Shaw Contract recently introduced Inside Shapes, a collaboration with Stockholm-based design studio, Form Us With Love. With Inside Shapes, designers can create the solution for any environment. Rather than designing a new collection, the creative collaboration between the two organizations opened up opportunities to think differently about what a carpet tile could be - beyond variations of pattern and color. The simple reframing of the tile as an object, not a surface, created new possibilities for an innovative toolkit that allows designers the freedom to design, and not just specify.

The mission was to design a creative response to enhance how commercial environments feel and function. With four distinct geometric shapes – square, diagonal, point, and curve – and 12 color options, each in light and dark shades for added dimension, Inside Shapes creates a dynamic interior landscape. Utilizing a CNC machine to cut each shape that makes up a 24x24 in. carpet tile, shapes, colors and shades can be chosen in 17 pre-mixed options or curated individually for a completely custom solution.

“The shapes themselves become characters in an overall narrative that allows each designer to tell a singular story”, said Oriana Reich, brand director at Shaw Contract. “This is not just a new collection – it’s actually an entirely new system that in part derives from the product design language that Form Us With Love is known for. At the same time, it’s an entirely new way of thinking about floor design.”

Along with the launch of Inside Shapes, Shaw Contract will also provide a digital tool that allows architects and designers to visualize all of the possibilities Inside Shapes allows. Users can begin with a blank canvas, easily change colors or re-arrange tiles from a series of idea starters, or use a premix option to seamlessly produce a dynamic layout. This interactive tool will enable the creation of compelling designs that express a particular vision.

For more information, visit www.shawcontract.com.