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CINCINNATI, Jan. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Formica Corporation, the inventor of laminate, is launching its 2018 Living Impressions™ Collection, featuring 11 beautiful, durable and affordable Formica^® Brand designs for today's homes. Making its debut in booth W217 at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) today at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, the collection includes four new 180fx^® patterns, six new Formica^® Laminate designs, plus one new design in the Formica^® Writable Surfaces collection.

"The 2018 Living Impressions™ Collection celebrates a range of on-trend surfacing looks, from natural wood and stone patterns, to looks that embrace the craftsmanship of man-made materials, to luxurious, dark and sophisticated designs," said Gerri Chmiel, North American residential design lead at Formica Corporation.

The result of 12 months of extensive research and development, the 2018 Living Impressions™ Collection is inspired by three global macro-trends that Formica Corporation has identified as influential for 2018:

• Neo Chalet, bringing the presence of nature indoors: Reconnecting with our surroundings in a more authentic way with wood and stone materials inspired by nature, and providing an unfinished or raw aesthetic in a sophisticated manner.
• Millennial Maker, celebrating craft and artisanal work: Utilizing man-made materials with a connection to true craftsmanship. This theme hovers between traditional and contemporary, with handcrafted elements to give spaces their charm.  
• Modern Gentleman, embracing moody, sophisticated tones: Creating a dark, rich space for retreat. Experimenting with tonal colors, classic stones, exotic woods, warm metals and matte finishes that absorb light.

Based on these three macro trends, Formica Corporation introduces 11 new Formica® Brand designs: 

New 180fx^® Laminate designs

Four new designs join the 180fx^® collection, highlighting true-scale stones in granite, marble and quartzite, along with Formica Corporation's first man-made composite pattern for the category:

• Quartz Composite – inspired by quartz, Formica Corporation's first man-made 180fx^® pattern emulates the Millennial Maker trend and is a composite created using concrete and recycled glass 
• Sea Pearl – a blend of warm and cool grays with a dramatic vein in rust, evoking the Neo Chalet trend
• Quartzite Bianco – a soft white and gray quartzite-inspired look interspersed with charcoal veins, fitting with the Modern Gentleman trend
• Stormy Night Granite – a deep, multi-tonal granite look, designed for the Modern Gentleman trend, showcasing dramatic movement

New Formica^® Laminate designs

Six new and highly usable Formica^® Laminate designs evoke tactile stone and wood joined with aggregate and man-made materials:     

• Umbra Oak – a rustic yet sophisticated dark gray stain over humble knotted oak that beautifully embodies all three macro trends
• Silver Galaxy Slate – a contemporary look with elegant swirls and variations evoking the Neo Chalet trend
• White Shalestone – a versatile pattern that also fits well in the Neo Chalet trend, featuring clean and crisp white with cool, speckled grey breccia detail
• Black Shalestone – an elegant deep charcoal color with black layering, evoking a Modern Gentleman vibe
• Sea Salt – created with recycled glass and concrete, this pattern features a simplistic white crystal-inspired base with warm and cool gray particles
• Smoked Sea Salt – a warm gray base with white and charcoal particles from recycled glass and concrete,  inspired by the Millennial Maker trend

New Formica^® Writable Surface design

A new, durable high-gloss markerboard surface joins the Formica^® Writable Surfaces collection as homeowners continue to seek creative ways to communicate and express themselves: 

• HappyWords – a companion to 2017's LoveWords, the new HappyWords design features terms for happiness, joy and contentment written in English, Spanish and French in festive colors. It provides a cheery writing surface for message centers, menu boards, grocery lists and calendar notes and can be applied vertically or horizontally, from desktops to walls.

The 2018 Living Impressions™ Collection by Formica Corporation is available beginning January 9, 2018. For more information, visit Formica.com.

About Formica Corporation
Founded in 1913, Formica Corporation, part of the Formica Group of companies, is a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of innovative surfacing products for commercial and residential applications. For more information about Formica Corporation, its products, special programs and promotions, visit www.formica.com or call 1-800-FORMICA™.

About Formica Group
Formica Group is a global group of companies consisting of Formica Canada Inc., Formica Corporation, Formica de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Formica IKI Oy, Formica Skandinavien AB, Formica Limited, Formica S.A., Formica S.A.S., Formica Taiwan Corporation, Formica (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Formica (Asia) Ltd., Formica Decorative Materials (China) Co., Ltd. and Homapal GmbH, among others. The Formica Group of companies is part of the International Business division of Fletcher Building.

Please Note: Formica®, 180fx®, Formica® Surfaces. For Real®, and the Formica® Anvil Logo, are registered trademarks of The Diller Corporation.
1-800-FORMICA™ is a trademark of The Diller Corporation.
All rights reserved. ©2017 The Diller Corporation. A member of the Fletcher Building Group.

Contact:
Kirsten de St. Aubin                                                                                                            
Carmichael Lynch Relate                                                                                                   
612-375-8539                                                                                                                     
kirsten.destaubin@clynch.com
formica@clynch.com    

SOURCE Formica Corporation