The Definitive Guide to Carpet Design

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This guide is designed to provide you with insight into the variants in carpet design and give you inspiration for your next carpeting project – whether it relates to hospitality, education, offices or marine environments. So when you're thinking of designing your next project or upgrading an existing one, we hope you have greater knowledge of the myriad of possibilities when it comes to a great carpet design.

Table of contents

  1. Introduction to commercial carpet designs
  2. Trends in commercial carpet design
  3. Carpet tiles designs
  4. Wall-to-wall carpet designs
  5. Carpet design examples

1. Introduction to commercial carpet designs

Modern commercial spaces are in for a treat given the array of exciting design elements now available in commercial carpet designs. Whether it’s the colour, pattern or texture, commercial carpet designs are able to create spaces where people want to go.

Colours, patterns, and textures

The trends in colours range from the bright, daring colours to cool, restrained blues and all things grey:

  • The bold and the beautiful: Bold statements have moved into commercial carpet design.
  • Blue: Smoothing blue can add colour while not being too bold or restricting a commercial space to one design approach.
  • Grey: While being a new neutral, grey is cool and contemporary and suitable for any commercial space.

Modern patterns in commercial settings is on trend right now. These include:

  • Geometric designs: In the form of triangles, circles, rectangles, cubes, cylinders and 3-dimensional grids.
  • Floral prints and paisleys: Inspired by traditional cloths, wallpapers and classical artworks. 
  • Carpet tile patterns: Configurations of different sizes, shapes, colours and patterns that can promote social distancing, wayfinding and zoning. 
  • Biophilic designs: Importing natural elements indoors to reduce stress and enhance output.
  • Custom designs: Hinting at a business’ products or values.

Different textures are an important element in commercial carpet designs. Whether it’s a lavish and sumptuous carpet for an opulent feel or a ribbed texture for a smooth, fresh and modern feel.

AU_Curzon_Hall_001

2. Trends in commercial carpet design

Generally, minimalist design has yielded to more vibrancy and custom ordered designs. Here are some of the prevailing trends in carpet designs:

  • New opulence: Ornamental designs are appearing in commercial carpets, with exotic, richly saturated hues and intricate patterns.
  • Simulations of nature: It’s super trendy right now to bring the natural elements of the outdoors indoors and carpets that connect workers with nature play a big role.
  • Statements: Workplaces are going for unusual and intriguing colours to either make a major design statement or a subtle brand statement.
  • Geometrics: Offices, for example, are employing original and hip geometric designs with configurations of shapes and patterns readily available through carpet tiles.

Below, we explore two different types of carpet for commercial use: Carpet tiles, which are ideal for optimising space and functionality, and wall-to-wall carpets that employ large and seamless designs supporting a business’ brand. 

3. Carpet tiles design

Carpet tiles design has made great strides since its original and restricted beginnings. Gone are the days of low-quality carpet cut into cheap squares available in just basic colours. It is fast catching up with its broadloom cousin, offering imaginative possibilities for anyone after an original flooring design.

reform-shadowplay_tiles

It’s now possible to get carpet tiles in all sorts of shapes: squares, planks, waves, hexagons, kites and curves. Mix these shapes with as many as 20 different qualities of tile and 400 different colours – as some tile collections offer – and you’ve got a whole lot of potential for creative freedom.

The rectangular plank augments the conventional square tile in carpet tiles design. What if you combine them to work together, choose a quarter turn installment or a different pattern or pile direction? Then you’ve got an entirely unique expression. 

Carpet tiles design is also a great way to facilitate spatial design. Configurations of sizes, colours, patterns and even collections of carpet tiles can delineate quiet spaces from active spaces and show meeting points and even social distancing. They can be particularly useful in commercial and institutional projects. 

Finally, there’s huge potential in customising your own carpet tiles design. Use a logo, identity, location or design and make it your very own.

4. Wall-to-wall carpet designs

Wall-to-wall carpets offer comfort, warmth and noise absorption. But they offer much more than that. Wall-to-wall carpet designs have the power of narration. They can tell your story – whether it’s of tradition, ancient ornamentation, culture, art or the great outdoors.

LT_Hotel Pacai_008

The seamless, undisrupted look of wall-to-wall carpet designs can draw inspiration from a wide range of elements:

  • The classics: Cultivated elegance and featuring history and tradition, floral and lacework, emblems and cloth, imperial and baroque eras.
  • The essentials: Artisanship and harmonious tones inspired by classic men’s suits, including tartans, stripes, herringbone, braids, argyles, dots and tweeds.
  • Arts and crafts: Handcrafted motifs, vintage patterns and authentic materials, with impressions of knits, woven cloths, oil paints, string art, paper and lace. 
  • Culture: Stories of cultures from around the world, told through vivid and dynamic symbols and colours inspired by national costumes and crafts. 
  • Nature: Bringing the outdoors in with imitations of forests, deserts, oceans, vegetation and rocks that tell the story of human connection with nature.
  • Geometry: Bold statements through the use of triangles, circles, rectangles, cubes, cylinders and 3-dimensional grids.
  • Art movements: Tales of artistic ideals, styles, technical approaches and even timeframes, such as abstract expressionism of 1950s New York.

5. Carpet design examples

Here are some inspirational carpet designs for commercial use:

Bubbles and fizz

The office carpet design employed at Schweppes’ French headquarters in Paris. Just like the international soft drink brand, the carpet includes subtle bubbles and fizzing designs, creating a sparkling, acid-coloured office which alludes to its products.

FR_Siege Orangina Schweppes_03

Soft ambience

The headquarters of French-based international communications agency Elan Edelman, softly toned hexagonal carpet tiles are randomly placed to create a subtle and sophisticated ambience.

FR_Elan-Edelman_02

Urban nature

The Downtown Camper hotel, Stockholm, Sweden, chose carpet designs of oranges, beige, dark grey, tidal greens and smokey blues to appeal to its leisure seeking guests.

POM_Downtown-Camper-by-Scandic01

Conclusion

Flooring is a critical ingredient in any interior project that can make a profound impression on the overall design. It’s vital therefore that you select the right carpet design no matter your project. Whether you’re choosing a design for a high-end or casual retail space, a place of learning, business or luxurious accommodation, there are many carpet design opportunities that will help you shape the sounds and moods of the building or individual rooms. We hope this guide has shown you what’s possible.

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Written by Mette Frydensbjerg Jacobsen: Mette is Ege Carpets' fashion savvy communications expert. Her keen eye for the sweet spot between beautiful carpets and great stories makes her our favourite pick for inspiring you with Project of the Month.

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