Floor Coverings International of Mentor brings the showroom and more than 3,000 samples to you

By Olivia Bloom

When you think about it, flooring is the most-used element in your home. Your friends, your kids, your pets and anyone who steps foot or wheels into your place will do so via your floor.

Thanks to innovations in game-changing design technology, flooring has come a long way, now promising imperviousness to water, wear and stains, while instilling style within your abode.

Easy In-Home Consultations
To help you find the best-fit flooring for your lifestyle, family-owned and operated Floor Coverings International of Mentor makes the process a breeze. A trained salesperson will arrive at your home in their mobile showroom van, which holds more than 3,000 flooring samples.

“We realize flooring is one of the biggest investments people will make in their home,” says Shelly Sekki, who, along with her husband, Joe, introduced the mobile company to the area two years ago.

“We’ve always made providing VIP customer service our top priority. We enjoy working with people in their homes, where they can see how the different colors and styles will look.”

The couple notes that when people are shopping for flooring, they’ll hit several stores, probably encountering inexperienced employees here and there who they won’t see by the next time they visit. Then, after they make a selection, another person will come to their home to measure.

“By the time the job’s done, the customer may have worked with six different people,” says Joe. “With us, we are the only point of contact. We choose product and measure and take care of billing all in one visit. We also help our customers with warranty issues. There’s a big trust factor.”

Since literally all of their reviews are five-star, the formula seems to be working.

Take Megan L., of Kirtland, who knew the first project in her home would be to replace white ceramic tile with laminate wood on the first floor.

“The transformation is incredible,” she says. “Shelly and Joe were phenomenal partners from beginning to end. It was clear they would go the extra mile to get the job done at the level of quality that any customer would expect. We happened to be out of town for most of our project and both Shelly and Joe kept us updated on progress regularly. We trusted them in our home.”

What are the Top-Sellers?
“Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) has grown by 60 percent over the past year alone,” reports Joe.

He says the most popular styles mimic the look of wood planks, yet provide extreme durability and feel softer on the feet.

When it comes to style, they say shades of gray and pale, unstained blonde woods with a rustic, earthy feeling, are big sellers.

“We also find that many of our customers, especially millennials, are increasingly eco-sensitive and are looking for the most natural flooring,” says Shelly. “They know to ask for Marmoleum flooring by name. This green option is made from all-natural raw materials like linseed oil, wood flour and jute.”

Since hard surface flooring is the lion’s share of their business, the Sekkis say they make a lot of area rugs and runners for their customers, too.

“Patterns have made a big comeback,” says Shelly. “We’re seeing people put in fun geometric patterns going up the stairs that complement the surrounding flooring.

And there will always be a market for carpeting, especially in rooms like the master bedroom.”

For Shelly and Joe, lifelong residents of Lake County, business is always personal. They’ve joined in the efforts of local charities, such as Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House and the Humane Society, as well as sponsored several little league teams.

Floor Coverings International is based in Mentor and beautifies homes in Lake and Geauga Counties and parts of Cuyahoga and Portage Counties. For more information, call 440-368-5722, visit Mentor.FloorCoveringsInternational.com or check out their Facebook page.