Behind the Design: Awaken

We sat down with Shaw Contract Design Manager Lauryn Pierce to learn more about our new hospitality collection, Awaken, debuting in Las Vegas during HD Expo and available for order Summer 2024.  

Q: Lauryn, tell us more about our new hospitality collection, Awaken.  

A: Awaken is a custom collection of rugs and broadloom designed on a brand-new tufted technology for Shaw Contract that offers us the ability to create cut and loop carpet with multiple pile heights and up to 16 colors in one style.  

Q: How does this new technology offer us the ability to create unique designs?

A: Having a 16-color palette allows us to create beautiful ombres and painterly color blends, and by using different loop levels we can add even more layers of depth and dimension. 

Q: Where did the inspiration for this collection come from? 

A: This collection is really a look at how the creative process is evolving with the help of technology. As artists, we start with pen and paper, or other physical elements, but how do we use technology to create even more original and unique designs? When we first started designing this collection, we just took it back to the basics and let ourselves create freely. I started with watercolors and acrylic paints. Then, we looked at how we could layer in technology to create more ethereal visuals and texture. I took the paintings and blended them using AI technology, then digitally painted more layers of pattern and texture on top. This layering of different processes pushed the designs to a place that felt new and unexpected.  

Q: What influenced the aesthetics of this collection?

A: We’re always looking at trends, whether it be fashion, or interior design, for inspiration. Large-scale, abstract florals are very en vogue right now, and we got excited about the opportunity to design something artistic and also a little feminine, which is new for us. The new technology we used with this collection offered us the ability to create a lot of beautiful gradients and color-blending, which lends itself to watercolor and painterly motifs. 

Q: What other trends are you seeing in design right now?

A: We’re seeing lots of color. People aren’t afraid of color or adding in bold tones in design. But, we’re also seeing a lot of neutrals. This collection has a great balance of bold, dramatic patterns with softer, more ethereal elements, incorporating both bold and lighter colors that can serve as neutral bases.  

Q: What else makes this collection unique? 

A: This collection lends itself to organic-shaped rugs. We’ve highlighted some really unique cuts for Awaken, which beautifully showcase the watercolor-like qualities of the collection.  

The Awaken collection debuts in May 2024 during HD Expo and will be available to order by Summer 2024. To explore more hospitality collections, visit www.shawcontract.com/hospitality.