United Floor Covering is an 18 year old Spokane company owned by John Spring. With Teresa Johnson as the lead designer, United Floor Covering’s business is rooted in new home construction and spans a broad range from production builders to custom homes. They have a strong base of about 15-20 builders and complete up to 400 homes in a year. As many of Spokane’s older homes and neighborhoods have become more valuable, United Floor Covering has branched out into the high-end remodeling and retail business markets. Most of their business is in flooring, but they will sell “anything pretty,” as Teresa put it, including some window coverings. Although offering attractive products is key, Teresa says the most important service United Floor Covering provides is customer service. Spending time on the jobs and with customers they serve is their number one priority. Teresa feels tile and stone products are the heart of their business for many reasons. One reason is that designers are “just plain over carpet”, which doesn’t have the versatility of color and pattern that can be achieved with tile. Another reason is that “people feel secure with natural stone products; they’re natural, earthy and they aren’t trendy.” The latest bright color fad just can’t offer the longevity of a good quality stone. According to Teresa, creating a dramatic visual impact doesn’t require using materials that will go out of style overnight.

As to the changes Teresa and John have seen in the flooring industry over the years, both agree that the variety of materials and products available to designers and homeowners is amazing. The kinds of wood available, the specialty metal, glass and patterned tile, all the combinations of materials that a few years ago would have seemed strange, all of this has changed the market considerably. Teresa also mentioned that consumers are savvier now that they can browse the whole world for products via the internet, and United Floor Covering is doing their part to keep up. They are expanding both their showroom and warehouse space, and updating the look of the existing showroom. John mentioned finding more and more high-end customers willing to spend on labor for the interiors of their custom homes. As John put it, “a few years ago, spending $30,000 for labor to install hard surfaces in your home was just unheard of; now-a-days it’s no big deal.”

The business philosophy at United Floor Covering aligns with our own in two important ways. First, John takes a moderated approach to growth, which helps them remain strong through lean times and gives them choices when others are facing ultimatums. And second, John stressed to me that it’s the “great crew” of designers and installers at United Floor Covering that is the company’s greatest asset. Their attention to detail and dedication to their work keep United Floor Covering thriving even after disaster hit the housing market. The pride John feels for his people and his commitment to managed growth echo things we’ve all heard from Steve and Ryan a thousand times and make United Floor Covering a natural business partner for Statements.

Surface is a customer service-oriented design studio located in Portland, Oregon. In business for four years, they offer many types of floor and wall coverings: carpet, wood, tile & stone and laminate. I spoke to Kara Bertolucci, their lead designer (and Britt’s mom) for this interview.

Originally set up as a space for builders to find unique products, Surface now works with designers, homeowners and architects as well. Their showroom space is kept open and free from the display racks that often crowd showroom floors. Instead, Surface has vignettes to show various products in use together and they use sliding vertical displays that pull out from the wall to show materials on their own. The open atmosphere creates a space where people feel comfortable taking their time on projects and even just hanging out at wine time, which starts at 4 pm.

Surface’ dedication to their customers is apparent in every aspect of their business. Kara feels most satisfied when she sees the excitement that comes from making a client’s vision a reality and regularly goes to see the sites and spaces she’s working with to make sure it gets done right. She described the emotional gratitude of a French woman who was able to recreate the look and feel of her childhood home in France; this is what Surface is about. Kara is firm that the most important service that Surface provides is listening to their customers and making sure they understand that their project is important, no matter the size.

Surface has noticed changes in the flooring industry, including an increased interest in tile and stone and a new focus on green products and sustainable building practices. Another change has come with the internet and the Home & Garden channel, which means consumers more informed, have more choices and therefore, can achieve a more personalized vision than ever before. In response, Surface strives to track down the products their clients request and keeps their staff educated on environmental issues and green products. They are also working towards LEED certification and staying active in the community by supporting Art Institute student projects and sponsoring the Street of Eames event, which features a tour of modern homes and benefits programs for homeless children. Bridging business and the broader community while staying committed to our individual customers is just what we do here at Statements, and it is exciting to find businesses like Surface who share our values.