Changing carpet perceptions, one square at a time

For years, Flor has worked to change people’s concept of floor coverings, by selling boxes of modular carpet tiles by mail order.


The concept made another mark on the distribution channel last month. The Chicago-based company opened a brick-and-mortar store in Dallas — its fifth, joining high-profile, high fashion locations in Chicago, New York and Santa Monica, Calif.


In a nutshell, Flor’s carpeting concept — launched in 2003 — is built around modular carpet tiles that allow DIY installation and ease of replacement. Spilled wine, for instance, can be remedied simply by replacing a square, instead of pulling up a carpet. And part of the marketing is designed to make installing the tiles fun, with colorful “dots” that provide adhesion to the floor covering.


Green is another facet important to the concept. The company’s sustainability efforts include a return and recycle program that keeps old tiles out of landfills. It also meets or exceeds the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus standards for low VOCs.


The company’s president, Greg Colando, has pointed to a retail growth spurt, predicting eight to 10 stores in place by the end of the year.