All interior designs must include aesthetically compatible and functional flooring. To make the best decision, you need to be aware of the newest trends in the industry.

We are going to talk about 9 flooring trends in this article.  While some of these alternatives aren’t completely new, they do come with updated functionality and visual appeal. This article would be useful for people interested in flooring trends, be they designer, homeowners, or simply curious people! 

“Trends in flooring could be divided into two categories: flooring selected by design professionals, such as architects or designers, and those chosen by consumers or do-it-yourselfers. Since designers are more conscious of worldwide trends and incorporate them into their everyday work, there is a minor variation in their selections,” says Dinesh Vyas.

We present 9 trends that could be seen as common for all flooring projects and most of them are Global trends too.

Very Large size Porcelain Tile Flooring

Tiles made of ceramic material measuring as big as 4’x6’ and 4’x8’ are fast replacing the conventional marble slabs. Both – full body porcelain as well as glazed vitrified tiles (GVT) have become very popular in India. The supply has increased, and prices have gone down. Good for consumers.

Buy this Book: MODERN CERAMIC TILES: A Handbook for Professionals

The challenge lies in choosing the suitable type of tile as you cannot polish or restore them like you do for marble. Another challenge comes from the installation side. There is a dearth of trained and qualified masons.

No-shine Matte and Textured Finishes for Trending Floors

This applies to all surface covering material including flooring. The trend for matte and textured finishes is continuing. Be it modern ceramic tiles or trusted natural stones, polished, shiny surfaces are being replaced with matte and textured tactility.

“Non-reflective flooring gets rid of unnecessary glare from the bottom of the room and ensures due attention to other elements in the interiors meticulously planned by the designer. It gives a sophisticated, contemporary character to the space,” adds Dinesh Vyas.

LVT and SPC Flooring

While the latter is newer, LVT has been there for over a decade. SPC (Stone Polymer Composite flooring) brings rigidity at the base and retains all other advantages of LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile and Planks) except the flexibility. Renovation projects with tight timelines made these options very popular.

Read this Article also: Empowering Future Designers: Integrating Flooring Material Education in Curricula

Floor Fashion in Trend

Patterned and designer tiles have been conventionally used on walls while the flooring generally had marble, wood, or other subtle colour palettes. The trend is catching up spicing the floors too with patterned and designer tiles, at least the niches.

Eco-friendly Flooring

Bamboo flooring, Linoleum, and Recycled wood are being considered for flooring. There are different varieties of bamboo flooring like – strand woven and engineered bamboo flooring apart from solid bamboo stripes glued together in different orientations. There are bamboo species that are ready for use within three years!

Read this Article also: Flooring A Sustainable Future

Linoleum is often confused with Vinyl. Linoleum was discovered much earlier than Vinyl flooring. It is made from linseed oil and is being revisited as there is a greater awareness about eco-friendly materials. Recycled wood is not new except that more designers are looking at it. However, local availability could be a constraint.

Recycled Tile Flooring

Tiles made of recycled glass, plastic, rubber and even concrete are catching up the attention of designers across the globe. Concern for sustainability is the reason and conviction for the same. 

“There are many initiatives motivated by the demand for sustainable products. For example, ‘Carbon Craft, a Bangalore-based startup, has come up with Carbon Tile which they claim is the first of its kind to be made using upcycled carbon as it has potential to reduce air pollution at scale through an architectural intervention,” stated Dinesh Vyas.

Concrete Flooring

Polished concrete for interiors and Stamped concrete for exteriors are now a global choice supporting minimalist design and longevity.

Read this Article also: Tiles & Tiling Education for Construction Professionals?

Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy, since its invention, has been a boon to the construction Industry and industrial coatings. However, epoxy as flooring is the new trend even for residential interiors. The advent of low VOC and water-based Epoxy are now safer for indoor environments also.

Watch this Exclusive podcast

---

Smart Flooring

Smart seems the future of flooring! These are technological integrations with the floor you walk upon. The sensors in the smart flooring make the space a data Centre! The flooring tiles could be interactive and track movements, control light, detect any anomalies, and even generate electricity as you walk upon them.

Smart flooring combines innovative technology with suitable material and could have different functions including home automation features.

“Smart flooring is still in its infancy but has the potential to improve our designed spaces and add features that contribute to the general well-being of the occupants” sums up Dinesh Vyas.

Watch this Exclusive podcast

---