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Albany Tile, Carpet & Rug's NewsThe color forecasts for 2012 are out. Compared to 2010 and 2011, the palettes contain an increasing amount of violet and are becoming more optimistic with clearer and brighter accent hues. Here are several collage images using our products that demonstrate the colors, textures and finishes that we expect to be in demand during the upcoming 12 to 18 months:
Beyond our thoughts, there are the big players -- Color Marketing Group, Pantone, and Benjamin Moore – who have also released their 2012 color forecasts. Here are two Google image searches that will bring up images of many of those forecasts: general Google search and Pantone-Focused Google Search. If you want to spend between $75 and $400 to really get some detail, here are a couple of links: Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2012 and Pantone's Pantone View Home + Interiors 2012. Rectangular, Porcelain Tile Continue to Grow in Popularity. White subway tile (3”x6” and 4”X8”) and 1”x2” mosaic tile has always been with us, but recent manufacturing advances have increased the availability of much larger rectangular tile. Below are images of two current favorites that we have on display in our showroom.
The 2012 Missoni Carpets are in. Missoni, the storied Italian fashion house, has introduced its 2012 additions to its broadloom collection. Below, we have included photographs of many of the Missoni designer broadloom choices we sample in our showroom.
Floating Tile Floors have arrived. Dal Tile has introduced click tile flooring that does not need to be glued down. To date, Dal has only made three colors available and all in the 12"x12" size. We have tried it out and we are must admit that we found it difficult to get the pieces to snap together tightly. The tile is mounted on the stuff of that bowling balls are made of; that hard plastic would have been more pliable if it had been heated first, we have been told. So click tile floors seem to have potential -- they can be installed over just about any type of subfloor -- but there do not seem ready for prime time. Here are a couple of photographs:
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Floating Hardwood Too. Speaking of floating tile floors, we recently installed a floating hardwood floor and it looks excellent! We chose Mirage Oak Lock Hardwood with Sierra stain. We had to use saws to cut the edges at the wall and doorways. After that, no sawing, no gluing, no stapling, and no nailing. Install went really quickly; the boards fit together tightly and without problems. Best of all -- that old wall-to-wall, nylon carpet is G-O-N-E!
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Stone Circles have arrived. We recently found a trend toward using circular pieces as accents in stone mosaics and listellos. We have embraced the trend and are enthusiastic about the design possibilities created. Below, are photographs of several of the pieces we just got in.
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Porcelain Tile Advances. We believe that 2012 will prove to be a watershed year for the tile industry with increased availability of porcelain tile featuring images created with digital printing technology. Manufacturers such as Florida Tile with its High Definition Porcelain (“HDP”) and Daltile with its Reveal Imaging have incorporated digital printing into the manufacture of their high-end products. With its high-resolution graphics and extremely infrequent pattern repetition, digital printing technology has made it possible to manufacture porcelain tiles with the look of reclaimed, vintage hardwoods, metallic industrial slabbing, and various stone looks that include travertine, slate, breccia marble, and quartzite. Each of these products is indistinguishable from, and has performance characteristics that are superior to, the real thing.