"Customized Living" was the central theme at DOMOTEX 2012. Young designers, retailers, architects and interior designers came together from 14 to 17 January in Hannover to present their visions for individualized floor coverings. The wealth of ideas and creative energy among exhibitors once again drew record numbers of visitors this year.

Parquet, laminate and wood flooring form a focal point at DOMOTEX, the world's leading trade fair for floor coverings. New shapes, colors and production methods will be presented to an international audience this year. Resources are optimally utilized, thus promoting environmental protection.

Everyone comes into contact with it, but most people pay only scant attention to it. We're talking about the floor - part of our everyday environment. We walk on it, build on it, live on it. But what will tomorrow's floors look like? At DOMOTEX 2012 - the world's leading trade fair for carpets and floor coverings - experts present their visions involving the future of floors. Trends consultant Gabriela Kaiser shows you the latest innovations in 2012.

DOMOTEX opens its gates from January 14th to 17th. 1,350 exhibitors will present their innovations at the world's leading trade fair for floor coverings. Whether it involves carpeting, wood, laminates or stone, this year's show features an unrivaled variety of design options. DOMOTEX sets the trends for the upcoming year.

The big carpet trend of 2012 is a rediscovery of the Orient, a genre that goes with all kinds of interior designs, from chunky rustic to funky retro, and encompasses all sorts of woven and knotted rugs, from Persian carpets to classic kilims. Oriental rugs have moved on from the old-fashioned feel they had ten or so years ago and have been reinvented and combined with exciting modern designs. Nowadays there’s a lot more experimentation. Join us as we discover the carpet trends of 2012!

Goodbye mass production, hello custom design. In our living spaces there's always room for more beauty. And this season offers a whole range of creative new ways to be our own designers and personalize our interior spaces. To achieve this, we need the latest laminate printing techniques - and, of course, the courage to embrace change. America's leading designer Karim Rashid shows us how.

The times when a floor covering only needed to be practical and easy to care for are long gone. Today, carpets and floor coverings are fundamental components of modern interior design. The selection of colors and materials is vast. At the DOMOTEX 2012 preview, producers and suppliers gave an overview of developments for the coming year.