70s house style — new chenille carpet squares by FLOR

Last week, we got wind of FLOR’s latest line of colorful carpet tiles, and we like ’em! The new Chenille Charade FLOR carpet tiles seems to channel that 70s house: Check out the sculpted pattern — which seems to copy vintage towels…. And how about the earthy colors — including avocado, harvest orange and even flash-in-the-pan poppy. If you’re in the midst of putting together a 70s style interior — or simply want to add a bit of 70s house vibe underfoot — these new carpet squares might be just what you’ve been searching for. Thanks to Flor for the photos!

By now many folks have probably heard of FLOR — a company that makes carpet tiles that can be joined together with “Flor dots” and made into a custom area rug — or even installed as wall to wall carpeting.  As I type this, there are 5 different styles of FLOR tile in my home — in orange, deep teal, lime green, yellow and red. The wide range of colors and styles that FLOR offers is great for mid century and retro decorators — since they have nearly every color in the rainbow available.

Above: FLOR is calling this color “Charade Kiwi.” Here at Retro Renovation, we would say: “Avocado Green by any other name would look as sweet.”

Above: Pam added this photo of one of her 1970s vintage Fieldcrest towels. It’s a lighter shade of avocado, a different jacquard chenille, but the family resemblance seems undeniable. (Aside: Vintage towels are our the best bath towels for the money, we believe. To find them: Shop for them on etsy.com, and head straight for the linen closet at estate sales.)

From the product description:

Raised plush softness evokes a cottage coverlet… all vintage. But bold contrast etched through vivid hues keeps things contemporary. An instant heirloom. This style features a random pattern designed to vary from square to square, so patterns will not always align. Each tile is unique, not all variations may be shown in photography.

Above: Azure Chenille Charade — channels Bitossi Rimini Blu — our 2012 Retro Renovation color of the year.

Above: Chenille Charade Maize — looks to us like a good proxy for 1970s harvest gold.

Above: Chenille Charade Tangerine — the failed  “Poppy” is baaaack!

Above: Chenille Charade Persimmon. Aka Antique red, albeit perhaps more vibrant than the original.

Above: Chenille Charade Frost. Hey, real grey, not greige!

This new style of FLOR tile $20 for a 19.7 inch x 19.7 inch square ($7.44 per sq. ft.) and is rated for high traffic areas. FLOR has a wide range of styles that range in price from $8/square to $40/square. If you live with messy kids, pets or other spill prone people these tiles could be the perfect solution because single tiles can be pulled up and cleaned in the kitchen sink — or if the stain is particularly bad — replaced without having to worry about replacing an entire, expensive area rug due to one stubborn stain or the family dog chewing on one corner. Colors and styles can be easily mixed and matched to create eye popping custom patterns. FLOR also has a recycling program, so if you ever tire of your tiles or they wear out, you can call the company, get a prepaid shipping label and send them back for recycling.