Anderson Tuftex releases 2027 flooring trends report

Dalton—Anderson Tuftex, a premium hardwood and carpet brand of Shaw Industries Group, has released its first flooring industry trend report, The 2027 Floor Forecast.

The report examines changing preferences among homeowners and interior designers. It also explores the trends expected to influence residential flooring, including durability, sustainability and design.

Anderson Tuftex partnered with The Harris Poll to survey 512 high-net-worth homeowners and 251 interior designers who regularly work with flooring. The research examined consumer preferences, purchasing priorities and expectations for the flooring industry.

Slightly more than half of the designers surveyed agreed that their clients’ willingness to invest in home improvements has increased significantly in recent years.

The findings suggest homeowners increasingly prioritize quality and longevity. Designers are also balancing performance, aesthetics and sustainability when recommending flooring products.

“By bringing together data and insights from designers and homeowners, the first Anderson Tuftex 2027 Floor Forecast provides a clearer view of the priorities and preferences shaping the flooring industry today,” said Bailey Walton, vice president of Anderson Tuftex. “Our goal is to provide designers and flooring professionals with meaningful insights they can use to better understand where the industry is headed and make informed decisions for their businesses and clients. These findings will also help guide how we approach our own business, product development and the solutions we create for homeowners and designers in the years ahead.”

Durability drives flooring investments

Homeowners continue to prioritize durability when selecting flooring. Nearly seven in 10 respondents said they value flooring that lasts at least 15 years.

Additionally, 56% strongly agreed they would pay a premium for long-lasting flooring. Another 63% strongly agreed that the right flooring makes a strong impression when guests enter their homes.

These findings highlight the importance of products that combine lasting performance with visual appeal.

Hardwood trends favor natural aesthetics

Hardwood flooring preferences reflect an interest in natural beauty and craftsmanship.

Among interior designers, 52% reported growing popularity for solid or uniform finishes. The same percentage identified light finishes as an emerging preference.

Homeowners showed interest in distinctive flooring designs. Wide-plank flooring appealed to 43% of respondents, while 17% favored mixed-pattern designs.

Color preferences also reflected a shift toward warmer tones. Among homeowners, 37% preferred warm natural and honey tones. Another 13% favored medium and chocolate browns, while 11% preferred smoky midtones with subtle gray, charcoal or brown undertones.

Carpet gains renewed attention

The report also identified growing interest in carpet, particularly products that combine comfort with performance.

Among homeowners, 57% favored carpet designed for high-traffic areas. Pet stain and soil resistance appealed to 54%, while 51% preferred solid colors.

Interior designers also emphasized performance and natural materials. According to the survey, 31% always recommend performance carpet, while 29% always recommend wool carpet.

Warm neutrals led carpet color preferences at 28%. Earthy, nature-inspired tones followed at 16%, while cool grays and light gray accounted for 13%.

Looking ahead, 65% of interior designers predicted carpet would become more popular over the next three years.

Sustainability presents opportunities for education

Sustainability remains an important consideration in flooring decisions, although the findings revealed mixed consumer attitudes.

While 60% of homeowners identified sustainability as a crucial deciding factor, 52% said they were “not too worried” about it. Another 39% believed all flooring products were relatively similar in this area.

Among interior designers, 80% reported that clients frequently or always ask about sustainable flooring. Additionally, 43% said they proactively recommend sustainable products.

The findings suggest manufacturers and designers have opportunities to educate consumers about environmental considerations and product differences.

What’s next for flooring?

Looking ahead, interior designers expect sustainable materials and high-performance flooring to play significant roles in the industry’s evolution.

Natural, recyclable and low- or zero-carbon materials are expected to influence future product development. Designers also anticipate continued demand for waterproof flooring, solid or hard composites and products that resist scratches and stains.

Smart flooring innovations could also gain traction. The report identified integrated sensors, click-lock features and temperature control as emerging areas of interest.

Anderson Tuftex said the findings will help guide its future product development and business decisions.

The full report and additional information about the research methodology are available here.

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Starnet Fall conference explores emerging opportunities

Mark Bischoff, Starnet president and CEO, welcoming attendees on opening day of the fall conference.

San Antonio—Day one of the 2026 Starnet Fall Conference kicked off in earnest here Oct. 22 with scores of commercial flooring contractors, key vendor partners and special guests in attendance.

