Articles

As the days become shorter and the cool nights trickle in, Mother Nature makes her chilly presence known with a change in season. And just as the outside world begins its cozy transition, we see a similar shift in the colors, textures and details used to decorate interior spaces. Read More

Year-to-date through September, U.S. imports of engineered wood flooring have grown by more than 22% in value to more than $1 billion and by more than 19% in volume to over 600 million square feet, reports the Decorative Hardwoods Association. Read More

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 263,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Read More

Personal income increased $155.3 billion, or 0.7 percent at a monthly rate, while consumer spending increased $147.9 billion, or 0.8 percent, in October. Read More

When it comes to tile installations, homeowners have an abundance of design decisions to make and, despite the visual impact grout has on the final project, it isn’t often at the forefront of consumers’ minds. Understandably so: Grout was originally created to protect the edges of tile. It wasn’t until the mid-1980s that it started to earn a reputation as a niche design feature. Only then did consumers begin to realize just how pivotal it could be aesthetically. Read More

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the third quarter of 2022, in contrast to a decrease of 0.6 percent in the second quarter. Read More

Blush at the thought! Consumers aren’t being shy about a desire for a fresh start this year. Interior designers and manufacturers are answering the call with a fresh take on a warm neutral: blush. Sherwin-Williams has selected a blush hue as its 2023 color of the year. Likewise, Farrow & Ball, the iconic wallpaper and paint brand has issued 11 new colors — their first new colors in four years — and three of the 11 fall solidly in the blush hue. And, we’ve seen other big brands, such as Valspar and Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart, identifying blush as a major decor inspiration. Read More

The global industrial flooring market is expected to grow from $6.26 billion in 2021 to $6.91 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3%. The industrial flooring market is expected to grow to $9.08 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.1%. Read More

Consumers now automatically assume their floors will be waterproof, given the constant upgrades in quality and technological innovations in the industry. With the expectation that this flooring will be durable and remain intact under any spill or splash, it’s imperative that RSAs specify the true promise of waterproof-branded products and what is warrantied. Read More

The prospects for continued high levels of multifamily development declined significantly in the third quarter, as did the prospects for continued high occupancy rates, according to results from the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) released by NAHB. Read More