Marcy Ewing
Marcy Ewing is global studio design director at Shaw Contract, a commercial carpet and flooring provider

What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on?
Working on our first collection of rectangular carpet tiles was the most rewarding. By changing the shape, mixing colours and patterns, it allowed for design freedom and excitement and innovation in modular flooring.

What has been your most challenging project? How did you overcome the challenge to produce something you were proud of?
Designing any global product takes an open mind and perseverance to make sure we can satisfy all types of design client. Working on our new offering, Rapid Select, which is made in the UK, has been challenging. Every market segment is unique and has different technical requirements. But as always, having a well-designed product is at the forefront in commercial design, wherever you are. What are your most important considerations when taking on a project?

We take into consideration many ideas. The three most important drivers are market segment, how Shaw Contract’s flooring can be a design solution for our global clients, and – most important – how we can offer a complete flooring solution that reflects well-thought-out, memorable design.


Shaw Contract’s Emergence collection transforms the floor into a rich tonal landscape

How much freedom do you have on each project? Or does this depend on the client?
Once the client need has been identified, we have the freedom to explore by prototyping digitally or on sample equipment. Our design teams work very closely with clients on custom projects as every look is unique. Because we have cutting-edge machinery and technical innovation capabilities, we can execute new and unique designs together with our clients.

What for you are the key trends when designing floors in the 21st century?
Flooring solutions that can help with sound absorption are crucial in today’s open-plan workspaces, as is flexibility. Office environments with open-office systems are designed for and associated with flexibility, to accommodate frequent layout changes.

Health and wellbeing has become an increasingly important consideration in the workplace. As a result, specifiers, both designers and occupants, have become more interested in the contribution that flooring can make to issues such as acoustics and indoor air quality, as well as the use of healthy building materials externally and internally.

What type of floor would you install if there were no restrictions in terms of budget or anything else? In other words, what is your fantasy floor?
Using modular flooring, either a hard surface such as luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) or carpet tiles, are the most interesting and restriction-free design platforms. There is limitless design freedom for the interior designer. You can have fun and create unique flooring layouts by mixing patterns, adding pops of colours, and changing the direction of the tiles in the floor layout.