Tuesday Tips: Turning knowledge into results

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts present short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance of doing 100 things just 1% better than your competition.

In this week’s Tuesday Tips, Tom Jennings, retail training expert, looks at why knowing more does not always lead to better performance. The difference often comes down to how effectively that knowledge is put into practice

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Style & Design award winners 2026 announced

Huntington, N.Y.—Floor Covering News has announced the winners of its third annual FCNewStyle & Design Awards, a program that recognizes outstanding achievement in product visuals across today’s most popular flooring segments.

This year’s winners, 12 in all, covered the major flooring categories, broken down by subcategories in some segments.

And the winners are:

Carpet: Tarkett Home—Quite Fetching

Area Rugs: Stanton— Priya Rug

LVT: Karastan—LuxeCraft Charlton Ivy

SPC: Engineered Floors—Colonnade

Sheet: Mohawk—VersaTech

LooseLay: Karndean—LooseLay

WPC: Johnson Hardwood— Aspen

Laminate: Lions Floor—Haven Heights

Hardwood Residential: Fabrica—Chateau Accents

Hardwood Commercial: Armstrong—TimberTones

Floor Tile: Marazzi—Constellaire

Wall Tile: Daltile—Nu Bare

“Winning an FCNewStyle & Design Award puts manufacturers’ products on an elevated platform,” said Steven Feldman, co-publisher of FCNews. “Taking home an award not only provides additional visibility for the winning brands, but it also enhances overall brand image and helps companies position themselves as a design-oriented company.”

Carpet

Winner: Tarkett Home – Quite Fetching

About the product

Part of Tarkett Home’s 100% Solution Dyed Nylon PAWSH collection, Quite Fetching takes inspiration from the organic shapes and colors found in nature and translates them into a fresh botanical pattern designed for today’s home. Soft greens, calming blues and versatile neutrals create a palette that feels collected and sophisticated rather than overly coordinated.

The pattern adds depth and visual interest, giving homeowners an opportunity to treat the floor as an intentional part of the design rather than simply a backdrop for everything else.

While Quite Fetching makes a statement, it was also designed for real life. Made with solution-dyed nylon, it combines softness and elevated style with the durability homeowners want in the spaces they use most. It is pet and family-friendly and backed by warranties that include pet stains, stairs and a 150-day satisfaction guarantee.

Why it deserves recognition

Quite Fetching represents a fresh way to think about carpet. Its botanical influence reflects the desire to bring nature indoors. The versatile pattern can bring personality to a bedroom, create an inviting foundation for a living space, or turn a staircase into an unexpected design moment.

Most importantly, Quite Fetching makes statement carpet feel approachable. Homeowners get the character and visual impact of a distinctive floor without sacrificing the performance they need for everyday life. It is proof that practical carpet does not have to play it safe.

Highlights:

• Constructed using solution-dyed nylon

• Pet- and family-friendly attributes

• Pattern adds depth and visual interest

• Features 150-day satisfaction guarantee

Area Rugs

Winner: Stanton – Priya

About the product

There’s something captivating about Priya in Obsidian, an area rug that grounds the room while drawing you in for a closer look. Its expressive pattern moves across the rug with an artful, softly weathered quality, while deep Obsidian tones create layers of richness, depth and quiet drama. Crafted from 100% wool, Priya brings natural warmth and inviting texture underfoot, adding to its sense of comfort and character. Whether anchoring a living room, defining a dining space or bringing warmth to an intimate seating area, Priya transforms the floor into part of the story. Also available in two additional colorways, this distinctive style offers the versatility to complement a variety of interiors and palettes.

Why it deserves recognition

Priya deserves recognition for its ability to balance distinctive design with effortless livability. Its nuanced pattern and versatile palette make a statement without overwhelming a space, allowing it to complement a wide range of interiors and design aesthetics. “As part of Stanton’s in-stock area rug collection, Priya also brings together elevated design and ready-to-ship convenience making exceptional style more accessible without sacrificing the craftsmanship, character or sophistication expected from a luxury area rug,” said Christine Zampaglione, vice president of marketing for Stanton.

Highlights:

• Artfully distressed pattern with rich, dimensional character

• Crafted from 100% wool for natural softness and texture

• Available in three sophisticated colorways

• In-stock area rug offering elevated design with ready-to-ship convenience

• Sizes offered: 8 x 11, 9 x 12, 10 x 14

• Balances artistic expression with timeless, livable style

Hardwood: Residential

Winner: Fabrica – Chateau Accents

About the product

Chateau Accents expands Fabrica’s top-selling Chateau Collection with distinctive installation possibilities that allow designers to create one-of-a-kind floors. Crafted from the same premium French white oak as the Chateau Collection, Chateau Accents are offered in three sophisticated colors designed to coordinate seamlessly with Chateau’s impressive 9.5-inch-wide planks. The collection opens the door to a multitude of creative layouts, giving designers the freedom to introduce pattern, movement and architectural interest while maintaining a refined aesthetic.

