Laminate and tile flooring are popular choices for multifamily communities, but don’t discount carpeting options. While most multifamily developers and owners still choose “base-grade” carpet for their units, they are increasingly more adventurous with their carpet choices for common areas, says Judith Sisler Johnston, president of Sisler Johnston Interior Design. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based firm has worked on a variety of multifamily projects in the Southeast, including senior housing, apartments, and condos.
Developers and owners often “pull out all the stops” for common areas, choosing carpet with distinct designs or textures, Johnston says. Miami-based apartment developer Dayco Holdings, for example, gave Johnston the creative license she desired to design the clubhouse at the Florida Club Apartments in Jacksonville, Fla. She worked with Saraland, Ala.-based Masland Carpets (see product brief on opposite page, top) to create a custom carpet for the property’s clubhouse.
“You can use a custom-designed carpet to reinforce a design or furnishing scheme,” Johnston says. “The carpet tied everything together.”
1. Drama Queen: Add drama, color, and definition to apartment clubhouses with Masland Carpets’ handcrafted custom rugs. Select from Masland’s catalog of patterns and colors, use the firm’s design support staff, or develop your own design. Custom sizes and materials are available. For more information, call Masland Carpets at 800-633-0468 or visit www.maslandcarpets.com.
2. Healthy Harvest: Be a “convert” with InterfaceFLOR’s new Convert collection of carpet tile. Manufactured with post-consumer yarn harvested through the company’s ReEntry 2.0 recycling program, the collection is available in two designs and 30 colors. It also features a patented, EPA-registered antimicrobial that inhibits the growth of mold and bacteria. For more information, call InterfaceFLOR at 800-336-0225 or visit www.interfaceflor.com.
3. Savvy Designs: Coordinating hard and soft flooring surfaces is easier than ever with the Savvy Spaces collection from Shaw Industries. The collection—featuring two-toned carpet colors, fabric-inspired textures, and upscale patterns—was designed to complement popular exotic hard surfaces. It is available in both broadloom and 24-inch-by-24-inch carpet tiles. For more information, call Shaw Industries at 800-441-7429 or visit www.shawfloors.com.
4. Fused Without Fuss: Milliken & Co.’s Legato interlocking panel system offers the look and feel of wall-to-wall carpet in a tile format. The system, available in 22-inch-by-23-inch carpet tiles, features a built-in non-slip floor pad so there’s no need to buy a separate pad. Fuse, a popular Legato collection, is available in three designs and 16 colors. For more information, call Milliken & Co. at 800-528-8453 or visit www.millikencarpet.com.
5. Sweet Treat: Corn sugar is one of the main components of Mohawk’s SmartStrand carpet line, which features DuPont Sorona, a polymer fiber that requires 30 percent less energy than the production of an equal amount of nylon. SmartStrand carpet is engineered to prevent stains, allowing products such as red wine and Kool-Aid to be removed with warm water and a mild detergent. For more information, call Mohawk at 800-266-4295 or visit www.mohawkflooring.com.
