1-New and notable
Milliken has expanded its popular Convergence line, with the new Intervals series. Incorporating plaids, stripes and subtle organic shapes, with a dynamic interplay of scale, texture and colour, this modular carpet collection is easily mixed and matched to create a harmonious custom look. The range of patterns includes Perfect Pitch, Power Chord, Sound Wave and Beat For Beat.
Intervals also boasts CRI Green Label Plus Certification for Indoor Air Quality and meets the Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard. When purchased with the standard ES backing, it may contribute the maximum points for carpet towards LEED.
2-ReGreened
Last year InterfaceFLOR introduced ReEntry 2.0, an evolution of the ReEntry Carpet Reclamation Program. The new program makes Interface the first manufacturer to recycle post-consumer nylon 6,6 fibre, the most prevalent fibre used in the commercial market. In conjunction with this program, the new Reprise carpet tile collection was released. Taking advantage of this new technology, the collection’s non-directional patterns are proven to reduce installation waste and time. The look is based on the concept of biomimicry – how nature creates design. Reprise is manufactured with mergeable dye lots, ensuring the ability to replace single tiles. www.interfaceflor.com
3-Opposites attract
Shaw Contract Group has introduced a new collection inspired by the couture textiles of Paris and New York. A Texture Study is made up of nine broadloom and four tile options, all illustrating contrasting Sleek and Rough textures.
Simply sustainable
The tiles from the collection are manufactured with EcoWorx backing, a fully sustainable, non-PVC backing that contains 40 per cent recycled materials and is itself entirely recyclable. www.shawcontract.com
4-Performing art
Armstrong has introduced Premier Performance Hardwood and Hardwood Parquet to its commercial flooring portfolio. Most hardwood products can’t stand up to commercial traffic, but this line’s acrylic impregnation process ensures durability. The acrylic fills the wood’s open cells, supporting the form and increasing indentation and wear resistance. Armstrong’s Permion finish seals the deal for easy maintenance, providing superior gloss retention. As an engineered hardwood, these floors use less raw material than traditional hardwood and can earn LEED credits MR1.3, MR5.0, MR5.1 or MR5.2. www.armstrong.com1-Like a rock
Island Limestone is the newest addition to Karndean’s Art Select series of luxury vinyl flooring. Imitating the look and the texture of natural limestone, the natural aesthetic is further enhanced by placing nine tiles of assorted sizes on each panel. Natural definition between each tile is created with bevelled edges, and 3-mm design strips allow traditional Roman patterns to be created. Island Limestone is available in four colours: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. www.karndean.com
2-I can’t believe it’s not…
Johnsonite’s new Acczent offers the look of wood, glass and steel, without the high cost of materials, installation time and maintenance. The line includes 14 options for wood colour and textures, and five of these are available in the company’s Comfort vinyl sheet format. Another 14 Acczent variations in frosted or stained glass are also part of the line. Completing the series is Acczent steel, presenting a more urban, sophisticated aesthetic. www.johnsonite.com
3-Tr eehugger
Apavisa’s Oak collection contributes an ecological alternative to wood flooring that doesn’t take from forest resources. Using advanced technology, the company has created a floor that combines the aesthetic properties of wood with porcelain. The hard-wearing material is easily cleaned and maintained, and is resistant to water absorption and bending. Available in ocre, moka or beige in a 20-by-120-cm size, with complementary mosaic and step pieces also offered. www.apavisa.com
4-Fusion
Fused Birch is a new product from Amtico that replicates the look of natural wood in
Looks can be deceiving
a resilient flooring. Ideal for high-traffic commercial areas, where most kinds of wood simply can’t stand up to the wear, Fused Birch will never warp or become damaged by water. The finely textured, linear wood grain features light tones that will enhance modern or traditional designs. www.amtico.com1-Shock treatment
Nora’s new sportsfloor is an impact-resistant indoor flooring option for school, recreation and other multipurpose area applications. The matte, anti-slip surface combined with superior shock absorption reduces the risk of injury, in addition to offering great ball bounce properties for sports. Highly resistant to dirt and stains, sportsfloor is easily maintained in addition to being environmentally friendly. Composed of renewable high-quality rubber, natural fillers and environmentally friendly pigments, this product is 100 per cent PVC free.
2-In bloom
Blossom is one of many hand-woven carpet designs available at Toronto’s W Studio. All of the company’s products are made from renewable resources, this one in hand-spun Tibetan wool and silk. The naturally inspired Blossom is available in seven different sizes. www.wstudio.ca
3-Asian influence
Two new interpretations of Emma Gardner Design’s popular Chinese River wool rug have been introduced this year. The new Chocolate version features a warm palette of rich browns with accents of blue and endive, while Chinese New Year is in bright, festive reds and golds. Both are in hand-knotted Chinese silk and Tibetan wool.
Not only are Emma Gardner rugs composed of sustainable materials, but the company is also a member of RugMark, a global, non-profit organization that works to end child labour.
www.emmagardnerdesign.comwww.weaversart.com
Resourceful thinking
4-Go natural
Little Field of Flowers is among the latest offers from Spanish rug designers Naimariquina and was designed by Tord Boontje. Three colourways, Purples, Reds and Greens, are available in three sizes: 200 by 300 cm, 170 by 240 cm and 80 by 140 cm. Hand-loomed from 100 per cent New Zealand wool, this product is naturally sustainable. www.nanimarquina.com Kasthall has added several new products to its line of eco-friendly floor coverings. The additions include three new hand-tufted designs: Tekla, Stig and Olivia (shown). Olivia is a patterned interpretation of the company’s successful Moss carpet. Hand-tufted in wool and linen, the two-colour pattern was inspired by nature and is reminiscent of waves, fish and leaves. Enviro-conscious buyers should note that Kasthall is an ISO 14001-certified company. www.kasthall.com
The Goods
2-go with the grain
New from Artigo, Ebony is a highly textured rubber flooring inspired by wood grains. Designers Ettore Sottsass and Christopher Redfern describe the series as a “translation of the tactile and perceptive language of wood, an abstraction that generates many meanings and interpretations.”
Formed with a traditional molding process, Ebony is made in 100-by-20 cm planks, in four colour choices.
3 & 4-Carpet that counts
Textile designer Jhane Barnes took inspiration for C&A’s (a Tandus company) newest products from an unusual subject: math. Haphazard and Aftermath feature graphic representations of Euler’s Phi function and Fibonacci’s famous sequence. Haphazard is created using five different yarns, each with a three-ply twist that forms 15 colours in each colourway. Aftermath also uses five yarns, but with four two-ply and one space dye to create 13 colours per colourway. www.tandus.com
Floor plans