Why it deserves recognition

Chateau Accents is designed to transform beautiful hardwood into a true design element. Whether used to create a dramatic focal point, define a space or add subtle visual detail, Chateau Accents elevates hardwood beyond the traditional plank installation. The result is a flooring system that combines the natural character and craftsmanship of French white oak with virtually endless opportunities for personalization.

Highlights:

• Crafted from premium French white oak

• Available in three sophisticated colors

• Planks span 9 ¹/₂ inches wide for a dramatic presentation

• Patterns provide design flexibility

Hardwood: Commercial

Winner: Armstrong Flooring — TimberTones

About the product

Armstrong Flooring® TimberTones® Densified Hardwood is a groundbreaking innovation in commercial flooring. Made from 100% real hardwood and manufactured domestically in Somerset, Ky., TimberTones is built to withstand the demands of high-traffic commercial environments. TimberTones employs a patented process that applies heat and pressure—without acrylic fillers or chemicals. This method densifies the wood by closing the open cells—densifying the veneer, not the core—resulting in a floor that’s not only truly hardwood but also 6x more dent-resistant and 4x more scratch-resistant than traditional wood. That means any wood, from oak and hickory to soft woods like walnut and pine, are now viable design options.

Why it deserves recognition

“This innovation delivers the warmth and authenticity of real wood with dramatically enhanced durability, making it suitable for commercial environments where traditional hardwood cannot perform,” said Jennifer Zimmerman, chief commercial officer, AHF Products. “It is natural material elevated through advanced engineering.”

Highlights:

• Densified structure employs a patented process that applies heat and pressure—without acrylic fillers or chemicals.

• 6x more dent-resistant and 4x more scratch-resistant than traditional wood

• Waterproof construction offers eight hours of top-down protection

• Antimicrobial technology inhibits growth of bacterial

Resilient: LVT

Winner: Karastan – LuxeCraft Charlton Ivy

About the product

Karastan LuxeCraft Charlton Ivy draws inspiration from the natural beauty of premium walnut, elevating the species’ signature grain movement and rich coloration into a sophisticated design statement. Its deep, layered tones create a luxurious backdrop for today’s most sought-after interiors, where dramatic lighting, tactile materials and bold design elements converge.

Both calming and evocative, Charlton offers a refined visual that enhances the mood of a space, making it an ideal choice for homeowners and designers seeking to create rooms that feel intimate, elegant and memorable. Charlton Ivy pairs its sophisticated visuals with the craftsmanship of Karastan LuxeCraft. Made from durable, long-lasting materials, the flooring is designed to maintain its beauty over time while bringing the richness and tranquility of nature into the home.

Why it deserves recognition

Charlton Ivy reflects the growing desire for interiors that feel rich, inviting and thoughtfully designed. “Its sophisticated visuals give homeowners an elevated foundation for today’s interiors, while the durability of Karastan LuxeCraft makes it a beautiful choice that can be enjoyed for years to come,” said Sarah Duncan, Mohawk’s director of product management, resilient.

Retailers agree. “What really stands out about Charlton Ivy is that it gives you that high-end wood look without sacrificing durability,” said Aaron Johnson, president of Johnson & Sons Flooring, Knoxville, Tenn. “The WPC core feels great underfoot, and being waterproof and pet friendly makes it a really practical option for everyday homes.”

Highlights:

• Inspired from the natural beauty of premium walnut

• Comfort Core construction enhances comfort and sound absorption

• Waterproof

• Scratch resistant

• 20-mil wear layer

Resilient: WPC

Winner: Johnson Hardwood – Vortis Aspen

About the product

Vortis Aspen Collection brings the authentic character of hardwood to resilient flooring through thoughtful design and refined detailing. At 9.37 inches wide, its generously proportioned planks create an expansive, contemporary visual, while embossed surface texture adds depth and dimension to the wood-inspired designs. A pressed/pillowed edge enhances plank definition, creating a more realistic wood visual and a distinctive finished appearance. Offered in 12 carefully curated colors, Aspen provides designers and homeowners with versatile options ranging from warm, natural tones to sophisticated contemporary hues. Combining authentic aesthetics with durable WPC construction and a 20-mil wear layer, Aspen demonstrates how resilient flooring can be both beautifully designed and built for everyday performance.

