, cork dust, tree resins, wood floor, ground limestone, and pigments). Durable even in conditions with heavy traffic, linoleum is available in a full spectrum of colors and styles.
- Rubber. This is a popular choice in healthcare, gyms, and other commercial settings. Made from old tires, you can choose from a wide variety of colors.
- Stained concrete. Limestone is the major ingredient in concrete, and it offers tremendous durability. You can polish and color your floors to achieve virtually any look you want.
- Wool carpet. Wool is durable, sustainable, easy to maintain, and attractive!
- Hardwood. When sustainably sourced, hardwood is a great option for many commercial applications. Not only is it stunning, it’s also tremendously durable.
Green commercial flooring options continue to grow and evolve.
Color Adds Personality
Color seems to play a role in our emotional and psychological states: for example, red is thought to convey a message of boldness and confidence to customers, while blue can promote calm, comfort, and creativity. This can be a great choice for settings in which employees engage in problem-solving.
And even if you don’t buy into the color-affects-mood theory, it certainly adds a visual punch to your flooring. You can use color strategically to reinforce your brand image.
All the Comforts of Home
When you’re considering commercial flooring ideas, think welcoming and warmth. There is a big push towards creating a more “home-like” environment in businesses, particularly offices. Softer and more tactile options that feature a lot of pattern and texture are especially effective. This is yet another reason carpet tile is a strong choice.
What’s best for your needs? When you’re searching for the right commercial flooring in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area, come to the experts. East Coast Flooring & Interiors is happy to help you explore your options and make a selection that allows you to achieve your key goals, from durability and cost to style and personality. Contact us today.