The theme of the meeting, “Age of Abundance,” reflected the group’s shared commitment to growth, opportunity and the wealth of possibilities within the commercial flooring industry.

“We’re in a strange time when incumbent companies and brands operating with proven methods can win,” Mark Bischoff, Starnet president and CEO, told attendees in his opening remarks. “At the same time, we have new disruptive forces opening doors for those same companies to take a different path. Disruptive companies with management that wants to challenge the status quo will change the industry. It’s a window of opportunity on commercial that might close for incumbents when interest rates fall and the residential flooring business improves. We’re in a sweet spot right now that we’re calling the ‘Age of Abundance.’”

In order to capitalize on these emerging opportunities, however, commercial flooring contractors and their manufacturing partners must put themselves in the best position to succeed. According to Bischoff, this requires embracing technology, innovation and collaboration.

“We don’t innovate enough in the flooring industry,” Bischoff stated. “And no innovation equals low demand generation—and low demand equals low margin. There are so many other cool things that clients spend money on. In order to increase our productivity, we must be better at talent, operations and technology. That’s why Starnet focuses so many resources on these topics. We need to emulate the best in the world at creating excitement and demand for our floor covering products and interiors.”

The good news, according to Bischoff, is it’s in Starnet’s capacity to amplify that demand. “Our story can’t be delayed with construction. We can’t be waiting for the electricians and the plumbers. Our current story is demolish, prepare, fabricate, install. We don’t have to wait for 19th and 20th century products or the people that regulate our industry. We should be able to create our own success in a 21st century world.”

Steve Cloud, Starnet chairman, emphasized the importance of contractor/vendor partnerships.

Creating future pathways for success, Starnet noted, will require closer cooperation with the group’s vendor partners. That’s according to Steve Cloud, Starnet chairman and owner of M. Frank Higgins, a Berlin, Conn.-based commercial flooring contractor. In his opening remarks to attendees, he cited the importance of strengthening partnerships across the network.

“Over the 14 years that Higgins has been in the Starnet organization, we realized we stopped being an island in our own market,” Cloud said. “We had friends and we had family to help. The same is true for our vendor partners. Nobody here is an island. Starnet has always focused on its branded products.  As the world changes, we need to better support each other or we risk being left behind. So, to our vendor partners, how do we impact this industry through the rest of the decade and into the 2030s to better serve each other? We don’t know what technology is around the next corner, but what we do know is people enjoy doing business with people they know and trust.”

With that, Cloud issued a challenge to every Starnet vendor partner: “Picture what success looks like to you, and then use the Starnet staff, committees and board of directors to plan for that future. We want to be part of that plan.”

As Starnet plans to participate in this emerging “Age of Abundance,” Cloud sought to put things in the proper perspective. “It isn’t about having more, it’s about what becomes possible when we do this together,” he stated in his closing remarks.

Keynote speaker Leslee Owen, Movement Maker, discussed the rise of artificial intelligence as a means to generate leads and increase a company’s visibility online.

(Fore more on this story, look out for the upcoming issue of Floor Covering News.) 

 

 

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Bentley earns CARE’s 2025 Recycler of the Year award

Los Angeles—The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has named Bentley its 2025 Recycler of the Year. The organization recognized Bentley for incorporating post-consumer calcium carbonate (PC4) from reclaimed carpet into its manufacturing process.

PC4 is a recycled mineral filler recovered from used carpet. By finding a new application for the material, Bentley is helping reduce waste and support a circular economy within the flooring industry.

“Utilizing PC4 into the manufacturing process has not been easy and there are still challenges,” said Sandy Eppard, senior director of sustainability and technical at Bentley.

Overcoming recycling challenges

PC4 can contain contaminants, including residual carpet fibers and latex. These impurities can clog equipment, disrupt material flow and create processing difficulties during manufacturing.

To address these challenges, Bentley worked closely with its supplier to remove contaminants and test for legacy chemicals. The company also installed additional filtration equipment to incorporate recycled content while maintaining its performance standards.

“The team remained committed to finding solutions because they saw the positive environmental impacts of the project, so they stayed focused on making it work,” said Ines Ware, sustainability director at Bentley.

