Carpet tile’s exponential growth

It is the design element that has spurred carpet tile’s exponential growth, he added. “Carpet tile enables the creation of custom floors with running line products. At the high and low ends, broadloom still makes sense for luxury and value. If carpet tile were clothing, it would be business causal.”

For these reasons, Baucom noted that carpet tile is starting to find its way into residential applications, albeit at a slow pace given some cost and installation challenges, not to mention wall-to-wall being entrenched in homeowners’ minds. For specialty retailers, he said, the best bet is to offer carpet tile for any Main Street jobs that may come in the store.

“We’re certainly seeing consumers who appreciate carpet tile’s design and style for their homes, though cost and installation remain challenges,” Baucom noted. “Given our design leadership and other carpet tile expertise, it is an opportunity that we continue to monitor and evaluate. But we have not pursued residential tile beyond our Main Street offerings.”