[Export, Pa.] Karndean Designflooring’s products have an emphasis on design, and its new rigid core product, Korlok, is no exception. In addition to rounding out the company’s installation options, which now include glue-down, loose lay and click, Korlok is available in 12 strong designs in 56" x 9" planks.
“Most of our consumers shop first according to the look of a product, with the format or installation method as a secondary concern,” said CEO Larry Browder. “We sought a balance of colors that would work across all channels and segments, which is why some designs are more contemporary and others more rustic; but overall, the collection reflects movements within interior design.”
Korlok, which will become available at retail July 5, was developed out of a desire to create a product that worked both aesthetically and technically, Browder said. “Our goal is to seek out looks that people would want to have in their homes,” he explained. “We are constantly evaluating our product ranges based on market drivers in interior design and applying that to flooring to create a holistic product offering.”
More than three years of work went into Korlok’s development, resulting in a collection of 12 colors from hand-selected woods across North America and Europe. “From Texas ash and butternut sourced from the eastern U.S. coast to the cross-sawn grays of Reclaimed French Oak, Korlok is a collection of beautifully designed woods,” Browder said.
Inspired by butternut sourced from the eastern U.S., Korlok’s Washed Butternut features a milk-colored wash to give the product a more European-influenced design.
For a second butternut product variation, Smoked Butternut was designed by lightly smoking the boards to darken the tannins, giving the product a sophisticated, deeper color tone.
Four of the 12 new SKUs in Karndean’s Korlok line were inspired by Texas ash, which in its natural format is a neutral, consistent colored wood due to the tree’s growth in limestone-rich soil. Washed Velvet Ash is brushed with mid-tone, neutral hues.