CARE recognized these efforts when it selected Bentley for the award. CARE CEO and Executive Director Bob Peoples has described carpet recycling as a “heavy lift.” He emphasized the collaboration between recyclers and manufacturers needed to create new markets for recovered carpet.

For Bentley, the recognition reflects years of work to incorporate recycled carpet materials into its manufacturing process.

The company continues to address challenges associated with PC4 while exploring additional opportunities to advance sustainability and carpet recycling.

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Remodeling market sentiment holds steady in third quarter

Washington, D.C.—The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported stable remodeling market sentiment in the third quarter. The NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) rose one point from the previous quarter to 62.

The RMI survey asks remodelers to rate five components of the remodeling market as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” Each question uses a scale from 0 to 100.

An index reading above 50 means more remodelers view conditions as good than poor. NAHB seasonally adjusts the RMI results.

The Current Conditions Index averages three components. They include the current market for large remodeling projects, moderately sized projects and small projects.

The Future Indicators Index averages two components. They include the current rate of leads and inquiries and the backlog of remodeling projects.

NAHB calculates the overall RMI by averaging the Current Conditions Index and Future Indicators Index.

“Remodeler sentiment remained stable in the third quarter, although remodelers in certain parts of the country continue to report issues with high material costs and finding enough labor to finish projects on time,” said Elliott Pike, NAHB Remodelers chair and a remodeler from Homewood, Ala. “Remodelers also report that economic uncertainty is making some potential customers hesitant to move forward with projects.”

Robert Dietz, NAHB chief economist, added, “The third quarter reading of 62 for the RMI is consistent with NAHB’s projection for remodeling activity to remain stable in 2026 and grow slightly in 2027. Labor shortages, exacerbated by immigration enforcement and competition from data center construction, are extending the time it takes to complete projects. Nevertheless, remodeling is gaining share in the overall construction market, as it is somewhat less sensitive than new construction to the current elevated interest rates.”

Current conditions remain strong

The Current Conditions Index averaged 70 for the third consecutive quarter. All three components remained well above 50.

The index for large remodeling projects of $50,000 or more increased two points to 66. The measure for moderate projects of at least $20,000 but less than $50,000 fell two points to 71.

The index for small remodeling projects under $20,000 slipped one point to 73.

The Future Indicators Index averaged 54, up two points from the previous quarter.

The measure tracking the current rate of leads and inquiries rose two points to 53. The component measuring the backlog of remodeling jobs also increased two points to 56.

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Daltile celebrates Trade Pro Week

Dallas—Daltile is recognizing contractors and tile installers during its annual Trade Pro Appreciation Week this week.The event features tile savings, vendor discounts, tool deals and giveaways at Daltile locations nationwide.

As part of the celebration, Daltile will award three trade professionals and their guests all-expenses-paid trips to the 2027 Kentucky Derby.

The event also highlights Daltile’s ProContractor Program, which provides services and resources to help contractors and tile installers grow their businesses.

“Trade professionals are a key driving force within our industry, so Daltile is thrilled to honor three lucky trade pro winners (and their plus-ones) with a Kentucky Derby trip as a key part of this week’s celebration,” said Amber Leigh Martinson, vice president of marketing for Dal-Tile LLC. “For over 79 years, Daltile has been the resource for contractors and tile installers, providing the design, service, technology, manufacturing and distribution leadership trade pros need to succeed. It has been our pleasure to come alongside these professionals and equip them to serve their customers effectively and grow their own businesses for so many years.”

The company’s ProContractor Program provides exclusive contractor pricing, project support, tools and accessories. Trade professionals can also use Daltile’s free ProExchange app to search products, check inventory, place orders, make payments and schedule pickups.

“Daltile is committed to being the trade pro’s trusted partner, serving as their one-stop-shop for all tile, stone, countertop and installation needs,” Martinson said. “We have over 260 Daltile Sales Service Center locations nationwide offering unmatched product selection, service and availability year-round. In addition, we offer a user-friendly ProContractor Program complete with exclusive contractor pricing, comprehensive project support, tools and accessories. We also make it easy to conduct business with Daltile anytime and anywhere, on any computer, smartphone, or tablet via our free ProExchange app. With ProExchange, trade pros streamline workflows by accessing everything needed in one place—from product searches to viewing available inventory, placing orders, payment, order tracking, scheduling pick-ups and more.”

