Bruce® Barnwood Living™ by Mark Bowe Wins Prestigious 2020 GOOD DESIGN™ Award

January 5, 2021

The Barnwood Living™ Collection by Mark Bowe, a new line of American-made solid hardwood flooring resulting from a collaboration between Bruce® Flooring and T.V. Host Mark Bowe of Barnwood Builders, has been honored with a 2020 GOOD DESIGN™ award. This prestigious award emphasizes quality design of the highest form, function and aesthetic. The collection offers the authentic look of a vintage floor used to restore barns and cabins.

The new Barnwood Living Collection is a curated 10 sku collection featuring a vintage, barnwood visual from the #1 name in hardwood, Bruce. The collection includes floors with natural knots and wormholes, pronounced graining, and distinctive markings that add to its unrefined appearance. It embodies an accessible yet faithful approach to an authentic hardwood design that combines Bowe’s barnwood aesthetics with the quality and craftsmanship of Bruce.

“Original barn flooring is hard to come by, and because of its scarcity, when you do, it is very expensive. With Bruce, one of the oldest names in wood flooring, we were able to recreate a vintage look in a new wood floor, at a great price. And, it is proudly made in the U.S. in Beverly, West Virginia—my home state,” said Bowe.

“Reclaimed wood is a popular trend in flooring, but the authentic product is hard to obtain and can be very expensive. This collection brings this authentic look to the mass market allowing consumers to capitalize on this look with the quality they have come to expect from the Bruce brand,” said Wendy Booker, Vice President, Marketing & Product Development, AHF Products. “These floors are not only for craftsmen like Mark, but also for homeowners who appreciate products that are authentic and familiar, that are handcrafted, and create a warm ambience and a unique feeling of ‘home’.”

In 2020, over 3,000 designers and visionary companies from over 50 countries entered the competition. Over 900 new products and graphic designs were selected and awarded from over 47 countries. The awarded products and graphics are accessioned into the Museum’s Permanent Design Collection.

GOOD DESIGN® was founded in Chicago in 1950 by Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., Eero Saarinen, and Charles and Ray Eames. Mort Goldsholl created the iconic Good Design logo in 1950. For seven decades since its inception, The Chicago Athenaeum continues to create an awareness about contemporary design and to honor both products and industry leaders in design and manufacturing that have chartered new directions for innovation and pushed the envelope for competitive products in the world marketplace. GOOD DESIGN® is an international symbol of a company’s firm commitment to innovation and superior design embodiment.

For information on Barnwood Living by Mark Bowe, visit: https://bit.ly/3gMjdlh. For general information on Bruce® Hardwood Flooring, visit Bruce.com.

About GOOD DESIGN™

For more details on the awarded winners, visit the Museum’s website at gooddesign.org. About The Chicago Athenaeum (www.chi-athenaeum.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide public education about the significance of architecture and design and how those disciplines can have a positive effect on the human environment. About The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies (www.europeanarch.eu) is dedicated to public education concerning all aspects of the built environment -from entire cities to individual buildings -including the philosophical issues of arts and culture that ultimately give the final shape to design. A high emphasis exists on contemporary values and aesthetics, conservation and sustainability, and the theoretical exploration and advancement of art and design as the highest expression of culture and urbanism. All awards are posted on the Museum’s websites at www.good-designawards.com, www.chi-athenaeum.org and www.europeanarch.eu.

About Mark Bowe

Mark Bowe, host of Barnwood Builders, worked his way through West Virginia University as a coal miner, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is a craftsman, a businessman and a historian. Mark also holds a master’s degree in safety management from WVU’s College of Business. He founded his company, Antique Cabins and Barns, in 1995. The show, Barnwood Builders, follows Mark Bowe and his crew of West Virginia master craftsmen who salvage antique log cabins and barns. The show celebrates the American pioneer spirit and pays tribute to the hard work and craftsmanship that built this nation. He and his longtime crew have reclaimed more than 500 pioneer-era structures throughout West Virginia. www.markbowe.com

About AHF Products

AHF Products is the leader in hardwood and vinyl flooring with a family of strong brands serving the residential and commercial markets. With decades of experience in award-winning wood flooring design, innovation, product development, manufacturing and service, we improve the quality of people’s lives through great products and a deep commitment to outstanding customer service. Our flooring brands include Bruce, Hartco, LM Flooring, Robbins, Capella, HomerWood and Tmbr. Headquartered in Mountville, Pennsylvania with manufacturing operations across the United States and in Cambodia, AHF Products employs over 2,400 dedicated team members. www.AHFProducts.com