FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Submitted by Annette Callari, ASID; CMG

Swarovski crystals and classic concrete may be an unlikely marriage of materials, but it’s now a pleasantly shocking reality.  Swarovski has teamed up with Austria’s LANG GmbH (makers of precast concrete) to create an oxymoron of materials:  one that could aptly sport an odd-couple description like “bejeweled concrete”. Now if that description hasn’t gotten your attention, there’s a good chance you may not have a pulse. 

Joint research has been in progress for two years to produce this product.  Originally geared towards architects and designers, Crystal Concrete has a smooth, even surface that features embedded SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS.  These glittering gems give a three-dimensional appearance and can be used to create decorative modular panels for residential or commercial use.  In the commercial arena, the concrete can be molded into contemporary designs, patterns, graphics or logos.  Residentially, these panels can dress a dining room for the company of royals, or give a touch of Hollywood to a home theatre.  If you want to take it a step further, this embellished concrete can be enhanced by adding fiber optics to play up the crystalline effects! 

Co-founder LANG states that “…Crystal Concrete can be equally effective as a construction material on large exterior facades or smaller interior panels…”  No wonder architects have become fascinated with the possibilities.  Varying design planes within one panel gives a three dimensional look and since the crystals are imbedded, they appear flush with the smooth concrete surface.  The crystals themselves are the crowning touch:  sapphire blue, fiery red, emerald green—each of the colors is varied and magnificent.

 We are dedicated at FloorTalk to bringing you the most innovative products on the market globally.  Beautiful floors deserve special crowning touches, and here’s an interior design product that will complement any floor covering you choose.  If you are searching for one design element that is truly unique, take a close look at interiors.elements@swarovski.com and prepare to be amazed.

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.

Submitted by Annette M. Callari, Allied ASID; Chair Holder CMG

The floor covering industry is gearing up for one of the major trade shows of the year—Surfaces 2011–to be held in Las Vegas in late January.  I observe this trade show with a reporter’s mindset, so I can discover the best new products and bring them to you via FloorTalk.  Manufacturers are excited about the debut of their new products, and sometimes they are willing to give me a sneak peek as to what’s coming.  Good news for us that Emser Tile has done just that.

Stone and porcelain floors have a natural beauty that is unique and singular only to them.  The clean, concise looks are the reason why consumers gravitate toward these materials.   The longevity of the product is a secondary benefit, as these floors maintain their good looks for decades.  But I don’t want you to overlook a way to personalize your choice of floor.  Listellos are a designer’s best friend when it comes to customizing floor designs for our clients.  The extraordinary beauty these tiny accents can add to a floor is staggering.  You can take a travertine, limestone, or porcelain floor to a new level, simply by using your imagination and putting listellos to work for you.  Design a perimeter border, create a faux ‘area rug’ in a room; surround a treasured piece of furniture with an artistic listello.  All of these ideas are the way to create a room with character.   Here are a few extraordinary possibilities:

Introducing TEXTILE from Emser Tile.  These high profile listellos can support both contemporary and classic interior design.

Here we see PIEMONTE, a stunning mosaic of natural stone and polished accent stones. There are even matching corner pieces to complete your design.

STRANDS is one of my favorites.  The linear design in pencil thin strips gives an urban chic finishing touch to your beautiful hard surface floor.  This pattern is available in both the dark (shown below) and a light version as well.

ECLIPSE offers two well-designed choices:  Sun Listello pictured left, or Moon Listello shown below.  Again, corner pieces are available to handle right angles with grace.  The combination of smooth, solid color tiles with a patterned inset adds high style to this choice.

I truly hope you are as captivated by these designs as I am–something truly different and well crafted to inspire you.  If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to install new flooring in 2011, well I can’t think of a better starting point than right here, right now, with one of these “made for you” listellos.  Happy New Year!

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.