High end luxury vinyl and hardwood flooring, without the high price at Design Surfaces
By Ken McEntee
You may be floored by the new product selections at Design Surfaces.
“We’ve always been the place to go for tile and stone,” says David Coticchia, third generation co-owner of the family business that has been beautifying Northeast Ohio kitchens for more than 40 years. “Now we’re the place to go for tile, stone, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and hardwood flooring.”
In fact, Design Surfaces recently dedicated a portion of its stylish Westlake showroom to LVT and hardwood.
“LTV has been storming the market,” David says. “It’s tough, versatile, easy to install and easy to maintain. It’s waterproof and scratch resistant, and it can be applied over existing floors. On top of that, it’s a very budget friendly product.”
Because of its resistance to water, LTV can even be installed in the bathroom.
“Hardwood isn’t recommended for bathroom floors, but LVT is ideal in that application,” David says. “The tiles look incredible and they have a rubber or cork backing to allow for a softer feel.”
The quality Casabella brand LVT Design Surfaces offers is thicker and more durable than what you’ll get in a home improvement store, David assures. That’s why it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.
But if you’re a stickler for natural hardwood, Design Surfaces also has you covered.
“Hardwood is coming into vogue and is more popular than ever,” David insists. “We carry an engineered product that is made from real hardwood, but is a lot stronger that traditional hardwood flooring. It’s so tough that it’s guaranteed for 50 years.”
It’s gorgeous as well, David says.
“We’re carrying a unique selection of current, stylish colors with a lot of grays and cooler tones that were selected by our trendy design staff,” he says. “A lot of the flooring has a reclaimed, rustic look that a lot of people are asking for.”
Along with the addition of new flooring products, David says, Design Surfaces is doubling down on its already amazing selection of granite and natural stone. The company last month installed a fourth five-ton crane in its 15,000-square-foot climate-controlled warehouse to help move its expanded selection of slabs.
“We’re devoting the last quarter of our warehouse to housing 60 to 70 new slab products,” David announces. “We’re going to be stocking even more natural stone and quartz, and we’re going to start stocking some porcelain slabs.”
Design Surfaces imports about 80 percent of its granite direct from the quarries of such exotic mining locations as Italy, Brazil and India. That not only expands the variety of spectacular colors and designs, but it also lowers the price.
“By ordering direct, we’re cutting out the middlemen that mark up the materials,” David says. “We pass the savings along to our customers. Buying direct also helps quality control. We only purchase the finest, first grade materials.”
One of the remarkable things about granite, David opines, is that no two slabs ever look the same.
“With our warehouse expansion, we’re giving our customers a better selection than ever before,” he says. “We bring in unique products that are not typically found at other granite dealers. You can go anywhere and find the basic granite colors.”
Because all of Design Surfaces’ inventory of new slabs are inside the comfortable, climate-controlled warehouse, shoppers are free to take their time to peruse the vast selection without sweating through the summer heat or trudging through slushy winter snow.
One of the highlights David likes to point out is a slab of translucent marble that allows light to shine through.
“Backlit countertops create a dazzling effect,” he says.
Although nobody can improve upon the splendor of natural stone itself, knowing how to use it in just the right way in a particular application can make a significant difference in the final result. That’s where Design Surfaces’ team of experienced and knowledgeable decorators and designers comes in.
Available right in the showroom to help customers make the perfect choices for their kitchen and bath projects, the expert assistance doesn’t cost a dime extra.
“Sometimes the hardest part of a project is knowing where to start,” David says. “Having that helpful expert with experience as a sounding board makes most customers feel they are heading in the right direction. Our designers and decorators provide peace of mind when selecting materials, while also providing the knowledge to offer fresh possibilities and avoid unforeseen obstacles that can create problems down the road. I think having this kind of experience available to customers is very unique for a stone and tile—and flooring—store.”
Located at 24000 Sperry Drive, in Westlake, Design Surfaces is conspicuously visible from I-90. The warehouse and showroom are open to the public and appointments are not necessary. The Design Surfaces showroom is open Monday, Friday, and Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Evening hours are available by appointment by calling 440-899-9900. You can find more information at DesignSurfacesDist.com, and keep up with the latest finds on Facebook and Instagram.