Flooring configurator

Flooring manufacturers and retailers compete in an environment where everyone offers a similar selection, and customers choose by sight. Configurators change the rules of the game: a company that allows customers to visualize the flooring in their own space gains an advantage that's difficult to overcome with discounts or expanded catalogs.

AVADA MEDIA develops flooring configurators in three formats – 2D, 3D, and combined – depending on product specifics and business objectives.

Who needs a flooring configurator?

Manufacturers and distributors of flooring – parquet, laminate, porcelain stoneware, carpet, and PVC tiles – can offer customers a tool that replaces the consultant during the selection process. Customers can independently browse options, apply them to their specific space, and then come to the store or to a manager with a specific request.

Online stores and retailers gain a tool that keeps users engaged and transforms catalog browsing into an active selection process. A customer who has assembled their own interior with the chosen finish is significantly less likely to wander off and think.

Designers and architects can use the configurator as a client approval tool: show several flooring options in the context of a real space, compare them side by side, and finalize the selection – without the need for hand-drawn sketches or lengthy iterations.

Configurator formats

The flooring configurator is available in three formats – the choice depends on the business objectives, the depth of visualization, and the project budget.

The 2D configurator works with a flat floor plan or an isolated floor view. Users can select a flooring, apply it to the desired area, and preview the result from above –a convenient format for working with tile layouts, parquet flooring directions, or zoning with different materials. This technically simple and quick-to-integrate format is ideal for a wide catalog with a large number of items.

The 3D configurator is based on a volumetric model of the room. Users can view the room from any angle, adjust the lighting, and evaluate how the flooring looks in combination with the walls, furniture, and lighting. This format is especially effective for premium materials —parquet, natural stone, designer tiles – where texture and finish are crucial.

The combined 2D/3D configurator allows users to work in a convenient flat editor while simultaneously viewing the result in a 3D preview. This is the most comprehensive format – it's suitable for companies that want to cover a wide catalog while still providing clients with the most realistic impression of the final product.

What elements does the flooring configurator consist of?

The configurator structure is tailored to a specific product and audience, but most projects include the following settings.

Coating type. The user can choose from a full range of available materials:

• parquet and parquet board
• laminate
• porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles
• quartz-vinyl and PVC tiles (LVT)
• carpet and carpet tiles
• natural stone
• cork and bamboo

Each type is displayed with realistic texture and surface finish.

Color and decor. The palette is based on the customer's actual inventory. For hard surfaces, this may include items from a catalog with photorealistic textures, while for carpet, it may include color collections. The user can apply the selected option to a zone with a single click, and the result is displayed instantly.

Laying pattern and direction. For tiles and parquet, the user can choose the laying pattern:

• straight and diagonal laying
• "herringbone" and "braid"
• chessboard order
• custom drawing with offset adjustment

Changing the layout radically alters the visual perception of the space – the configurator allows you to evaluate this before making a decision.

Zoning. The space can be divided into independent zones with different flooring –for example, tiles in the hallway and parquet in the living room without a threshold. Each zone can be configured separately.

Room parameters. The user can specify the room dimensions –length, width, and configuration – and the system will calculate the required amount of material, taking into account the selected layout and trim percentage.

Interior context. In 3D mode, users can select or upload a room model with wall finishes, furniture, and lighting to evaluate the finish not in isolation, but in a real interior context.

Functional capabilities

Real-time application of the coating. Any change – material, color, layout –can be displayed instantly, without page refreshes or waiting for rendering.

Compare options. Users can save multiple configurations and compare them side by side – a convenient tool for those choosing between several collections.

Automatic material and cost calculation. When changing room parameters and the selected covering, the system can automatically calculate the required amount of material and its estimated cost, taking into account the area, layout, and standard trimming allowance.

Export specifications. The user can obtain a PDF document with a visualization, selected items, material quantities, and estimated cost – a ready-to-use file for transfer to a store, contractor, or designer.

Mobile-friendly. The configurator will work correctly on smartphones and tablets.

