Chatting With Futurespace’s Gavin Harris on Designer Rugs, Futurespace’s PwC Fitout, and His Creative Process
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As Design Director of Futurespace, Gavin Harris is one of Australia’s most in demand and renowned creative designer minds. We caught up with him following his Designer Rugs Mindscape collection, and his work on Sydney’s PwC Barangaroo office project…
When did you first work with Designer Rugs and what drew you to collaborating with them?
Gavin: I have worked with DesignerRugs for around 10 years. It is their understanding that design can add strength and support businesses that makes them unique. They have worked with an amazing stable of designers, all with different design languages with amazing success – providing a real point of difference to other rug companies. Added to this is their personal service and ability to deliver on time and on budgets – this provides real comfort for designers to nominate them on projects. It is also that they never say no to an idea/concept – their depth of knowledge and their own design team will always find a way to deliver your design.
Could you describe your creative process when it comes to rugs? How does it differ from your process at futurespace?
Gavin: Designing rugs for a commercial fitout I feel is always easier than trying to design a collection (as I did in Mindscape Collection). The rugs need to connect to the interior; the design elements and colours for the rugs can all be borrowed from the interior design. The rugs can reinforce the design of the interiors while providing a textural relief, creating a fresh experience for the visitor/user. Also, in creating bespoke designs for commercial fitout you are designing for a known client and the thoughts and desires they bring to the project. Many clients really connect to this element; its tactile to them, they understand it, they have rugs in their houses, so the scrutiny by them is high and requires good strong consulting to get the design over the line.
How did you approach the PwC project? Were there any specific challenges for you and your team?
Gavin: For PwC Sydney Client Collaboration Floors, we wanted a rich hospitality feel to the rugs in a busy corporate office. For part of the rug design, we wanted a flash of gold matching some of the interior design elements. Simple colour wool was not going to provide this effect, but with the introduction of gold bamboo thread mixed with wool (still maintaining commercial strength within the rug), we were able to create the desired effect. The pictures I think tell the rest of the story.
Why was Designer Rugs your choice for PwC?
Gavin: Designer Rugs provides high quality rugs within a commercial context in both price and also within timelines. Their ability to understand and support an interior designer’s concepts and desire for the project – developing it to make it real – that, along with the commercial requirements, is a great strength. Designer Rugs’ internal design support never say no to an idea, and always have solutions and even add to the creative process providing the greatest outcome to exceed to the clients’ expectations.
Any plans for future collaborations with Designer Rugs?
Gavin: Yes of course! In all of our interior projects we love having the rich texture and colour that rugs can bring to a project as well as giving a personal touch to the fitout story.
Finally, what inspires you day to day?
Gavin: There are lot of things that inspire me, I find traveling is one of the greatest – both for seeing new things and experiences, but also to better understand people and what drives them.
Travel is also one of the best times I find I have clear space in my head for thinking and asking bigger questions.
On a more day to day – it can be a colour, an image, the music I am listening too at that time.
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