Why it deserves recognition

“Aspen was created to demonstrate that resilient flooring can deliver an elevated hardwood-inspired design while meeting the demands of everyday living,” said Billy Ko, Johnson Hardwood CEO. “Its wide-plank format, embossed texture, low-gloss finish and pillowed edges work together to create a warm, dimensional and refined wood visual.”

The collection’s 12-color palette is central to its design story. Each color was selected to feel current while remaining versatile and livable, spanning warm natural tones, balanced neutrals and sophisticated contemporary visuals. “That breadth has helped Aspen resonate across the assortment, giving retailers and consumers confidence that there is a color solution for a wide range of design preferences,” Ko said. “With water-resistant WPC construction, an attached pad and a durable 20-mil wear layer, Aspen combines standout design with performance and exceptional value.”

Highlights:

• Inspired from the natural beauty of premium walnut

• Comfort Core construction enhances comfort and sound absorption

• Waterproof

• Scratch resistant

• 20-mil wear layer

Resilient: SPC

Winner: Engineered Floors – PureGrain Endure

About the product

Colonnade, from the PureGrain Endure collection, is a premium 12 x 24 SPC tile. It features an embedded grout line, delivering a stunningly realistic stone aesthetic with high-performance durability and effortless maintenance. It’s warmer underfoot than porcelain on a chilly January morning. It cleans with a damp mop. There is no grout to scrub on your hands and knees, ever. And when the toddler drops the sippy cup or the dog comes in from the rain, it’s worry free. EF’s PawPrint Protection comes with it and adds an extra layer of peace of mind, including lifetime residential, lifetime stain and 15-year scratch warranties.

Why it deserves recognition

Colonnade impressed flooring dealers at Surfaces for its marble and stone looks. “Colonnade was very well received,” said Ben Wood, director of hard surface product deveoopment for Engineered Floors. “It truly looks like stone. We had some customers say they couldn’t tell the difference.”

Highlights:

• SPC, tile look

• Edge: True Grout

• Gloss level: Matte

• Size: 12 x 24

• Wear layer: 20 mil

• FloorScore certified

Resilient: LooseLay

Winner: Karndean – LooseLay

About the product

The Karndean LooseLay collection offers a combination of style and performance, with more than 40 wood- and stone-inspired luxury vinyl designs—oak, elm and ash to travertine, terrazzo and marble.

Beyond the artistry of a particular stone or wood visual, LooseLay can be used to create custom installations as planks and tiles can be easily cut in different shapes and sizes, then pieced together to form distinctive lay patterns, borders or zoning.

The key to LooseLay performance is the K-Wave® friction-grip backing. While the backing’s primary purpose is to hold the flooring in place— full adhesive spread is not required—it also reduces noise to lower floors in multi-level homes while providing extra cushion underfoot. Another key performance feature is proprietary SureFit® technology in the stability layer. This gives LooseLay planks and tiles enhanced dimensional stability, eliminating the need for expansion gaps and transition strips in large spaces. At 4.5 mm thick, LooseLay is backed by a lifetime residential warranty.

Why it deserves recognition

“Retailers can sell Karndean LooseLay with confidence,” said Jenne Ross, director of product at Karndean. “We’ve been in the market with our loose lay format for 15 years and that makes a significant difference in the quality of the product. Style, reliable installation, durability, performance, all of it. There’s increased demand for stone visuals based on a lot of factors, including the costs and installation challenges associated with natural stone flooring. So, meeting that demand in a loose-lay format, which is also experiencing more demand, is a win for retailers.”

Highlights:

• Stone- and wood-inspired designs

• Collection features over 40 visuals

• Friction-grip backing

• 4.5mm thick

• Custom installations

Resilient: Sheet

Winner: Mohawk – VersaTech Callahan Cove

About the product

Callahan Cove’s timeless black-and-white checkerboard design proves that exceptional style can be both iconic and accessible. Inspired by the enduring appeal of vintage interiors, it blends nostalgic charm with contemporary relevance, capturing the renewed interest in retro-inspired design seen across today’s homes. The bold geometric pattern instantly transforms a space, creating visual impact and personality in kitchens, laundry rooms, mudrooms or creative living spaces. By bringing a designer-favorite look to an affordable flooring platform, this collection makes statement-making style attainable for a wider range of consumers without compromising on aesthetic appeal.

Beyond its distinctive design, Callahan Cove delivers the practical performance expected from VersaTech. Designed for the demands of everyday living, it offers a durable, easy-care flooring solution.

Why it deserves recognition

VersaTech sheet vinyl is designed for moisture-prone spaces, such as basements, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Its waterproof construction helps keep spills on the surface for easy cleanup, while the seamless finish minimizes areas where dirt and debris can collect, making it a low-maintenance solution for busy households.