Additional features

Upload a photo of your room. Users can upload a photo of a real room, and the configurator will overlay the selected flooring directly onto it. The client will see the result in their own interior, not in a standard model.

CRM integration allows you to share information about the selected configuration with the sales department. Managers can see what materials, in what quantities, and for what space the client has selected – even before the first contact.

Synchronization with the catalog and price list allows you to keep your product range and prices up-to-date: when updating the catalog, the configurator can automatically pull in new collections and remove discontinued items.

Connecting an AI assistant allows the user to receive personalized recommendations on flooring selection, taking into account the room type, load, interior style, and budget. Additionally, the AI can generate photorealistic renderings of the interior with the selected flooring in the context of a specific room.

AR mode. The configurator can support viewing the flooring in augmented reality: the user points their smartphone camera at the floor in their room and sees the selected material directly on it in real time. This is the most realistic visualization format – no renderings or the need to manually upload a photo.

Analytics and statistics. The configurator can collect data on which materials, colors, and layouts users choose most often. This allows the customer to make product selection decisions based on actual purchasing behavior, rather than intuition.

Multilingualism and localization. The configurator can support multiple interface languages and regional material catalogs, allowing companies operating in multiple markets to avoid the need to develop a separate solution for each region.

Cost and development time

The final cost depends on the configurator format, visualization depth, number of coating types, and required integrations.

Prices and deadlines are approximate – the final project parameters are determined after analyzing the customer's technical specifications and product line.

Technical implementation

The flooring configurator is developed as a web application and runs in a browser without installing additional software.

• For 3D formats, the Three.js library is the foundation for visualization. It provides rendering of volumetric room models, realistic textures, and accurate lighting. Models are prepared in GLTF/GLB or Spine formats, depending on the configurator type and transition animation requirements.
• For 2D formats, the Canvas API or SVG rendering is used.

Development stages

1. Analytics and design. The configurator's structure is determined: types of coverings, zoning logic, available installation patterns, and usage scenarios. UX/UI designers develop the interface and interaction logic with mobile devices in mind.
   
2. Model preparation is the most labor-intensive stage. 3D room models and flooring textures can be developed by our designers from scratch, provided by the client, or purchased from stock sites and further refined.
   Texture maps are created for each coating: a color map, a roughness map, and a normal map. These maps are responsible for ensuring that parquet looks like parquet, and porcelain tiles look like porcelain tiles, with the correct texture, gloss, and depth of pattern.
   For the 2D configurator, a set of vector images is prepared for each combination of coverings, colors, and installation patterns.
   The larger the catalog and the more layout options, the greater the volume of graphics that must be prepared and linked to the interface logic.
   
3. Frontend and backend development. These are carried out in parallel. Frontend developers integrate models into the interface, configure interactivity, zoning, and the material calculator. Backend developers build server-side logic: storing configurations, processing requests, and connecting with the catalog and external systems.
   
4. Development of an administrative panel. The client receives a tool for self-management of the catalog: they can add new collections, update prices, customize layouts and available combinations – without contacting the developers.
   
5. Testing and optimization. The configurator is tested on various devices and browsers, optimizing loading speed and texture accuracy at various screen resolutions.
   
6. Integration. If necessary, we can connect the customer's CRM, price list, or other systems.

Where can the flooring configurator be used?

On manufacturers' and distributors' websites, a configurator can increase time on page, reduce the number of irrelevant requests, and help buyers independently select a specific item in the catalog.

In online stores and retail, it can work as an upselling tool: a customer who has selected flooring for several rooms will buy a set rather than a single package.

In design studios and architectural firms, a configurator can expedite approval with the client – the final coating choice can be determined directly during the meeting, interactively.

Developers and builders can use it as part of a finishing selection system for apartment buyers: the client independently selects the finish for each room, and the result is automatically transmitted to the sales department.

At exhibitions and showrooms, a configurator on a tablet or screen allows visitors to interact with the catalog on the spot – without having to hold physical samples of the entire product range.

Tell us about your product

Describe your task – we will suggest a suitable configurator format, estimate the scope of work, and prepare a commercial proposal.

[Discuss the project]