4 New Flooring Trends From The International Surface Event 2020

Flooring is part of your home’s foundation… literally. 

It doesn't matter if your plan is to flip a home, rent it out, or move right in — the right flooring can make all the difference. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date on the latest trends and advances in the flooring industry. After all, if you’re going to make an upgrade, you want the best available. Right?

There’s no better place to learn about the latest and greatest in flooring than The International Surface Event (TISE). It's the largest annual floor covering, stone, and tile industry event in North America. Buyers, suppliers, and influencers from all over come to learn about what’s coming next. And we went so you don’t have to. Check out our favorite 2020 flooring trends from this year’s event below. 

What Are the Biggest Flooring Trends Emerging in 2020?

1. Heated Flooring

One thing we noticed a lot of at Surfaces was heated flooring. It makes sense that heated flooring played such a big role at this year’s event: it’s an accessible, sellable comfort that is attractive to just about everyone. 

The latest varieties of heated flooring are great because they can work with any type of flooring through the use of radiant heat. Stone, tile, hardwood, and even carpet (with an additional protective layer) are all compatible. How does it work? Heated electric panels are installed beneath your floor and turn on based on your temperature settings to heat the floor above. These panels are typically made of graphene and are insulated to handle the wear and tear of regular foot traffic. 

We've said it before and will say it again: comfort is en vogue and there's nothing more comfortable than a nice, warm floor under your feet. So, it makes sense that it would be a top flooring trend for 2020.

2. RevoTile

This flooring trend is just plain cool. 

One of the main reasons so many people avoid adding tile to their home is because of the overwhelming amount of work involved in the process. If you’re doing it yourself, it means hours and hours of mortaring, wiping, and laying tile. If you’re paying someone else to do it, it means the considerable cost of paying a professional to mortar, wipe, and lay tile for hours and hours. Nobody has time for that. 

That said… what if something new came along? Tile… that didn’t require mortar? Could you even believe it? Guess what: you can! Meet RevoTile. 

Recently introduced, RevoTile is made with proprietary ClicFit technology. This means you can install this waterproof porcelain tile in half as much time as you could traditional tile. All you have to do is follow three easy steps: placing the underlayment, clicking the tiles together, and grouting them immediately. No mortar, no mess, no misery. AKA: no problem.

3. 3D Designs

There’s no denying that the flooring at TISE 2020 exhibited many beautiful patterns and designs, almost too many to count. That said, our favorites were the designs that were three-dimensional. 

One great example of this is the Geometal preview offered by Marazzi USA. These stunning metallic tiles offer subtle 3D effects that add depth, texture, and style no matter how they're arranged. We don't know about you, but we're definitely excited to see what other kinds of 3D tile designs roll out over the course of the year.

Another favorite can be seen in the photo below. This exhibitor used a three-dimensional wall covering to make their space pop with both pattern and texture.

4. Scallops

It isn’t very often that a shape becomes a trend all on its own. However, walking around the floors of TISE 2020, it became clear that scallops were a new trend. Scalloped patterns were on countless surfaces at TISE, including floors. Mostly seen in tile and stone surfaces, scalloped patterns were all the rage. One of our favorite scallop examples was the tile pictured below. The black tile paired with the stark white grout lines made for a strong, standout design.

More 2020 Interior Design Trends

Speaking of flooring, have you wondered what other trends are hot for 2020? Check out our rundown on the recently announced Pantone 2020 Color of the Year to see what colors are currently trending. 

You can also take a look at the Sisal Rugs catalogue for a look at the most popular rugs on the market right now!