Brazilian Cherry the Old Exotic
In the January 1 - 15, 2008 edition of Floor Covering Weekly magazine, Gary Glancy wrote, "Move over Brazilian Cherry." He went on to write, "Brazilian Cherry used to be a very exclusive and rare floor."
According to Patrick Barnds, a vice president from Armstrong Floor Products, "Now you see Brazilian Cherry showing up everywhere. It's at Home Depot, Lowe's, Lumber Liquidators and all over the internet. Everybody's got Brazilian cherry floors. A big part of the cache of exotic hardwood floors is the fact that they are EXOTIC. They're unique and they're rare. When everybody on your block has a Brazilian Cherry floor and you can get it for $1.99 a sq. ft. at Lumber Liquidators, it definitely losses some of its appeal. So the people that first bought Brazilian Cherry five to ten years ago are looking at something else now. They're looking for species that are rare and you just don't see everywhere."
Shag Carpet vs. Exotic Hardwood Floors
"As both supply and demand evolve there will be a trend to find beautiful and high quality flooring from other parts of the globe including Asia." said Barry McAlpine, President of McAlpine Exotic Hardwood Floors. "Consumers are expressing their desire for new and different hardwood floors as they should. When I tour Parade of Homes and see expensive homes with a common Oak floor I can't help but think that this floor is dated and reminds me of shag carpeting from the 60's and 70's. There are beautiful and abundant hardwoods from parts of our globe that people in America have never heard of. These species are much harder than our North American Oak and can add character and value to a home." added McAlpine.
Exotic Hardwood Floors Are Not For Everyone
In the March 3/10 issue of Floor Covering Weekly Maya Avrasin writes in an article on page 4; According to economist reports published in 2001 from New York University, the top 20% of our population owns 84% of the country's wealth. This wealthy group is spending money on luxury items such as cars, electronics and household items. Flooring is among the myriad of choices they encounter, and they're not shopping at Home Depot for their products. In the same article, Chris Ramey, chairman of the Florida marketing council mentions several ways to attract high-end customers. "The affluent are hiding; they know they have money but they don't want the world to know that," he states. Once you've spent time, money, and effort creating a brand onto yourself, don't ruin it with the wrong products. "Don't let your suppliers dumb down your showroom," Ramey said. Having every known flooring choice is not the way to attract a high-end customer. This group is interested in scarcity and exclusivity. Having a high-end product that they can't find anywhere else is the only way to present the goods. Ceramic tile, exotic hardwood, wool and sisal are the types of flooring that are understood to have higher value. "These
are the products the affluent are buying," Ramey said.
