Sheer creativity: Industry presents unconventional designs and bold colors

At the Flooring Deluxe display, premium textile floor coverings parquet and laminates took center stage. “Fresh, modern designs are proving instrumental in triggering end-consumer interest in high-grade, designer floor coverings,” said Köckler. “By picking up on this trend and dedicating a showcase to it, we are giving our exhibitors rich opportunities to highlight their creativity and increase their impact,” he continued.

Textile floor coverings parquet and laminates were featured at the Flooring Deluxe exhibits in halls 6 and 9, where visitors could immerse themselves in unconventional installations and experience trends for the upcoming season.

In the textile floor coverings segment, graphic and geometric patterns, stripes and classic weaves were en vogue. In laminate coverings, experimental wood optics with wood-grain color accents is the trendsetter for the coming season. But the strongest demand continues to be for softwood and hardwood optics. Parquet floors with hand-scraped, brushed or distressed finishes are also gaining in popularity. Apart from the perennial favorite of warm brown tones, more colorful hues are also in increasing demand.

The latest trends in hand-made carpets were on display at the “Souk Deluxe” show as well as at the presentation of the Carpet Design Awards. Here as well, the interplay of intense colors and striking designs dominated the scene. The future role being carved out by photo print optics was also conspicuous, with all three finalist carpets in the “Best Innovations” category at the Carpet Design Awards making use of such motifs.

The SKILLED TRADES HUB: Home base for floor-laying professionals

A first at this year’s DOMOTEX was the new SKILLED TRADES HUB, where visiting floor-laying practitioners could find everything of value to them at one convenient location in Hall 7. Here they were able to try out machines and tools and plug into valuable know-how as presented by big-name solution providers. “Our goal was to give the skilled trades a home base of their own at DOMOTEX, and we succeeded,” concluded Köckler. “The SKILLED TRADES HUB served as a central rendezvous for parquet and floor layers, interior decorators, painters and carpenters.” Skilled trade’s people accounted for 20 percent of all DOMOTEX visitors.