“Callahan Cove demonstrates how VersaTech makes bold, high-impact design approachable for consumers,” said Sarah Duncan, Mohawk’s director of production management, resilient. “Its classic checkerboard pattern brings personality to a variety of spaces, while durable, easy-care performance makes it practical for everyday living.”

Highlights:

• Geometric patterns

• Retro-inspired design

• Durable, easy-care flooring

• 12-mil wear layer

• Waterproof

Laminate

Winner: Lions Floor – Haven Heights

About the product

Haven Heights is a 10-color collection created for homes that celebrate everyday living—from lively gatherings to quiet mornings and shared family moments. The collection brings approachable design, dependable performance and residential comfort together in a versatile laminate platform. A warm, easy-to-live-with palette is paired with a wood grain embossed surface texture and painted bevel edge to add definition and natural visual character. The 9.33 x 60 plank format creates a clean, contemporary flow throughout the home. Haven Heights features an 8mm laminate core and 2mm premium acoustic attached pad.

Why it deserves recognition

Haven Heights draws inspiration from the warmth and character of natural wood with an inviting palette, authentic grain movement and thoughtful variation designed to make each space feel comfortable, personal and lived in.

“We wanted Haven Heights to deliver elevated design without feeling overly styled, while pairing that beauty with the dependable performance families need for everyday life,” said Randy McKellar, vice president of marketing. “It’s that balance of authenticity, warmth and livability that makes the collection special.”

Highlights:

• Laminate construction

• 9.33 x 60 plank format

• 10mm total thickness

• 2mm premium acoustic attached pad

• AC3 wear rating

• Wood grain embossed surface texture

• Painted bevel edge profile

• 10 unique pattern repeats for visual variety

• 10 total SKUs

Ceramic: Floor Tile

Winner: Marazzi — Constellaire

About the product

This Moroccan-inspired porcelain floor and wall tile collection features an intricate interlocking cross and star design. Earthy texture and moderate color variation reflect natural elements, allowing connection to enduring traditional motifs while embracing a contemporary style. This series offers both matte cotto and glossy Zellige-inspired finishes, available in a range of neutral and richly saturated hues, including mixed-finish decorative pieces for added dimension.

Why it deserves recognition

Constellaire provides versatility across many styles. This stunning new collection beautifully embodies a range of today’s most sought-after interior design trends: Refined Mediterranean, Warm Transitional and Modern Design.

“In designing Marazzi’s new Constellaire collection, I wanted to create an interior designer’s playground—a collection that encourages creativity by allowing designers and homeowners to mix and match colors, finishes and patterns to create truly unique spaces,” said Shelly Halbert, director of product design. “Marazzi Constellaire is perfect for creating anything from subtle, timeless installations to bold, custom statements.

Today’s consumers are eager to add personality to their home, showcase a special feature through tile, and are less scared to feature pops of color. Marazzi’s new Constellaire does all of this, beautifully.”

Highlights:

• Available in both matte cotto and glossy finishes

• Mixed-finish decorative pieces provide added dimension

• Combination of star and cross options offer curated options

Ceramic: Wall Tile

Winner: Daltile — Nu Bare

About the product

Embrace the warmth of Nu Bare, a ceramic tile inspired by handcrafted clays, shaped by the soft movement of a maker’s hands. This series provides an authentic look with a beautiful glaze and gentle undulation, representing the tones and textures of natural materials. With modular sizing and 3D structures offering endless installation possibilities, Nu Bare’s organic colors and textures create a unique, artistic design in any space.

The color palette of this new collection emulates the warm hues of natural clays, ranging from a soft sand color to rich ebony. The surfaces of Nu Bare’s 4×12 and 4×4 handcrafted visuals offer undulation, uneven edges and a thick glaze. All colors also offer a handcrafted 4×4 circle pattern for added uniqueness. The 3D texture of each tile brilliantly satisfies the market’s appetite for tactility on walls, and also beautifully creates a play of light that enhances the artistry of any room.

Why it deserves recognition

“Daltile is absolutely thrilled to be selected as one of Floor Covering News’ Style & Design winners for 2026,” said Laura Grilli, director of product design, Daltile. “As a fashion-based product line, Daltile has again utilized our cutting-edge technology to bring a gorgeous new handcrafted visual to the market at a price point that easily fits into most decorating budgets. Daltile’s recently launched Nu Bare collection of ceramic wall tile is a near perfect replication of handcrafted tiles, adding both relaxed beauty and uniqueness to a space.”

Highlights:

• Features modular sizing and 3D structures

• Inspired by handcrafted clays

• Available in organic colors, textures

• Made in the USA

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AHSG/Commercial USA draws record crowd at member summit

Brian Preuss, president of AHSG/Commercial USA, chats on stage with Tara Bayke of ITR Economics.