2027 Kentucky Derby giveaway

The giveaway is open to eligible tile installers, tile contractors and general contractors. Participants must have an active Daltile Trade Pro account, which is free. Participants can enter or win without making a purchase or payment.

Eligible professionals can enter at a local Daltile Sales Service Center or through the Daltile ProContractor website by selecting “Daltile 2026 Trade Pro Giveaway.”

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Floorzap names Dan Blake chief product and technology officer

Lehi, Utah—Floorzap has named Dan Blake chief product and technology officer. Blake will lead product and technology efforts for the business management software company serving independent flooring retailers.

Blake brings more than 30 years of experience building and leading software teams. Most recently, he served as chief product and technology officer at Aspire Software.

Aspire provides software for commercial landscaping, snow and ice and field service contractors. Its platform supports operations, finances and customer management.

During Blake’s tenure, Aspire’s product and technology team grew from seven employees to more than 260. The company also grew from an early-stage startup through its acquisition by ServiceTitan. It later became one of ServiceTitan’s largest product lines.

Blake also serves as a board member and product and technology adviser to six other software companies.

Blake to lead product, engineering and AI strategy

In his new role, Blake will oversee Floorzap’s product and engineering organization. He will also set the company’s technical roadmap and lead the integration of AI into its platform.

“Flooring dealers do not want software that adds work to their day,” Blake said. “Floorzap already gives them the quote, the invoice and the work order in one place. I want to make that faster and more dependable and I want to put the AI work I have been doing to use for the dealers who run their businesses on it.”

Blake joins a product and engineering team that includes executives Eric Carlson and Shane Blaser. He will also work directly with Floorzap’s retailer customers to help shape the company’s product roadmap.

“Dealers tell us they need modern and cloud-based software that keeps up with how their business really runs,” said Matt Buckley, CEO of Floorzap. “Dan has led product and engineering for software built for the trades and he has spent recent years putting AI into production systems. That is the experience we wanted running product and technology at Floorzap.”

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Builder confidence softens as mortgage rates rise

Washington, D.C.—Rising mortgage rates, energy and material costs, and worsening labor and lot conditions pushed builder sentiment to a 14-year low in October, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell three points to 29. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index reported the decline Oct. 19. The reading was the lowest since June 2012.

“Mortgage rates have climbed well above 7% in recent weeks and higher gas prices and inflation have further weakened buyer traffic across much of the country,” said Bill Owens, chairman of the NAHB and a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “Though builders are also contending with higher costs for construction loans, building materials and diesel, the Trump administration’s efforts to advance regulatory reform are helping to ease some of the cost pressures they face. Nationwide, more than one-third of builders reported immigration enforcement activity in their market areas during the past month, causing construction delays and discouraging legal workers from reporting to work.”

Robert Dietz, NAHB chief economist, added, “Housing remains squeezed by supply-side constraints and significant affordability challenges. Demand persists, but higher mortgage rates, elevated construction costs and weaker consumer confidence are keeping more buyers on the sidelines. As a result, buyer traffic has fallen to its lowest level since April 2012, excluding the pandemic’s onset in April 2020.”

Builders turn to price cuts, incentives

The latest HMI survey found that 43% of builders cut prices in October. That marked the highest share recorded during the 2020-2026 period.

The average price cut remained at 6% for the seventh consecutive month. Meanwhile, 65% of builders reported using sales incentives in October.

October marked the 19th consecutive month in which at least 60% of builders reported using incentives.

NAHB has conducted the monthly HMI survey for more than 40 years. The index measures builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months.

Builders rate conditions as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate prospective buyer traffic as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.”

NAHB uses the scores for each component to calculate a seasonally adjusted index. A reading above 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

All three major HMI indexes declined in October.

The index measuring current sales conditions fell two points to 33. The index measuring sales expectations for the next six months dropped five points to 32.

The index measuring prospective buyer traffic also fell five points to 18.

Regional three-month moving averages also declined. The Northeast fell one point to 38 while the Midwest dropped three points to 40.

The South declined one point to 30 and the West fell two points to 26.

The Midwest remained a relative bright spot for single-family home building, with permits up 2.9%.

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