Checking in with...Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets:

With cold February feet, we opted to check in this week with longtime family business Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets, which offers excellent prices and service on flooring products.

Could you give us a short history of your company?

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets was started in 1995. We offer more than 70 name brands of carpet, area rugs, wood floor and specialty flooring items. Owner Brett Hemphill spent six-plus years in Williamsburg, Va., as general manager of a start-up discount flooring business that was a spin-off from a large discount furniture store, after graduating from USC. Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets has been modeled after that business.

What are the most popular flooring options today?

We are selling a lot of wood floor. The most popular has been Richard Marshall Olde Boards. This floor was being sold through new home design centers. When that market deteriorated, we were given the opportunity to be one of the few retail storefronts to offer the floor. Currently, we have been able to offer this custom-made wood floor for 50% off what it used to cost just a few years ago. We continue to sell a lot of seagrass for wall-to-wall installation.

What’s your advice to clients on a budget?

Don’t settle for a lesser-quality floor if you cannot afford it. It would be better to wait until you have the funds to get what you want. This is especially true when investing in a wood floor. Beware of Chinese-imported goods. There are issues related to coatings, thin-wear layers and stability on low-priced wood floors. It can become very costly to remove and replace a floor that did not meet expectations.

What are some “green” flooring alternatives?

Bamboo floor, cork, seagrass, sisal and jute can all be installed wall-to-wall. There are some new bamboo products that look more like traditional wood. We offer several wood products that are made from 100% post-industrial recycled hardwood. One is Mulberry Swirl, which is made from mulberry branches discarded by the silk industry. Another product is Thinstrip Java, which is made from scraps of wood and cut into “slim” strips for veneer. It offers a very contemporary look. Seagrass happens to be our largest-selling wall-to-wall installed product, and has been for several years. We offer it with an attached urethane cushion for increased comfort and durability. We sell a lot of area rugs made from abaca, seagrass, jute and sisal. They can be made in virtually any size, too.

What do you predict some of the big flooring trends will be?

An increased emphasis on wool. Nylon carpet prices have skyrocketed in the past couple of years due to the cost of oil. It takes seven gallons of oil to make 35 pounds of carpet. The price difference between wool and nylon is not that great. In fact, we have some wool products that cost less than nylon. There are some interesting vinyl products currently available that look like wood. We have been doing well with those, especially since the cost is similar to a quality carpet.

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets

Brett Hemphill, proprietor

230 E. 17th St.

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

(949) 722-7224

rugsandcarpets.com