San Antonio—AHSG/Commercial USA welcomed a record 325 attendees Monday to its biennial member summit. The group themed this year’s event “Beyond the Surface.”

Since the group last met in 2024, AHSG/Commercial USA has expanded significantly. It has added 14 suppliers, 10 technology partners and 91 dealer members.

“None of that happened by accident,” said Brian Preuss, who was named president in May 2026. “In two years, we didn’t just get bigger, we got better.”

Preuss also pointed to the group’s mix of residential and commercial business. AHSG/Commercial USA divides its business roughly evenly between the two segments.

“Diversity is what has helped sustain us and why this conference matters,” Preuss said.

The opening day at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country featured several speakers and a vendor trade show.

Economic outlook

Keynote speaker Jon Petz “levitates” a group of AHSG/Commercial USA members as part of his tricks.

Inflation remains elevated and affordability continues to challenge consumers. However, the overall economy continues to grow, according to Tara Bayke, economist and senior consultant for ITR Economics.

Bayke discussed current economic conditions and what businesses can expect in the years ahead.

“We are moving toward normalization of the supply chain,” Bayke said. She presented several graphs showing consumers continue to spend despite higher costs.

“We will continue to see costs rising,” she said. “Prices are up about 3.7% vs. last year; costs won’t rise at the same rate in ’27 as they are today but in ’28 the pressures will rear back up.”

ITR Economics forecasts the consumer price index at 3.4% for 2026. It projects 2.7% for 2027 and 3.9% for 2028.

“Plan for upcoming cost increases,” Bayke said.

She said dealers can protect margins by focusing on product mix, value-added installation and operational efficiency. Those strategies can help businesses avoid competing solely on price.

“We are concerned about ‘profitless prosperity,’ that the increases in prices will erode profitability,” Bayke added. “Margins are shrinking, and companies need to control these costs, pass the costs on.”

WFCA CEO Scott Humphrey high-fives Petz after the speaker/magician correctly guessed the card he was thinking about.

ITR Economics has long forecast a significant economic contraction beginning in 2030. Bayke said the downturn could last six years.

She cited several contributing factors, including demographics, health care costs, entitlements, inflation and the U.S. national debt. Bayke said flooring businesses should begin preparing now.

The member summit continues through Tuesday evening.

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Prepare for the worst—and still hit your goal

I was talking with another distributor executive recently, a guy who has been in this business a long time, and he told me something I have not been able to shake. He said he tells his sales reps the same thing at the start of every year: “Something crazy is going to happen every year.” None of us knows what it is yet, but it’s going to happen, and their job is to figure out how to hit their number anyway.

To be clear, he’s not saying, “Let’s hope nothing goes wrong.” Rather, assume something will go wrong. Build the year around the certainty of disruption instead of a fantasy.

Think about what we have lived through in just the last five to 10 years. A worldwide pandemic shut the country down overnight. A winter storm froze the urethane plants in Texas and choked off our raw material for months. Several rounds of tariffs rewrote pricing in a single news cycle. There is a war affecting supply lines somewhere in the world right now. If you sat down in January of any of those years and waited for stable conditions to get serious about your sales goal, you likely never got that chance.

That is the part that stuck with me. The distributor rep, the commercial PM, the retail sales associate who treats every disruption as the reason they missed is going to just keep missing because there is always going to be a disruption. The calm year is the exception, not the rule. If your plan to sell floors every single day only works when nothing goes wrong, your plan is flawed before the coffee pot comes on.

I want to be thoughtful here, because some of these things are not a simple inconvenience. People lost businesses in the pandemic, and tariffs crippled countless importers in recent years. I am not here telling my industry peers to shrug off real hardship—nor is that the contention of the aforementioned executive. There is a difference between being callous about what happens to people and being clear-eyed about what it means to meet your sales goals despite adversity. You can hold both values. You can have genuine compassion for a hard situation and still refuse to use it as a reason to accept defeat or status quo.

Here is what an excuse actually costs you: Every hour you spend dwelling on a down market is not just an hour spent away from a customer, but it’s an added distance from the mentality you need to strengthen yourself. The market being down in aggregate does not mean your specific customer is down, it doesn’t mean the realtor or designer that sends business your way is down and it doesn’t mean the GCs asking for flooring bids don’t have a pipeline, either. At the end of the day, somebody is still building. Somebody is still remodeling. Somebody still walked into the flooring store today with money in their pocketbook and a project in their head.

I think about this most for the retail sales associate and the residential remodel outlook right now. Picture yourself or your friend as the one standing on a slow showroom floor, reading the same gloomy headlines everyone else is reading, and slowly talking themselves into a bad month on day one. If you have already decided the market is against you, the end users feel it the second they approach you.

