Prepare for pattern power
February 20, 2021
Pattern is making a strong and welcome return to home interiors, so join the first flooring retailers already embracing its reappearance with the StainFree Wilton collection by Abingdon Flooring. .
With the launch of Abingdon Flooring’s brand-new StainFree Wilton collection, flooring retailers can celebrate the rise of pattern in the home on two super-stylish lecterns.
The dual lectern set brings an impressive array of designs to choose from. From contemporary plaids in Chatsworth, Chequers and Balmoral to the hessian-like Blenheim, the intricate florals of Chartwell and the damasks of Sandringham and Highgrove; StainFree Wilton makes a strong argument for choosing patterned carpet.
To make selecting the perfect pattern easy, Abingdon Flooring has grouped the woven Wilton collection on two lecterns. One lectern contains all the modern plaid designs while the other celebrates the elegance of the collection’s floral and damask designs.
Millie Barlow, head of marketing, Abingdon Flooring: “It’s important to remember that for many interested shoppers, this might well be the first time they’ve considered a patterned carpet and so we’ve tried to make that decision a little easier for them. Creating a strong group on each lectern keeps the focus on a particular style of pattern – modern plaid or classic floral – and avoids the customer feeling overwhelmed and indecisive.”
Colours too have been carefully considered, with the British manufacturer avoiding bold traditional tones such as red and green. Palettes in each pattern are reflective of today’s interiors with hues of silver, pewter, onyx and harvest. Each style is available four-metre wide and is made from high-quality polypropylene yarn, making it a perfect addition to the renowned StainFree range.
Enjoying a Stainfree for life and 10-year wear warranty, the bleach cleanable StainFree Wilton collection is ready to make pattern accessible to more homeowners than ever before. As Millie Barlow concludes, “pattern carpet is looking to make a strong return over the next couple of years and with StainFree Wilton, you’ll be ready to make the most of its power.”
The dual lectern set brings an impressive array of designs to choose from. From contemporary plaids in Chatsworth, Chequers and Balmoral to the hessian-like Blenheim, the intricate florals of Chartwell and the damasks of Sandringham and Highgrove; StainFree Wilton makes a strong argument for choosing patterned carpet.
To make selecting the perfect pattern easy, Abingdon Flooring has grouped the woven Wilton collection on two lecterns. One lectern contains all the modern plaid designs while the other celebrates the elegance of the collection’s floral and damask designs.
Millie Barlow, head of marketing, Abingdon Flooring: “It’s important to remember that for many interested shoppers, this might well be the first time they’ve considered a patterned carpet and so we’ve tried to make that decision a little easier for them. Creating a strong group on each lectern keeps the focus on a particular style of pattern – modern plaid or classic floral – and avoids the customer feeling overwhelmed and indecisive.”
Colours too have been carefully considered, with the British manufacturer avoiding bold traditional tones such as red and green. Palettes in each pattern are reflective of today’s interiors with hues of silver, pewter, onyx and harvest. Each style is available four-metre wide and is made from high-quality polypropylene yarn, making it a perfect addition to the renowned StainFree range.
Enjoying a Stainfree for life and 10-year wear warranty, the bleach cleanable StainFree Wilton collection is ready to make pattern accessible to more homeowners than ever before. As Millie Barlow concludes, “pattern carpet is looking to make a strong return over the next couple of years and with StainFree Wilton, you’ll be ready to make the most of its power.”
SEARCH OUR NEWS SERVICE
FEATURED ARTICLES

Learn all aspects of flooring installation at the Uzin Utz Campus in Stafford. The state-of-the-art facility provides diverse training opportunities throughout the year. From subfloor preparation, LVT fitting, wet room installations, wood floor sanding and sealing, as well as resin flooring installation, each course is designed to inspire and equip you with essential skills. With prices starting at just £75 per person, you will not only gain valuable knowledge but also lunch and refreshments, a certificate of achievement, a Uzin Utz Campus T-shirt, and exciting giveaways.

FITA is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, providing specialist training for the floorcovering industry. Co-founded by the Contract Flooring Association and the National Institute of Carpet and Floorlayers, FITA has two specialist training centres at Loughborough and Kirkcaldy, fully equipped to deliver over 20 different flooring courses including carpet, LVT, sheet vinyl, wood, linoleum and subfloor preparation.

When it comes to ensuring that flooring meets standards of other design features, such as furnishings and fittings, following best practice in subfloor preparation and flooring installation is as important as the floorcovering selection itself. Tim Green, head of training at the UK’s leading manufacturer of subfloor preparation products and adhesives, F. Ball and Co, explains how training in these areas can help achieve a design edge and how to access the best free provisions available.

It’s no secret that one of the biggest issues facing the UK flooring industry is the shortage of skilled labour, and this is a problem that’s only likely to get worse as the older generation hangs up its tools and finds fewer and fewer young hands willing to take up the trade. While the overall declining interest in practical trades is a matter to be addressed by all stakeholders – particularly at a Government level – flooring manufacturers and specialised training outfits have long been playing their parts to raise standards within the industry.

The Associated Carpet Group held its Platinum Supplier Show this past 14-15 March, celebrating its 40th anniversary at the illustrious Hilton Hotel at St George’s Park, the home of the FA and England football teams. The annual showcase is both a platform for ACG’s suppliers to present their newest offerings to the buying group’s members and, of course, a highly enjoyable social event!
BUSINESS NEWS
Imports of soft flooring including wall-to-wall carpet and rugs were up 8.8% to £74.75m in March, according to HMRC data compiled by The Furnishing Report. With this increase, imports of carpet grew faster during the period than alternatives like vinyl.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index decreased by four points to -23 in April. All measures were down in comparison to last month’s announcement. These are the current findings of the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer (CCB) powered by NIM. The CCB has been published jointly by GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), the founder of GfK, since October 2023.
Likewise Group, the UK flooring distributor, has announced its audited final results for the year ended 31 December 2024.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased by one point to -19 in March. Two measures were up, two were down and one was unchanged in comparison to last month’s announcement.
The prices of carpets and other floorcoverings fell 1.8% in March 2025, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. This is the second consecutive month of falling prices, with carpets seeing a drop of 1.7% in February, down from 2.5% growth in the same period last year.
As of 1 April, Herman and Age Mulder will take over the management of Rinos as Managing Directors. They represent the fifth generation to join as shareholders of the family business, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Milco Visscher will start as commercial director on 1 May. The current managing director, Peter Kuipers, will oversee the transition and step down on 31 July.
Imports of flooring to the UK this February were up 7% when compared to the same period last year, reaching a total value of £127.9m, according to figures compiled by The Furnishing Report.
Likewise Group, one of the UK’s largest flooring distributors, has announced a “particularly positive” start to the year with gross sales revenue in Q1 2025 increasing by 10.7% against the corresponding period last year. Sales in the Likewise Branded businesses have increased by 14.6%.
The British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for Growth. The document is said to support BFC’s advocacy across four key pillars: skills and education; trade and exports; standards and regulations; and the environment and circular economy. It has been developed over the past few months, the organisation says, evolving from a combination of position papers written by the associations’ executives and a comprehensive survey of their collective members.
Consumer card spending grew 1.0% year-on-year in February – lower than January’s 1.9% increase and less than the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3.9%, according to recent figures reported by Barclays. In anticipation of higher bills, consumers are said to be cutting back on essential outgoings, but still prioritising discretionary purchases, contributing to an uptick in optimism in the health of personal and household finances.
READ IT ALL ONLINE
Show More