Centiva specializes in unique designs.

By K.J. Quinn
Does your customer’s kitchen and dining room look dull and lifeless? Does she want to create a design statement with the least amount of change?

Industry members say the latest innovations in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) enable consumers to dramatically improve these and other in-home areas. Vendors claim the latest products are built to withstand the abuse of kids, pets and spills while maintaining their appearance for years. “Consumers are looking for something that performs for them and looks good,” noted Gerry Yost, co-owner, Serenity Design, Ship Bottom, N.J. “They want something that enhances the beauty of their house.”

Why are vendors so fired up about a segment that dealers once left for dead? For starters, suppliers claim to have reinvented the category by making significant advances in performance and styling. Combine this demand for realism with the available technologies in LVT and you end up with many satisfied customers.
  
“Dealers are also becoming increasingly more comfortable with this category and are now eagerly recommending it as an attractive and functional solution to their customer’s flooring needs,” said David Sheehan, Mannington’s director of resilient business. “It’s also a category that lends itself to professional installation, which allows specialty retailers to differentiate themselves through superior customer service.”

With the addition of new machinery and improved manufacturing processes, the LVT of today has a classy feel that takes on the looks of natural wood and stone. “However, some styles also have looks all their own as seen in Centiva’s Magics, Coral Reef, and C-Tech products,” said Amanda Teyeb, marketing coordinator, International Floors of America. “The metallic and pearlescent components in these products are like no other products on the market today.”

Indeed, the latest flurry of LVT products offer abundant design and color choices at opening price points through trade-up levels to provide shoppers with quality products at a moderate cost. “There is a niche in the marketplace where people have a mindset that doesn’t favor wood, carpet or ceramic, and luxury vinyl tile gives them a viable, attractive alternative,” said Paul Holland, co-owner, Holland Flooring, Milford, N.H.

Floor designs resembling wood, tile and stone are top sellers, dealers report, namely because they provide the natural look without the maintenance headaches associated with these materials. These patterns are available on larger-format tile, wood, stone, slate and marble-like aesthetics that target ceramic, resilient and even wood customers. “Aesthetically, it is often hard to know whether the product is LVT or the real thing,” said Mary Docker, president, Halo Floors. “Modern printing gives unequalled realism. Surface textures such as wood emboss and stone emboss add to this, and some products can be grouted with special grouts for even more authenticism.” Surfaces are often coated in urethane or contain aluminum oxide, both of which minimize scuffs and scratches.

The next generation of LVT features strikingly realistic wood, tile and stone images in low-gloss finishes. These faux looks are positioned as a quality alternative to natural materials and also said to be more forgiving, comfortable underfoot and carry a lower installation cost. “We can be more creative and innovative because we have very few constraints when creating new designs that are in fashion,” said Michael Raskin, president, Metroflor. He noted that Metroflor’s Solidity LVT, part of the Classic Collection, features an aluminum-oxide ceramic finish and 20-mm wearlayer that resists scratches, dents, scuffs and wear.

One of the hottest wood looks today is exotics, and this year Mannington is bringing it to its Adura Luxury Floors line. All new Adura introductions come in a 5-inch-wide plank format, which mimics the most popular look in hardwood today.  A case in point is Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry) and Bolivian Rosewood. “Jatoba provides a striking backdrop,” Sheehan said. “Its color variation lends exotic appeal and interest to any room, while Bolivian Rosewood offers a dark, rich look that is reminiscent of the tropics.”  Each of these patterns is available in two SKUs for design flexibility.

Most LVTs come in a wide range of sizes, surfaces and edge treatments, with suggested retail prices ranging from around $3.49 to $5.39 per square foot uninstalled.

Unusual sizes, authentic patterns, darker colored wood planks and larger size planks are the latest trends in LVT, industry watchers say.  “In the past, LVT was typically seen in kitchens and bathrooms,” Centiva’s Teyeb said. “Today, LVT can be seen in an entrance way, media room or children’s bedroom.” Warranties vary by brand, and many products are applicable for commercial and residential usage.

The major selling points of LVT are easy installation, low maintenance and life-cycle costs, and the myriad of choices available in size, texture and color. “LVT is so easy to take care of,” Halo’s Docker pointed out. “It can be used in every room of the house, including bedrooms, where a wood look with rugs is warm and welcoming, and in hot climates where a stone look is much warmer when trundling off to the bathroom.”

The true-to-life texturing of LVT, however, has left retailers in a merchandising quandary. Some dealers show LVT on display floors and merchandising racks within their ceramic tile and hardwood departments while others display it in the resilient flooring area. “I have individual samples within the ceramic and marble display. It shows how well the product looks compared to the real thing,” Yost said. “We also show pictures of different floor installations we’ve done to promote the product.”

Armstrong claims its new MODe flooring, a high-end collection of LVT, offers an array of looks for any room in the home. MODe flooring—short for “My Own Design expressions”—offers a wide range of more than 80 visuals with patterns that replicate natural materials as well as designer colors and looks that extend a consumer’s personal style. MODe’s easy down/easy up installation option also allows retailers to give their customers a choice of installation methods and allows homeowners to update their floors according to their changing tastes.

“I am truly excited about the opportunities MODe presents with its customization capabilities and the way in which all of the merchandising completes the package,” said Judy Grillo, vice president, product management, residential tile & IMA. “MODe was designed with our retailers in mind to help turn their customers’ inspirations into installations.”

The most important attributes that retail salespeople should point out to consumers about LVT, experts say, are aesthetics, performance, easy maintenance and affordability. “With LVT it’s an easy sell,” Mannington’s Sheehan said. “You can have the look you want without the worry, and you don’t have to take out a third mortgage to afford it.”

Regardless of the merchandising strategy, LVT is often touted as either a vinyl upgrade or quality alternative to tile and wood. And while LVT is not inexpensive compared to resilient sheet goods, the final cost is less than natural materials because installation and maintenance costs are considerably lower. “Plus, it’s easy to repair,” Yost said. “If a section of tile gets damaged, you can take it up and replace it instead of replacing the whole floor.”

While many research their flooring options before shopping, some consumers may be exposed to the category for the first time upon entering the store or during the qualification process. Although LVT is publicized in resources such as shelter publications or on the Internet, dealers and manufacturers rarely advertise it to the public. This means the sale and future success of the category could rest squarely on the shoulders of retail salespeople.

“The traditional retailers have a background in this category and feel comfortable selling the product,” Metroflor’s Raskin said. “As the installation becomes easier with better adhesives, it will alleviate most of the objections to the category and create a larger market.”