In this fast-track world of what’s new and what’s hot in floor coverings, I’d like to suggest that you check out an old and trusted flooring friend -- ceramic tile -- at the upcoming Coverings show in Chicago (April 21-24).

Can you identify the hot decorator colors for ’09? Do you know how to assemble a ‘complementary color scheme?’ Do you even own a color wheel? One of the most important, and neglected, selling tools in flooring is the ever expanding palette of colors available. Learning how to use it is a lot easier than you might think!

This isn’t the time for anyone in the floor covering industry to be spending money frivolously. Now that I’ve stated the obvious, bear with me and I’ll let you know where I’m going with this. By now you may have cut back on your advertising. You are most likely watching your inventory very closely. And more than ever, you are being very prudent about sample and overhead costs. Why then would you consider an investment to update your showroom right now? Good question. Let me share with you the perspective of some very savvy business pros who maintain you should do just that.

It’s often said that a ‘recession’ is when your neighbor loses his job and a ‘depression’ is when you lose yours. I hope that makes you smile just a bit because this column is devoted to the brighter side of the drab economy we’ve been muddling through. As the media bombards us with every negative spin imaginable, it’s time someone offered a glimmer of hope-or at least puts things in perspective.  For the many of you who are floor covering veterans, these cyclical downturns are nothing new. You have seen long lines and soaring prices at the gas pump. You likely know the sick feeling of seeing a neighbor’s home go into foreclosure. I am not trying to depress you.  Just the opposite-I want to remind you that we have been here before. As with any dip in the road, you will navigate this one. And the best of the best will come out of it even better positioned than ever.

You may remember in my pre-Surfaces pep talk I urged you to optimize your time at the show. Even more important, I encouraged you to follow-up on everything (product or company) that caught your eye. So I thought now would be a good time to check in on your follow-up work. The consensus is that, while attendance may have been a bit down, the show was a huge hit with retailers and exhibitors. So how did you do? Did you come away with colorful visions of new products dancing in your head? For my part, even a couple of months later I am still on a visual “high” from my Las Vegas Surfaces experience.

By now, if you are a regular reader of Designs in Style, I hope you have come to rely on me for unique insights on the direction of color as well as forecasts for trends in residential and commercial design. Hopefully I have nudged you forward and made you a bit more comfortable in dealing with color. But what I have not done, until now, is give you an insider’s view of the language of color. “Now why should that interest me in the least?” you may well ask.  And I would answer: Because a basic understanding of the meanings of color will empower you to better guide your customers.

You may think it’s a stretch to see Surfaces as our industry’s institution of higher learning, but that is exactly what it is. It’s not merely a trade show, it’s a learning center: a hands-on introduction to the most innovative and eye-catching products around-all hatched by the top R & D minds in our business. You can expect these new offerings to be off the charts aesthetically. You can also expect that most will have performance and/or sustainability stories worth knowing. And it’s not just products. Those of you who invest the time to participate in seminars, demonstrations and other presentations will likely to walk away with a wealth of information-even before you set foot in the exhibit hall.

Welcome to 2008.  It’s a New Year and that means a new start and a new horizon for your business.  This is a good time to let go of “tried (or is it tired?) and true” methods of doing business and embrace some fresh, creative concepts.  In this business, that can be a big challenge. If floor covering retailer was included as an entry in a thesaurus, suggested synonyms might include “creature of habit.” That’s not an insult-honest. It’s simply our human nature at work, coupled with the keep-things-as-they-are mindset that is a fixture of our industry. 

Who says sequels are the exclusive domain of Hollywood? Last year National Floor Trends published my original “What If…” article, and since “what ifs” are plentiful in our world of floor coverings, I decided to pen a sequel to this saga. To do so, I tapped into the Color Marketing Group International’s research to look at the various generations who make up your potential customer base. It’s helpful to know something about each generation’s characteristics. Why?  Because each generation holds a different perspective so you can begin to tailor your product selections, color choices, and sales approach to suit their unique buying styles.

You’ve heard the term bandied about. Everyone seems to be buzzing about it. You’ve read the articles insisting that it is not a passing trend.  You know a little about the subject but not nearly enough. You find  yourself wondering what “Green” really means and why it should be a part of your store’s marketing plan. You’re a little anxious about the whole thing.  Relax-you’re not alone. “Green” (or sustainable) building and design is a huge “movement” that has grown far beyond trend status, but it is also a work in progress. What you do need to know is this: Environmental concern is fast becoming a way of life-for consumers and businesses.  No one expects you to become an expert overnight but this is something you need to address.  So let’s begin with some of the “language” and basics.