Rita Bancroft is Director of Bancmarketing Ltd and has over 30 years of marketing experience with a proven track record in both business to business and business to consumer multi-channel marketing.
The new neutrals colour trend is central to all the forthcoming launches at Ulster Carpets. The shift away from greys and neutral tones towards a warmer feel was clear in last year’s launch of their six new colours for Habitüs.
Building on this will be the forthcoming Autumn/Winter additions to Ulster’s Open Spaces Laneve range alongside their new Grange Wilton colours and the launch of a new Tufted Loop collection.
“This is very much being driven by the critical colour work of our designers, Clare Jenkinson and Calvin Pope,” explained Andrew Gicquel, residential sales manager at Ulster Carpets, adding, “It is bringing a warmer feel to interior styles while retaining the natural look and feel that you expect from wool-rich carpets.”
Using 100% Laneve wool from New Zealand for the pile yarn, the 6 new Queenstown and 4 Auckland colours build on the organic colours already found in the Open Spaces Laneve collection.
Homeowners will now have a choice of 50 different colourways across 4 different contemporary designs – Dubai and the Laneve ranges, Auckland, Napier and Queenstown.
Available in 5m, 4m, 3m, 2m and 1m multi-widths, the Open Spaces range of Tufted Loop carpets is suitable for heavy wear applications.
Cormar Carpets report that in 2025, interior design continued to evolve towards creating homes that feel restorative, tactile, and inviting. The prevailing trend leans into soft, natural, minimalism – pared-back yet comforting spaces where warm neutrals, layered textures, and natural tones take centre stage. The days of ’50 shades of grey’ are over and more natural inspired shades like sand, clay, and mushroom becoming more desirable.
Textured loop pile carpets are a great way to achieve this look. Cormar’s Primo Textures and Fairisle are both finding favour with consumers in the market now. Primo Textures is a classy, stain resistant polypropylene range in two design styles, that has the advantage of looking a lot like wool with the advantages of bleach cleanability. It also comes at a price point that is affordable for most households.
At the more premium end of the market Fairisle continues to impress. A chunky wool loop in a ¼ gauge construction in both 4 and 5 metre widths, valued not just for its timeless appeal but also for their durability and warmth underfoot – Fairisle is a popular choice for consumers looking for a totally natural 100% Pure New Wool carpet.
Relaunched by popular demand, Cormar’s much-loved Natural Berber Twist has long been a favourite among both retailers and homeowners. Thanks to its natural flecked appearance and remarkable versatility, Natural Berber Twist is another wool rich carpet which is riding high. Available in two pile weights, Elite and Deluxe, this iconic collection has been relaunched to meet today’s design preferences, while continuing to offer outstanding value for money. The refreshed palette introduces five beautiful new shades– each inspired by the colours of nature. These subtle, organic tones perfectly reflect today’s country-inspired interiors, adding warmth and character to living spaces, hallways, or bedrooms.
Manufactured in a robust blend of 80% wool, 10% nylon and 10% tuftbond, Natural Berber Twist is a hard-wearing wool twist, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. It is also moth-resistant and comes with a 10-year wear warranty, ensuring confidence and peace of mind for homeowners.
As homeowners continue to invest in comfort-led interiors, demand for deep-pile, soft-touch carpets is soaring, and Furlong Flooring’s latest Saxony ranges are perfectly positioned to help retailers capitalise on this trend.
The standout new addition, Bliss, combines a luxurious velvety feel with everyday practicality. Crafted in the UK by Regency Carpets, its two-ply yarn construction delivers a plush, inviting texture that’s ideal for bedrooms and living spaces, while Class 23 Heavy Domestic and Class 32 General Commercial ratings ensure durability for busy homes and light commercial settings. Available in 12 contemporary colours, bleach-cleanable, and backed by a 10-year wear and stain warranty, Bliss blends style, resilience and easy maintenance.
Bliss is part of Furlong’s Sensational Saxony collection; a range designed to give retailers choice, quality, and reliable availability from a trusted UK manufacturer. With national distribution, rapid delivery, and stock consistency supported by four UK distribution centres, Furlong makes it simple for retailers to meet growing demand without supply chain headaches.
