Flooring manufacturer Interface introduces the Third Space collection, which features carpet tiles that combine the classic feel of the office with a plush, residential vibe.
Home is considered the first space and the workplace is the second. Mindy O’Gara, director of product and learning experience at Interface, described a third space as one where different activities occur. “It is an alternative place to engage, collaborate, and even just re-energize, and it is so critical to encouraging people as they return to the office. It really supports the new modes of working,” she said.
A third space offers employees a different perspective, and they are increasingly envisioned as destination points. During the pandemic, flooring was used as a social-distancing tool. It was installed to delineate areas and create safe zones—a gentle, sometimes colorful reminder to stand six-feet apart. For O’Gara, this is just one example of how the right product in a third space can make a significant impact. “How we design and finish these spaces can influence behavior, and also attract us.”
Yet for specifiers, flooring doesn’t always come to mind as an essential piece, but as an accent or finishing touch like a throw pillow or framed artwork. It actually serves as a canvas, a starting point that ties all of the other design elements together. “It’s a major architectural plane, and most people think of the floor as a finish. As human beings we have a unique connection to the floor because it is the only surface that we are held to by gravity,” O’ Gara noted.
As the collective moves from the COVID-mindset of sterility, flooring is once again being viewed as a component that calls to mind favorite places of respite. Flooring not only provides comfort underfoot, but for employees in a third space, it creates an environment that they want to return to. “Flooring plays such a key role bringing in a rich sensory experience,” O’Gara explained. “And what we wanted to do with this collection was to have a range, whether it was a little more plushness or something to appeal to the eye and create this comforting connection.”
The new line includes 12 styles in square or plank tiles that can be utilized to create a number of combinations, and paired with Interface’s rubber or LVT lines. “With the Third Space collection we wanted to provide a wide variety of patterns and textures,” O’Gara said. “And we are giving designers the materials they need to shape spaces. But they also work as a really beautiful backdrop to the rest of the architecture. It is about having the appropriate materiality for a diverse group of people, but that also supports diverse work.”
The cool neutrals and warmer hues like navy, amber, and granite are a few of the shades available, which can be highlighted with pops of brighter color. “Neutrals are foundational, especially in the workplace,” O’Gara noted. “The color palette consists of these classic, cool neutrals which are still so popular. And there are some new additions from us, with the warmer tones that are on trend with what we are seeing in fashion and interiors. They have an earthy richness that resonates,” O’Gara said.
While aesthetics are important, and staff members want to spend time in third spaces that look good, O’Gara added that materiality also includes boosting performance. “When I talk about materiality, I am also including acoustic properties, especially if there are hard surfaces on the walls or ceiling. We have got to come in with flooring that has sound-absorbing qualities, and ultimately, enriches our interactions in the office.”
A modular system, O’Gara said that the line can be used to create more natural transitions, with large-scale patterns in particular. “The shape starts to look as if it was always there versus being very rectilinear, like an area rug. Because of the format and the ease of layout, a custom design can be created with a standard product.”
With the Third Space collection, O’Gara said professionals can design settings that foster a sense of community, even in a corporate setting. “What we want is for a space to become a place, and that happens when people use it. Yes, we want to create third spaces, but we really want to draw people into them. That’s our goal.”
