For its first time in Las Vegas, a month earlier than past shows, Coverings 2011 concluded day one with promise of being a smash hit. More than 1,000 exhibitors were on the show floor that was crowded with attendees.

“By the first half of the day, we sold a dozen containers,” marveled Dave Bouchard, marketing manager of Emil Ceramica, “Everyone’s come out in full force, which is a pleasant surprise. Even after Surfaces, people were really willing to come back to Vegas for Coverings, and we’re seeing so many architects and interior designers. It seems the world is ready to spend money again.”

Kevin Mashia, of Hastings Tile & Bath, also observed the palpable buzz and vitality of the show. “It looks like people’s outlook on the economy has taken a positive turn. There’s a great crowd here, everyone’s really upbeat and happy to be here.”

“Only two hours into the show, traffic was amazingly strong, which we’re thrilled about,” said Sean Cilona, marketing director, Florida Tile. “The choice of Las Vegas is good because everyone loves to come here. But, we would go wherever Coverings goes.”

Several of the opening day conference sessions were filled to capacity, many actually experiencing SRO crowds.

PROJECT: Green Winners

Day one at Coverings not only was about winning loyal show devotees, it also was about the winning entries in the “PROJECT: Green” competition. Five projects were chosen for recognition and were represented in a special display that underscores design and architectural achievements where sustainability was a core mission and tile and stone were integral to that end. The editors of Environmental Design + Construction (ED+C) magazine joined with Coverings, as they did when the program was launched last year, to sponsor and judge the competition. The following winners were saluted:

“The Florida High-Performance Green House” was honored with the “Best In Show” award for Residential Remodel. The Cape Coral, Fla., home features Nu_Travertine from Ceramica Fioranese, which has more than 42.5 percent pre-consumer content and was applied to the 3,300-square-foot main floor. For the pool deck and lanai, the choice was Quartz from Ceramiche Coem, which has more than 40 percent recycled pre-consumer content.

Also cited “Best in Show” Residential Remodel was Green Builder Media’s ReVISION House with eco interiors by designer Patricia Gaylor (a frequent Coverings conference speaker). This showhouse in Orlando, Fla., incorporated several ceramic and porcelain tile products not only for their aesthetic value but also because the materials contribute so significantly to the overall sustainability. Among the tiles used were Trend’s recycled glass mosaics; Emil’s “Golden Woods,” which contains 42 percent post-consumer recycled content, and ultra thin “Perla,” which installs over existing tiles; Florim’s “Eco-Light” large format tile with 10 percent recycled content; and, Refin’s “Stone Leader” with 40 percent recycled content.

In New Construction, the “Best in Show” winner was Colorco Ltd, of Merrimack, N.H., a custom fabricator of ceramics, glass and stone. The company impressed the judges by creating a 2,200-square-foot pool patio using shattered scrap stone it had been accumulating over several years. The project was acknowledged for having turned material that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill into a beautiful and unique work of art.

The one Commercial project to be honored was the remodel of a retail location in Coconut Creek, Fla., by Alena Capra Designs. Capra, who demonstrated her appreciation for tile materials as a designer of an Installation Design Showcase bath at last year’s Coverings, took home an Honorable Mention. She transformed the swimwear fashions boutique by installing a White Ice (crystallized glass on porcelain) tile, imitative of Thassos marble, bordered by a silver/gray recycled glass mosaic and a Silestone counter with 75 percent recycled content. The low maintenance and high durability of these and other of the materials choices also earned high marks with the judges.

Floor & Décor, Norwood, N.J., received Honorable Mention for a Residential Remodel of a bath where La Fabbrica’s Charmetal tiles were used, along with glass silver foil mosaics. In addition, eco-friendly Mapei grout helped seal this win. The projects will be profiled in an upcoming issue of ED+C. For hi-res images contact meghand@vpcpartners.com.

Coverings 2012 is set for April 17-20, at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. For more information visit www.coverings.com or contact National Trade Productions, Coverings Show Management, 703.683.8500.