For flooring retailers seeking to boost sales with premium, high-margin products, Bliss and the Sensational Saxony collection deliver the comfort, quality, and confidence customers are looking for.
Stripes are making a bold return to interiors, and Alternative Flooring is leading the way with the launch of its Wool Candy Stripe collection. A joyful celebration of stripes, each distinctive design – Pinwheel, Cane and Lollipop – is brought to life with colour, character and irresistible texture in 100% wool fibre.
While bringing the brand’s trademark comfort underfoot, the collection offers a sophisticated twist on nostalgic fairgrounds with each design available in Floss, Apple, Toffee and Sorbet colourways, offering a lively yet sophisticated palette to both contemporary and classic interiors. Stripes have the power to elongate spaces, create flow and introduce personality. Whether you prefer sophisticated fine lines, dramatic bold waves, or a playful mix of both, it’s time for stripes to take centre stage.
Versatile as it is stylish, Wool Candy Stripe can be installed as a fitted carpet to ground a room with pattern and warmth or transformed into a bespoke rug or runner using Alternative Flooring’s innovative Make Me A Rug design tool. This flexibility ensures that every space, from contemporary homes to commercial settings, can enjoy the playful elegance and striped joy the collection brings underfoot.
This year has seen home decorators looking for nature inspired styling to help them feel grounded and relaxed. With a desire to slow down and create a considered and elegant yet practical home, luxury vinyl has become the flooring of choice due to its realistic looks, durability and design versatility.
Gavin Smith, marketing director at Karndean Designflooring, said: “The natural beauty of warm woods such as oak and acacia are understandably a popular choice, while we are seeing a growing demand for stone effects such as marble and limestone. These calming floors, with their neutral earthy tones and organic textures, are bringing a much needed authenticity to our homes.
“Our latest Knight Tile trend edit includes characterful wood designs with an effortlessly cosy and inviting feel as well as fresh stone designs that offer a modern interpretation of the real thing without any of the practical downsides. From the rich yet subtle espresso tones of Cocoa Limed Oak and the elegant creamy browns of Wells Acacia, both available in a choice of herringbone or full-sized planks, to the enduring appeal of Lunar Limestone with its unexpected fossil elements, Knight Tile is the affordable luxury that’s designed for living.”
Unveiled at this year’s Decorex show, Elements London presented the London White Portfolio – an exquisite curation of seven distinctive shades of white, drawn from across seven of the brand’s most celebrated collections.
A masterclass in quiet luxury, the portfolio explores the subtle interplay of tone and texture through sumptuous pure wools, sophisticated wool blends, and a plush velvet, creating a tactile spectrum that moves from soft ivories to sculptural chalk tones. Together, they form a seamless palette that captures the timeless allure and effortless versatility of white.
Elegant, versatile, and unmistakably contemporary, the London White Portfolio redefines the modern neutral: a narrative that embodies timeless elegance and understated luxury.
Finally, we caught up with Eamon Prescott, CEO at Greendale, who said, “It’s important for me as head of Greendale to make sure that we are keeping up with the forecasted trends for the flooring industry. We are not only buying stock, but looking at new suppliers, so it’s imperative that we keep our members one step ahead of the competition when launching new ranges.”
Greendale believe that texture will also be evolving next year as we will see an unexpected return to thicker piles, even hinting that cut-and-loop carpets may see a small comeback, as they will provide depth and interest to the consumer.
For more information contact:
Alternative Flooring • 01264 335111 • alternativeflooring.com
Cormar Carpet Co • 01204 881234 • acormarcarpets.co.uk
Elements London • 020 7394 5016 • elementscarpet.com
Furlong Flooring • 01322 628700 • furlongflooring.com
Greendale Carpets • 01432 852000 • greendalecarpets.co.uk
Karndean Designflooring • 01386 820100 • karndean.com/newfloors
Ulster Carpets • 028 3833 4433 • ulstercarpets.com