Collection Digitalia, designed exclusively for Abet Laminati by Karim Rashid, features 27 digital print patterns — making a strong impression with shapes, signs, lights and colours. The computer-created complex 2-D graphic designs, made possible through the use of new technologies and software, give the laminate sheet flooring the perception of 3-D. Digitalia vividly illustrates the Canadian’s design philosophy: to arouse feelings and emotions. abetlaminati.com
New York-based Trove, best known for nature-inspired products, has introduced its first line of photographic dyed carpeting. Crafted using continuous-filament fibres, and available in nylon or a nylon/wool blend, these tightly woven carpets can be produced as wall-to-wall. The pattern is applied directly on the carpet, which means the design is not limited by the carpet’s shape or weave structure. The collection is offered in Trove’s standard design and colours, as well as custom creations in an unlimited colour range. troveline.com
U.S.-based DuChateau Floors produces wide-planked hardwood floors that are distressed, hard-wax-oiled, smoked and brushed to achieve a true vintage look. Part of the company’s Terra collection, Zimbabwe floors (shown) capture the natural essence of Africa. Since they’re made with sustainably harvested wood, all DuChateau products qualify for LEED credits. duchateaufloors.com
Armstrong’s Barrel Creek collection was inspired by the romance of wine country and the ingenuity of designers who repurpose wine barrels. Armstrong has reinterpreted the look in 2 1/4-inch strips of premium rift-and-quartered oak. Every detail has been considered, from vintners’ marks burned into the flooring surface to authentic cooperage stamps. A deep colour wash enhances the grain and provides an aged appearance. armstrong.com
Quebec-based Model Hardwood’s new engineered-wood collection, Modelloc, offers easy installation, requiring neither nails nor glue. Its plywood structure is made of 9-mm-thick Baltic birch, covered with 3 mm of veneer. Manufactured in two widths (3 7/16 and 5 3/16 inches), the flooring is available in birch, red oak, maple, cherry, walnut, jatoba and tiger wood. pgmodel.com
Hardwood floor brand Mirage, in Quebec, has added Handcrafted Oak to its product line. With the weathered look of traditional floors, Oak’s wide boards are available in Carousel, a creamy white (shown); Chteau, a stately grey; and Teddy Bear, a soft brown. With all it products, Mirage guarantees absolute consistency in species, finish, colouring, width and thickness. miragefloors.com
Creative Matters is a Toronto-based boutique company best known for its handmade custom carpets that grace high-profile spaces around the globe. In collaboration with Georgia-based Milliken, Creative Matters has come up with Willow and Lace — a collection of intricate printed broadloom carpet, which layers modern industrial and urban elements (such as distressed steel) with fine detailed pieces reminiscent of traditional handmade lace. milliken.com
An addition to Tandus’s Manufactured Landscapes collection — inspired by the photography of Canada’s own Edward Burtynsky — Suzanne Tick’s Landscape Patterns allows designers to build pattern inlays within the floor plane. Three designs — Squiggle Ray (shown), Blade Curve and Hybrid — offer a myriad of pattern combinations; they can be applied to both 24-inch modular and low-VOC Powerbond VCTT (variable cushion tufted textile). Custom-designed logos or brand images can easily be incorporated into inlay sections. tandus.com
Shaw Hospitality Group’s Henna collection was influenced by Mehndi, the art of henna-painting designs typically applied during Southeast Asian social occasions. It includes eight tufted and 20 print and computer yarn placement (CYP) patterns. Shown here in earthen hues, the tufted and CYP versions of Henna can be customized with more than 230 colours, while the print version is available in more than 720 colours. shawcontactgroup.com
Contract Plus, the latest collection from Johnsonite, is ideal for use in hospitals, schools, shops and offices. Featuring a semi-directional design and homogenous construction, Contract Plus is available in 13 colours, with guaranteed availability across the company’s product lines. All colours are available in both sheet and tile. johnsonite.com
Offering the best features of textile flooring — comfort underfoot and sound insulation — Forbo’s Flotex features a densely flocked surface of nylon 6.6 fibres firmly anchored into a reinforced base layer of solid vinyl. Designed for heavy foot and wheel traffic, it is hardwearing and stain-resistant; completely waterproof; and features Bioguard antimicrobial treatment built into its fibre and backing. Forbo is available in a broad selection of sheet and tile patterns and colourways, and can be waterjet cut. forboflooringNA.com
Saga2, the newest vinyl tile from Gerflor, comes with an acoustic backing made of pure vinyl and cork, reducing impact noise significantly; it also has a 100 per cent pure vinyl wear layer of 0.7 mm thickness to ensure excellent resistance to heavy foot traffic. The tile designs — wood, mineral, textile and natural — are available in grey, beige and blue tones. gerflorusa.com
Nora system’s newest high-performance rubber floor covering, norament 925 serra, was inspired by the dramatic textures and colours of nature’s landscape. Each of the 25 versions — in tones of blue, brown, grey and red — is made up of a solid background with a fine scatter design of complementary colour chips. Like all nora flooring, norament 925 serra does not contain PVC. nora.com
To what was once an unattractive and purely functional accessory, Anji Mountain Bamboo Rug Co. has added durability, style and eco-friendly qualities — with its Bamboo Office Chairmat. Featuring a non-slip felt backing, allowing for use on either hard floors or low-to-medium-pile carpet, each mat is made of 100 per cent Anji Mountain Bamboo, the hardest, strongest bamboo on the planet. The Chairmat is available in traditional (with lip) or rectangular (without lip), in both natural and dark cherry (shown). anjimountainbamboorugco.com
Based in Maryland, EcoDomo is a leader in the production of sustainable recycled leather tiles for floors and walls. Its tiles are made entirely of natural pre-consumer leather scraps (from tanneries, furniture makers and shoe manufacturers) and such rapidly renewable resources as tree bark and natural latex. The tiles come in 12 sizes, eight standard colours and several textures. ecodomo.com
Bolyu Contract’s Flair, a versatile, sophisticated and environmentally responsible commercial carpet style, is manufactured with MBDC Cradle to Cradle Certified Zeftron nylon. It is available in broadloom and tile (both contributing toward LEED points), allowing users to customize looks and ensure ease of installation. Flair comes in 12 colourways that combine earth tones with abstract bursts of coordinating shades. bolyu.com
Viva Colores is the apt name for InterfaceFLOR’s new collection — its solid loop style is available in 64 colours, ranging from neutrals to brights. It’s part of the company’s Convert design platform for modular carpet that is designed and manufactured with a full spectrum of post-consumer content yarn. Viva Colores features a minimum of 34 per cent post-consumer recycled content and a minimum total recycled content of 67 per cent. interfaceflor.com