In part 2, I will discuss how a positive outlook can have a real impact on outcomes.

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Mark Botros is vice president of sales & marketing for Jaeckle Distributors, a Wisconsin-based flooring and surfacing distributor. A Dallas native, Botros is a second-generation floor covering professional with over a decade of management experience in distribution and manufacturing.

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Daltile sets up Statements dealers for success

Patrick Warren, vice president, residential sales, dealer and showrooms, doing his best imitation of Love Boat Captain Merrill Stubing, kicks off the 2026 Daltile Statements conference in Naples, Fla.

Naples, Fla.—Daltile is enhancing its value proposition for its Statements Elite dealers with a number of new initiatives designed to increase sales. Among the enhancements to the program are a more coordinated effort between Daltile showrooms and Statements dealers, an elaborate countertop program, new digital marketing tools and the addition of the Marazzi brand to the program.

Launched in 2010, the Statements proposition continues to be enhanced. Statements is arguably the most advanced selling system for ceramic tile. The showroom-within-a-showroom concept serves as a destination within a store and is designed to increase profitability for dealers and simplify the shopping experience for consumers. Statements Elite dealers enjoy a host of benefits—merchandising and leads being two of the most significant pieces, giving them a tremendous advantage in the marketplace.

The whole idea behind Statements is simplification. While most ceramic tile is merchandised via display racks where consumers are left to flip through boards with no starting point, Statements allows consumers to easily navigate the design process in a 600-square-foot environment. It gives the customer curated assortments within the product look and style they desire, making it easier for the RSA and consumer to quickly narrow down their choices, thereby eliminating frustration.

The ultimate goal of the Statements program is to help dealers grow their businesses by creating a connected online and in-store experience that inspires customers, simplifies product selection and helps move projects from inspiration to purchase.

With that, Daltile built the foundation of Statements on five core pillars:

1. Lead generation (five different types)
2. Co-op advertising (Daltile’s only such program)
3. Two promotional campaigns a year
4. Postable (Exclusive to Statements, dealers provide Daltile with their Meta accounts, Instagram and Facebook, and their website, and then content is pushed to them. They can curate it and determine when and what goes on, but they just literally approve and go forward. It talks all about Daltile and it layers in what they’re already working on.
5. Exclusive merchandising

At the recent Statements conference, where the theme was “Transformation,” one of the program’s newest initiatives is creating a stronger connection between Daltile’s 100-plus showrooms and the 250 Statements dealer showrooms.

“Our showrooms see roughly 170,000 visitors a year,” said Jarrod Smyth, director of dealer sales West. “A portion of those visitors come in unattached. They’re looking for help with design, product selection and putting their project together.

“We’re building a bridge that connects what happens inside our showrooms with our Statements dealers, giving them the opportunity to close the sale. We’ll help guide the customer through the selection process, develop the opportunity and then hand it over on a platter to a dedicated person on the dealer’s team.

“That allows the dealer to close the job—and potentially capture additional business through the other products and services they offer.”

The key to this showroom alliance is Daltile sending qualified, buy-now customers to Statements dealers. Daltile finds the customers who are not attached to another dealer, designer or contractor; spends a couple hours helping them select all the products; then quotes her showroom pricing. “Then we’re going to say, ‘You can get preferred pricing only through our preferred dealers,’” Smyth said. At that time, Daltile will send the quote directly to that Statements dealer’s dedicated person and the connection is made. The end result: Daltile drives more business to Statements showrooms.

The second opportunity for Statements dealers announced at this conference is a new countertop program, specifically quartz countertops made in the U.S. Research reveals that many customers who walk into a flooring showroom seeking a ceramic tile or porcelain floor are doing a full kitchen remodel.  “We’re looking to help tie that package together so you can sell that customer a countertop, wall tile, floor tile, the whole package,” said Patrick Warren, vice president, residential sales, dealer and showrooms. “This helps tie that countertop component to the project.”

While Daltile is preferring to keep details of the program under wraps, here are the nuts and bolts. “The result is a turnkey program that makes selling countertops simple for Statements dealers. Daltile’s national footprint includes 42 countertop locations across the country. The anchor piece of the new program is the Dickson quartz facility, which has recently doubled its capacity and expanded its design capabilities. We have product, a fabricator network and pre-negotiated pricing,” Warren said. “We put all of that together in a way that helps [Statements dealers] easily close that sale and allow that countertop to be part of that bundle package.”

The third new opportunity for Statements dealers is to introduce the Marazzi brand into the Statements showroom. Marazzi is positioned as the premium offering within Dal-Tile’s portfolio of brands, providing dealers with an expanded range of products to meet more customer needs. This creates a compelling one-stop solution: one call, one order and one delivery.

