Shaw Contract’s recently launched Extraordinary carpet tile collection is the perfect exemplary of a product which capitalises on creative opportunities stemming from the process of manufacturing.
“On Extraordinary, I really pushed the team to think differently,” says Reesie Duncan, Shaw Contract’s Vice President of Global Design. “Using Tapistron machinery, stray ends of yarn are typically left on the carpet face after tufting. Usually, we take this excess material and shear it, but here, we use it as a styled feature.”
The diverse lengths of the Extraordinary collection can be applied individually to create a singular statement throughout a space, or used in tandem for a uniquely tactile effect.
“We knew that we wanted to create something that was like this micro to macro, exaggerated feel,” says Reesie. “And knowing that we started with the rugged wildness of Primitive, we wanted to go all the way to the opposite end of the spectrum.”
Extraordinary provides a point of difference by making a feature of texture rather than shape or colour. From the long strands of the Primitive shag carpet, to the shorter pile of Resurface, and finally the flat texture of Foundation, the three options work together to simulate organic surfaces, and the rise and fall of topography from a bird’s eye view.
“We had seen a lot of really graphic pattern, a lot of bold, bright colour – and we thought it was important to look at a counter trend to that,” says Shannon Cochran, Design Director. “So we looked at something a little more natural, very much inspired by landscapes.”
Importantly, Extraordinary is not only inspired by the environment, but true to form at Shaw Contract, it is sensitive to it too. The products in this collection are Cradle to Cradle Silver and strictly assessed for their impact on health and the environment.
In an age where glass touch screens and ubiquitous technology create an increasing sense of detachment from the natural world, the design team aimed to develop a solution which tapped into the appeal of the handmade, and invited sensory interaction.
“We make products like this to be touched, to draw people to the floor,” says John Crews, Senior Designer at Shaw Contract. “It’s all about the experience underfoot.”
View the Extraordinary collection here.
