Lancaster, Pa. -- Commercial design is poised to advance beyond biophilia, into an exploration of the intersection of human influence on the natural world and nature’s influence on manmade materials.

That’s one vision of future trends discussed during Armstrong Flooring’s most recent Design Council, held in Palm Springs, Calif., during Modernism Week. Nine interior designers from across North America gathered to share their perspectives with Armstrong Flooring’s Design Team and Commercial Marketing group.

Armstrong Flooring Principal Designer Razieh Council presented commercial design trends and the vision for what’s next in flooring. “The current trend in biophilic design will naturally advance, with designers exploring humans’ footprint on nature, as well as how weather and natural forces influence the materials we’ve manufactured,” Council said.

Principal Designer Jeanette McCuaig shared a kaleidoscope of color trends, color influencers and pleasing palettes for a variety of commercial spaces. “As biophilic palettes continue to bloom, and wellness in hospitals, schools and the workplace continues as a key focus, colors influenced by nature will flourish,” she said. “Design is becoming more flexible and curved, and colors will also be influenced by organic environments. Color will mimic nature and flow with more dynamic movement.”

Each of the nine designers presented a collage of material that inspires their work and a palette of their favorite colors, along with their forecast of where design trends are heading. They participated in a collaborative session to review and provide their input on LVT designs that are expected to launch into the market in Fall 2019.

Fashion and textile designer Candice Held also participated in the Design Council event. She selected Armstrong Flooring VCT for use in her Palm Springs boutique and has created new designs for Armstrong Flooring, such as the recently-launched Abstract Geo.

Design Council members concluded the event with a tour of local Palm Springs architecture, including the Mid Century Modern design of William Holden’s Deepwell residence. The 2019 Design Council builds on Armstrong Flooring’s decade-long commitment to collaborating directly with commercial designers.

“It was such an honor to be invited and to be part of this great opportunity,” said Kristin Mayhew, of Paterson Design in Brooklyn, N.Y. “Discussing the future of flooring, the new design collection, custom programming – I found the whole week a valuable experience.”

For more information, visit www.armstrongflooring.com.