Three commercial flooring trends for 2022

Now that businesses are starting to reopen their office and retail spaces, it is possible to get an idea of what the trends for this year will be in terms of flooring. These are some of the ideas that commercial enterprises are sure to be adopting in 2022.

1. Design practicality

Flooring that combines style and practicality is shaping up as a major trend, as the Covid-19 crisis made companies more aware of health and safety issues. Floors designed to help people find their way around these spaces but that remain attractive are set to be the order of the day, not just in big stores, but all commercial premises.

That means combining different floor surfaces – for example vinyl and carpet tiles. The two different surfaces are used to clearly differentiate between separate areas, such as workspaces and walkways in offices, or customer and staff areas in shops.

2. Contrasting colours

While every year brings different ideas when it comes to the type of flooring in commercial buildings, the colour trend has always tended to stay the same. Most years see neutral shades as the favoured choice, but 2022 appears set to change all of that.

Late in 2021, floors that contrasted these blander colours with brighter ones began to gain in popularity and all the signs are that this shift will continue through 2022. Last year saw a mix of bold yellows and pinks with medium grey coloured tiles in vinyl really take off in the commercial world. These shades together suggest optimism but also soberness.

3. Rise of carpet tiling

Carpet tiles have always been a common flooring choice for offices, but are now trending upwards among other types of commercial outlets such as shops. The primary reason for this is that the carpet tiles provided by flooring companies are now attractive as well as hardwearing.

Durability has always been part of their appeal, but any company having carpet tiles fitted in its premises now can choose to ask their provider to utilise custom flooring techniques. That way, they can have a design and fit tailor made for the image of their company – something that many will be taking advantage of during 2022.

These are the big three trends that this year will bring in commercial flooring, with the signs being that companies want both innovation and practicality. Looking to a provider with long experience of fitting commercial floors is the way to ensure the best results for your space.

Nightclub sells off pieces of sticky carpet

The Acapulco nightclub in Halifax is selling off pieces of its infamous, garishly designed carpet.

Opened in 1961, the Acapulco and claims to be Britain's oldest nightclub, and this year, it decided to replace its old, sticky and worn carpet. Someone joked that the club could sell off portions of the old carpet to patrons who had fond memories of nights spent there. The owners took this suggestion seriously and, once the word was out, they sold 100 carpet pieces in an afternoon.

Speaking to the Guardian, the owner of the club, Simon Jackson, said:

“It’s gone really, really mental. We thought we would be chucking most of it but we’ve had to pull some bits out of the skip, if I’m honest. It’s going great guns.”

Carpet pieces range from small £5 sections to a framed engraved piece that costs £50. The money raised from the carpet sale is being donated to the Street Angels charity. Jackson expects the sale will raise around £3,000. He believes that the carpet, which is sticky from numerous spilt drinks and other debris, is perhaps the oldest carpet in Britain – older than many of the people buying pieces of it.

When it’s time to replace carpets in Chester, Wrexham and North Wales properties, there will probably be no people willing to purchase pieces of the old carpet. One alternative is to send the carpet to a carpet recycling centre, rather than throwing it into a landfill rubbish site.

Carpet expected to sell for over £1 million

An Iranian silk carpet that is 400 years old is expected to sell at auction in London for between £1 million to £1.5 million.

The carpet was once owned by the Rothschild family and was made in the 16th or early 17th century in Persia. Carl von Rothschild, part of the Rothschild banking family, owned the carpet in the 19th century, and it still has the original label that confirms his ownership.

After von Rothschild died, the carpet was passed on to Adolphe von Rothschild. The carpet then left Rothschild ownership in 1968, when it was sold in Paris to a German family, which currently still owns the carpet. The family is now selling it in a London auction at Christie's.

The carpet is woven in silk with silver and gold thread. It is vibrantly coloured with an ornate foliage and arabesque pattern. In a statement, the Head of Carpets at Christie's London, Louise Broadhurst, said that the carpet is:

“A rare and remarkably well preserved survivor from the Golden Age of Safavid weaving.”

Carpets made in the Safavid period – between 1501 to 1736 – are highly attractive to collectors.

Carpets in Chester and North Wales properties cost considerably less than £1 million. For more modest budgets, a quality wool carpet is ideal to make a room feel warm, cosy and luxurious – and you don't have to worry about spills spoiling an expensive antique, as wool carpets are much easier to clean than delicate antique silk.

Demand for machine-made carpets grows

Handmade carpets are premium-quality floor coverings that consumers pay a lot of money for, and many believe they are better quality than machine-made carpets. However, a carpet exporter in Pakistan has claimed that modern carpet machines can make weaved carpets whose knots are as good as those made by artisan carpet makers, and that the demand for machine-made carpets is growing.

The Chief Executive of a major carpet exporter in Pakistan, Mian Attiq-ur-Rahman, is moving from exporting hand-knotted carpets to machine-woven ones. Speaking to Bol News, he said that the total value of handmade carpet exports from Pakistan has fallen to around $60 million annually, compared to the much higher value in the 1990s of $350 million.

Attiq-ur-Rahman said that Turkey had a similar fall in handmade carpet sales, which it addressed by importing new carpet-making machinery so that it could export more quality machine-made carpets. He wants Pakistan to follow the Turkish model, saying that:

“The global trend is changing. Machine-made carpets are now in huge demand. High-tech machine weaves are as good as knots made by an artisan. The government should facilitate exporters in shifting from hand-knotted to machine-weaved carpets.”

Carpets in North Wales and Chester rooms are a popular floor covering. Some believe that a handmade carpet is superior to machine-made ones, but they can be a costly investment for many households. A premium-quality wool carpet made by a machine is a suitable alternative. Wool carpets are available in a wide range of patterns and colours that make them look similar to handmade ones.

Report explores best carpets for entryways

The appearance of the entryway floor in a home is important, from how it feels when walked upon to how the floor looks. A recent report on the website Homes & Garden has looked at the top carpet ideas for the entrance to a home.

Sophie Warren-Smith, the author of the report, recommends carpets in neutral colours to create an atmosphere of calm. A neutral shade is versatile and goes with most hallway furniture, particularly natural wood side tables and coat stands. Carpet designer Jodie Hatton told Warren-Smith that carpet is a top choice for:

“High traffic areas like entryways and stairways due to its ability to withstand natural wear and tears.”

Entryways have a lot of foot traffic, and so a quality hardwearing carpet is recommended. For the feel of luxury, people can choose a wool carpet that is soft and hard-wearing.

An alternative to a wall-to-wall carpet in a hallway is a runner, which provides an attractive focal point to the entryway. Though neutral colours are still recommended, a bold statement can be made with patterns or stripes.

Jon Flannigan, a product manager at a carpet manufacturer, said:

“Stripes add visual interest to the floor and for those tight on space, it is worth remembering that linear stripes can help to enlarge the appearance of a room.”

Though carpets in Chester and North Wales homes are popular in entryways, some prefer hard surface floors. If this is the case, households can add a touch of warmth and softness with the addition of one or two rugs.