Presented By: Norma McGee

Laminate flooring has been a rapidly growing segment of the flooring business since its inception with Pergo many years ago. Laminate offers incredible design flexibility, it’s affordable, easy to maintain, and has a long life. There’s no other product in the industry that has the scratch and wear resistance of laminate, and for very active households it will remain the product of choice. What homeowners love, especially in these times, with laminate flooring is that the total installed cost makes it one of the least expensive flooring options in the marketplace.

Laminate manufacturers are now pushing ahead with new designs and technologies. This segment of the flooring industry is evolving with new medium-gloss finishes that bring a subtle, upscale look to laminate flooring. New tile, stone, and stained concrete patterns are also a growing segment of this flooring category.  Additionally, they say a range of new folding locking installation systems makes the flooring easier to install than ever before. One of the main innovators in all of these features is Shaw Industries.

Shaw recently introduced the Luminiere Collection. Luminiere is a very special finish that gives superior visual clarity to fine laminate flooring. As opposed to dull, “plastic-like” visuals, or extra-shiny “wet-look” visuals, Luminiere is authentic to the gloss-level of an actual hardwood floor, without compromising performance. Shaw Laminate Category Manager Eric Erickson states the look of high-end laminate flooring itself is changing. Manufacturers, including Shaw with its new Luminiere collection, are experimenting with gloss levels to create what he calls a more “livable” floor. “High-gloss looks are dynamite but they’re not necessarily an everyday, livable thing,” he says. “With super high-gloss looks, the floor will show fingerprints and paw prints.” Smooth, higher-sheen finishes are very popular at the moment because they tend to accentuate the clarity and depth of the featured design. Shaw President Randy Merritt says, “Luminiere brings incredible clarity to the visual. It’s the most realistic looking laminate out there.”

Luminiere not only incorporates all of Shaw’s best features—Enviro-Core, a high-density fiber core derived from recycled wood fiber, and LocNPlace, a mechanical locking system that renders such tools as a hammer and tapping block unnecessary. This collection features 4 styles: Caribbean Vue, Brazilian Vue, Peruvian Vue, and African Vue, each with 3 dynamic colors accentuating the grain and texture of the wood species they represent.

In terms of tile and stone looks in laminate flooring, 2009 will be a year of light, neutral colors, and unique patterns. 16×16 porcelain and slate is replicated in the style “Majestic Grandeur”, while a unique “modular” pattern can be found in “Majestic Visions”, creating the look of several different sized tiles in one pattern. Two trendy new styles include “Majestic Estate”, which creates the sophisticated look of cross-cut slabs of travertine stone, as well as “Majestic Summit”, which give the feel of a metropolitan high-rise with its painted concrete visual.

For more information, stop by Colonial Brandywine Rug in the Fairfax Shopping Center at 2107 Concord Pike, Rt. 202, Wilmington, DE  19803. Or call 302-654-1121.

Being in the flooring business for 35 years, Norma McGee has an extensive background in this field. Colonial Brandywine Rug Co. was created by merging two established rug and carpet stores, Colonial Rug and Carpet in Fairfax and Brandywine Rug Co. on Rockland Road.

What differentiates Colonial Brandywine Rug Co. from the “run of the mill”, big warehouse stores? The biggest difference you will find is the attention to personal service that you receive at Colonial. They pride themselves on their attention to detail and individualized customer service.

Although they specialize in personalized assistance, they have a diverse clientele. Their business consists not only of residential customers, but also of commercial accounts including large companies, private churches, and clubs in the area.

“No job is too big, or too small,” according to McGee.

For personal individualized attention, quality products and knowledgeable experts, visit Colonial Brandywine Rug Co.