LaGrange, Ga.—For those looking to find what’s hot in today’s custom broadloom, Milliken Carpet, Commercial Markets has assembled the most innovative custom designs that have come through its studios during the last year into a 36-in. modular carpet collection called Image Series Four. The 26 patterns were created by designers working in collaboration with the mill’s design studios around the world. More than 300 images were considered for the collection, and were narrowed down through a lengthy survey process in which 150 designers were asked to select the most inspirational and usable designs. “In terms of custom work, these designs represent the best of the best,” said Alison Kitchingman, Milliken’s marketing director. “The collection is a great tool for the design community, as it provides a snapshot of new directions for the floor. ‘Fresh, modern, punchy and fun’ are just some of the descriptions the designers who were interviewed attributed to their favorites.”

The patterns are not named, but numbered to allow designers to develop their own interpretations. Some design objectives, however, are apparent, such as the computer circuit board design that was incorporated into the carpet for Datek’s Jersey City, N.J., headquarters. “The carpet symbolizes the movement of electronic information through Datek’s online trading software,” said Richard Mark, director of design for Kling Lundquist of Wood-bridge, N.J. “To further brand the space, we incorporated its boomerang-shaped D logo.” “Our goal is to express something of the company’s culture, attitude and location through the carpet design,” said Staci Romano of OZ Architecture, Boulder, Colo.

Following its spin-off from Hewlett-Packard, Agilent Technologies turned to Romano to develop a look for its corporate headquarters in Loveland, Colo. “We needed to move the interiors from a manufacturing orientation to a contemporary, forward-thinking attitude,” she explained. Romano and her Agilent clients spent a day at Milliken’s Santa Monica, Calif., studio to develop Design #121, whose wavy lines and “poptart” overlays project a contemporary look with a retro edge. As Nancy Jones, HOK/San Francisco director of design and creator of Design #124, said, “Carpet is one of the few opportunities to do something unique.” The Chevron headquarters in Chevron Park, Calif., was “open, dated and homogenous,” said Jones. “The carpet unifies the space and provides an interesting interplay of lines.”

Corporations are becoming more adventurous with floor coverings as a result of shrinking design budgets and timeframes, noted Bill Erwin, Milliken’s corporate design manager. “Custom carpets can delineate the space in a building less expensively than traditional architectural detailing.” “We are seeing a new era of self-expression in carpet, as evidenced by Milliken’s increasing number of custom projects and its fashion-forward nature,” said Richard Stoyles, Milliken’s director of design. “Our goal is to provide a design tool that helps design professionals treat interiors as a strategic image.” To reflect corporate images on carpet, Milliken geared up its Millitron Imaging, a dying technology featuring a sophisticated digital platform. Millitron works from 52 million computer commands per second to produce carpets with 400 color dots of dye per square inch. The system is software-driven, allowing creative freedom in the design process without limitations imposed by manufacturing hardware.

Image Series Four carpets are made of Milliken’s certified WearOn nylon. The mill’s Comfort Plus cushion backing is standard and helps improve performance and ergonomics. All Milliken modular carpets or Image Tiles can be redesigned and renewed using Milliken’s Earth Square, the only carpet program using 100% post-consumer recycled content.

In other news, inspired by the Biotechnology industry, Milliken’s BioView suggest the look of organic shapes such as plant or animal life when viewed under a microscope. Two scales of the pattern are available in 14 colors on 36-in. modular carpet tiles. Milliken’s Washington D.C., design studio developed the pattern to address the workplace needs of Biotech companies locating in the D.C. area. “Due to their constant state of flux, Biotech companies have raised the bar for product functionality and design flexibility,” said Kitchingman. “Bioview is a market-driven solution for companies whose space needs and usage are always changing.” Bioview offers functionality via its 36-in. cushion-backed modular format, allowing easy movability and fast reconfiguration. It can also can be applied to a raised flooring system, with cabling and wiring running underneath. The new Milliken carpet conjures a sci-fi feeling, yet acknowledges the real world with a natural and understated textural background.

The design responds to the dual needs of Biotech companies, which want sophisticated and complex styling, yet require an understated simplicity appealing to their government clientele. Biotechnology is an increasing influence on fashion, fabrics and interior design, noted Kitchingman. “BioView captures the Biotech effect, and offers eye-catching appeal through its modern spin on mid-century culture, layering of textures and neutral color palette.” BioView is available in a 14-color spectrum of warm and cool neutrals, including grays, tans, soft sage and khaki olive that complement other tonal finishes in the office. For more information on Milliken and its Image Series Four and Bioview lines, call 800/241-4826. —Louis Iannaco