“Daltile provides the breadth, innovation and complete project solutions our customers expect,” Warren said. “Adding Marazzi builds on that strength with a distinct, more fashion-forward offering rooted in Italian design—bringing bolder styling and a more premium aesthetic that complements Daltile without duplicating it.”

Lastly, Daltile is updating its digital strategy with initiatives for Statements dealers to become more relevant and visible to consumers currently in the market for ceramic tile. As well, it is furthering its partnership with Roomvo to gain exposure on sites frequented by home buyers and home sellers. These include Redfin, REMAX, OneHome and Homeowner.

“If someone is looking to buy a home, they’re going to be able to go in and enable Roomvo Stylizer where they have the ability to visualize new floors and countertops and the backsplash being updated,” said Bobbi Alonzo, senior director of digital marketing, Daltile. “But what’s unique about this, is it’s going to show them our product. And then they can click on where to buy. That will take them directly to a new locator. Another thing that’s unique: We can target homes in any market area by home value. We can match products to home value. Products with higher price points will be offered in homes with higher value. Same things with products and homes with lower value. We’re going to make the options affordable.”

Dealers make a ‘Statement’

Statements dealers with whom FCNews spoke said the program has had a significant impact on their ceramic tile business. For example, Penny Carnino, general manager at Grigsby’s Carpet, Tile and Hardwood in Tulsa, Okla., was touting the merchandising tools that Grigsby’s has gotten have been “wonderful. My people love the giant tables that came with the program because they get to lay out everything with their customers. And then having the other Daltile selections right there around the table. We also have an additional cubby that shows more Daltile merchandise.”

A Statements dealer since its inception 16 years ago, Carnino said taking on Statements has definitely increased Grigsby’s tile business. “And it really increased our Daltile business. Daltile now commands a bigger share of our ceramic tile business because of Statements.” What’s more, she believes Grigsby’s closing rate on tile has increased because of Statements. “I think that’s attributed to the offering coupled with some of the promotions we get, which aren’t very prevalent in the tile industry. That’s helped draw attention to that segment of the business at least twice a year.”

Carnino is excited about the addition of countertops to the program. “We do a little bit of countertops now, but we only sell the slab portion. Now we have the opportunity to wrap it all into one ticket. People like to do the majority of shopping in one place, and now we have the opportunity to do that. It’s going to be great for our RSAs.”

Tom Urban, general manager of Great Lakes Carpet and Tile in the Orlando, Fla., area, has also been a Statements dealer for about 15 years. “The best thing with Statements is how the displays get your showroom to look like a boutique tile area,” he said. “It looks like it’s a boutique that encompasses everything the customer might want. Mosaics, decorative tiles, floor tiles. Customers almost have to gravitate toward it. It’s kind of hard not to.”

Urban said the display system has resulted in Great Lakes selling better jobs. And like Grigsby’s, Statements has increased Daltile’s percentage of Great Lakes’ tile sales. “Probably 50% of our tile business is Daltile,” he said. “Before we became a Statements dealer, it was way less with the old displays and old cards.”

Great Lakes has been one of four Statements dealers piloting the countertop program. While they are currently training the RSAs, Urban is already looking ahead at ways to market it. “Right now, we’re looking at ways to bundle things,” he said. “Now you have countertops, backsplashes, etc. Maybe the customer buys a countertop, and she gets a Daltile backsplash at a discount.”

Richard Akel, Akel’s Carpet One, Little Rock, Ark., joined the Statements program more recently, within the last seven years, but sings a similar tune. “Statements gets you into ceramic in a professional way,” he said. “I can compare it to a Karastan gallery. It’s the same [concept] with the Daltile Statements gallery. People gravitate toward the gallery; it’s a destination.”

Like the others, Akel has witnessed an increase in his ceramic sales. “But it’s certainly increased with Daltile. Daltile now has a bigger share of my ceramic business. And not only am I doing more ceramics than I ever have, but Statements has made the average ticket go up on ceramic.”

He is also excited about the countertops, because he is already in that business. “It sounds like they’ve already negotiated a good price and people. It’s a package pricing deal, which I think is very important.”

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Shaw Contract expands Cult Classics with porcelain tile

Cartersville, Ga.—Shaw Contract has launched its Cult Classics porcelain collection following a preview at NeoCon 2026.

The new floor and wall tile line extends the retro-inspired aesthetic of the broader Cult Classics collection.

Three tile options make up the collection: Connector Block + Dot, Connector Subway Tile and Graphline.

“With Cult Classics Porcelain, we wanted to give designers a true system, not just three separate tiles,” said Reesie Duncan, vice president of global design at Shaw Contract. “Because they share one richly pigmented palette, designers can move between them freely and layer the styles together within the same space without ever losing that cohesive thread.”

