Inspiring Beautiful Thinking From The Ground Up: Human Nature Is The Latest Global Collection From Interface

Interface aims to inspire beautiful thinking in the workplace with Human Nature, a new, global collection of carpet tile. (PRNewsFoto/Interface)

CHICAGO, June 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Workplace interiors inspired by nature can inspire beautiful thinking.

That is the premise behind Human Nature, a new carpet tile collection from Interface which debuts globally this month. The innate connection humans have to the earth informs the collection, and it takes its cues from the visual, tactile textures found in the most elemental of floor coverings forest floors, grassy fields and pebbled garden paths. Human Nature also embodies Interface's 20-year history as a sustainability pioneer. Made with 100 percent recycled content nylon yarn, it will be manufactured on 4 continents in 6 Interface factories that are, on average, 39% more energy efficient and consume 83% less water than when the company began to rethink its impact on the environment two decades ago. Additionally, these manufacturing facilities now receive an average 35% of their energy from renewable sources.

"The more we learn about our natural world, the more we're inspired to change the way we approach design," said Interface executive creative director Chip DeGrace. "This collection has both brains and beauty, and we'd like to believe Mother Nature would be both flattered and impressed with what Interface has producedwhat architects and interior designers can create with itand what beautiful thinking those creations can inspire in the workplace."

Designed by David Oakey, Interface's longtime collaborator, Human Nature features five 25cm x 1m skinny plank carpet tile patterns that evoke a variety of earthly textures, from tumbled pebbles to freshly cut grass, all the while offering smooth transitions to surfaces that mimic traditional hard flooring, like well-worn wood and polished stone. The skinny plank format is one that naturally encourages design diversity.

"Scientists have found that humans crave sensory change and variation, though our work environments are often flat, unnatural places," Oakey said. "And though there's no doubt that the design community is drawn to the aesthetics of concrete, stone, and wood, the physical and acoustical benefits of soft surfaces are impossible to ignore. In Human Nature we've combined the best of both worlds the hard surface look of planks with the benefits of soft, textured carpet tile that feels comfortable and natural underfoot."

The skinny planks flow fluidly from one tile to the next, creating a seamless broadloom look in linear installations. They also pair perfectly with 50cm and 1m square carpet tiles, and they are ideal for composing imaginative floor designs herringbone patterns, inset area rugs, and directional patterns for way-finding. The mix of textures can also be configured to help in delineating spaces that are intended for private work and those for collaboration. Additionally, the format offers another important advantage over hard surface flooring: Carpet tile has been shown to absorb sound more effectively than many hard surfaces and thus allows for the inclusion of zones with improved acoustics, creating more comfortable, productive work environments.

Each of Human Nature's five skinny plank styles is unique, with a dramatically different feel and texture. HN820 is the simplest tile, providing a neutral ground for its more textured companions. A near twin, HN810 is defined by added volume and dimension. Both feature a multi-tonal, lightly distressed look that echoes distressed wood or worn limestone. A distinctive polished-pebble look and feel dominates HN840, while HN850 is a transition tile that bridges between these three Human Nature siblings, appearing to be the pebbly surface but with a random wearing away. HN810, HN820, HN840 and HN850, which share a unified palette of warm grays, buttery neutrals and browns, are all Interface i2 products, a design platform based in biomimicry that allows for selective replacement thanks to varying patterning and mergeable dye lots. Lastly, with its shaggy texture HN830 injects a grass-like look and pop of color into borders, insets and accents, with a palette of orange, red, yellow, blue and green.

About InterfaceInterface, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial carpet tile. For 41 years, the company has consistently led the industry through innovation, and now leads the industry in environmental sustainability. It is setting the pace for development of modular carpet using materials and processes that take less from the environment, and is well along the path to "Mission Zero," a 20-year-old company-wide promise to eliminate any negative impact it has on the environment by the year 2020. Interface's worldwide carpet manufacturing facilities maintain third party registration to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System standard, and the company obtained the first-ever Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for the commercial floor covering industry in North America. The company is recognized globally for its commitment to build environmental considerations into its business decisions. For additional information: interface.com and blog.interface.com .

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Inspiring Beautiful Thinking From The Ground Up: Human Nature Is The Latest Global Collection From Interface