Three tile options expand the collection

Connector Block + Dot pairs a matte square with a speckled glossy dot in an 8 x 8-inch format. Designers can mix the tiles to create geometric patterns across walls, floors and backsplashes.

Connector Subway Tile comes in a 2 x 10-inch glazed porcelain format. Shaw Contract offers the tile in matte, glossy and speckle finishes across 11 colorways.

Graphline uses a 24 x 48-inch format designed for wall applications. Raised, glossy linework creates an imperfect grid across a matte, nuanced base.

The three products share a coordinated color palette, allowing designers to combine them within the same space.

Cult Classics Porcelain can also coordinate with other products in the Cult Classics family. The broader collection includes custom broadloom and rugs, curated carpet tile and running-line broadloom.

The coordinated palette allows designers to carry related colors and visuals across multiple surfaces within a project.

Sustainability remains part of strategy

The launch also supports Shaw Contract’s People Together, Planet Forever sustainability strategy and its Neutral Is Not Enough initiative.

Shaw Contract said it has cut Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by more than 50% since 2010. The company also continues to invest in material health and circularity.

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Armstrong Flooring returns to retail with October roadshow

Mountville, Pa.—AHF Products will take Armstrong Flooring on the road this October for five retailer events across the country.

The roadshow will introduce new flooring assortments, flexible merchandising and expanded consumer marketing support. Events will run Oct. 13-29 at five distributor locations.

“This is an exciting moment for the Armstrong Flooring brand and, more importantly, for our retail partners,” said Chris King, senior vice president of residential sales at AHF Products. “We are coming back with products designed for today’s consumer, the recognition of a name people already know and trust and the marketing and merchandising support retailers need to turn that into sales. We want retailers to see the opportunity, experience the products and get excited about what we can build together.”

King said the breadth of the new portfolio is one of the launch’s biggest changes.

Armstrong Flooring is returning to retail with more than its resilient heritage. The assortment includes DLuxe Plank HDPC luxury vinyl plank and Sacred Grove Select Engineered Hardwood. It also includes three porcelain tile collections.

The broader portfolio arrives as brand recognition continues to influence flooring purchases. A 2026 Cleveland Research Center study identified Armstrong Flooring as the most recognized brand in flooring.

Nearly 85% of surveyed consumers and professionals said the brand name was important. They also said they would recommend Armstrong Flooring.

“That recognition, now paired with a broader portfolio, gives retailers another way to differentiate, build consumer confidence and capture more of the flooring project,” King said.

Portfolio expands across hard surface

DLuxe Plank HDPC delivers design-forward luxury vinyl with Diamond 10 Technology surface protection. Patented HDPC technology creates a dense, dent-resistant rigid core.

The planks require no acclimation and remain dimensionally stable from 0 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The product also carries GREENGUARD Gold certification for low VOC emissions.

AHF manufactures DLuxe Plank HDPC at its Cartersville, Ga., facility.

Sacred Grove Select Engineered Hardwood combines U.S. manufacturing with a billet plywood core for strength and dimensional stability. The collection uses select-grade hardwood and colorways inspired by warm, organic interiors.

AHF designed the collection to pair traditional hardwood character with performance for today’s residential market.

Armstrong Flooring’s porcelain portfolio includes Heritage Tailoring, Subtle Chic and Indie Edge. The collections span a range of styles, price points and project needs.

AHF manufactures the porcelain collections in Crossville, Tenn.

Domestic production supports supply

AHF said U.S. manufacturing can support more reliable supply and delivery for retailers. Domestic production can reduce exposure to tariffs, ocean shipping delays and customs issues.

It also allows full and half truckload quantities instead of requiring full shipping containers. That flexibility can help retailers and distributors manage inventory, costs and pricing.

New merchandising and marketing support

AHF is also introducing a flexible merchandising system for the expanded Armstrong Flooring portfolio. Retailers can configure the system for standalone displays or larger branded presentations.

The system brings multiple categories together while making the assortment easier for consumers to navigate.

The company is also investing in consumer marketing and digital tools. A redesigned website and enhanced store locator will help shoppers find participating retailers.

Local search marketing and targeted digital campaigns will also support retailer traffic. Retailers can enhance locator listings, identify stocked collections and receive leads from sample requests.

The company said a recent Armstrong Flooring digital campaign generated a 50% conversion rate. One in two consumers who clicked an ad continued to the dealer locator.

“We have an opportunity to give retailers something powerful: a brand consumers already recognize, with a portfolio that gives them more ways to sell it,” King said. “And we are backing it with the products, displays, marketing and supply reliability to help our partners turn that opportunity into growth.”

Retailers can register for the October roadshow through their distributor.

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