The open office was built around a simple, if naïve, idea: that removing physical barriers would inherently make work more flexible and collaborative. As the way people work has evolved, the limitations of this model have become apparent. Now, designers are being asked to imagine workspaces that support the need for human connection while also giving employees options for focus and privacy throughout the workday. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean putting the walls back up. In an open plan, shifts in pattern and texture can help establish distinct zones using everything from flooring to furniture and acoustics. During Fulton Market Design Days 2026, flooring brand Tarkett put that idea into practice, using transitions underfoot to guide visitors through its Chicago showroom.
Showcasing the full Tarkett Solution SPECtrum, the showroom was reimagined as a series of immersive vignettes that included meeting rooms, private offices, collaboration areas and a kitchen — all with expansive views of the Chicago skyline. Together, the spaces were outfitted with more than 100 variations of carpet, LVT, wall base and finishing elements that demonstrated the versatility of the brand’s portfolio. At the Palette Studio, for instance, visitors could compare samples, assemble colour and material combinations with Tarkett designers and order products on the spot. In this way, the showroom functioned as both a living specification resource and a case study in how the right products can bring coherence and cohesion to the workplace.
That streamlined selection process feels especially relevant today, as designers navigate the ever-increasing complexity of workspace design — balancing spaces for collaboration with those for concentration, addressing practical demands around performance and sustainability, all without sacrificing brand expression. Luckily, Tarkett’s material solutions are designed to meet the needs of virtually any space, with a coordinated range of soft surface, resilient flooring, LVT, Johnsonite products and finishing accessories that can be easily mixed and matched. “Creative expression is personal — and powerful. It’s how you shape the world. It’s how your spaces come to life, connecting with and caring for the people who use them every day. At Tarkett, we’re here to help you express freely,” says Vice President of Design Omoleye Simmons.
When combining flooring types, the transition between them becomes a design decision in its own right. Through directional lines, soft geometries, gradients and layered textures, the Tarkett Solution SPECtrum fosters a visual rhythm that makes these connections feel like an intentional part of the composition, rather than an afterthought.
The brand’s latest collection, Transcribe, is a case in point. With four ethos carpet tile and Flex-Aire cushion carpet tile designs and six Contour LVT variations to choose from, the collection offers complementary hard and soft surface options “inspired by humanity’s instinct to communicate through marks, symbols and layered forms.” The abstract patterns can be paired to bring a sense of movement to circulation spaces, vibrant energy to communal areas and depth to open plans. Though expressive, the designs’ neutral palette adds visual interest without pulling focus from the work at hand.
Tarkett’s holistic approach to sustainability is applied to the entire life cycle of its products, shaping how they are designed, specified, and how they are kept out of landfills. With the understanding that sustainability can be complex, Tarkett works to make it easier for its customers to navigate and participate in building a circular economy. Through its ReStart flooring take-back and recycling program, the brand has committed that wherever its products are being installed in a project, it will take back any type of flooring it produces, regardless of who manufactured it. “We’re trying to make landfill diversion a normal part of the deconstruction process for our customers and the industry at large. Part of that means taking responsibility for how our products are made and doing all we can to keep them out of landfills when they are no longer useful,” says Jay Henry, senior director of innovation and sustainability. Designing a truly adaptable office means choosing products that meet the needs of the present while ensuring those products are made with materials that can be recycled, reused or repurposed when those needs eventually change.
This content was published by Azure on behalf of Tarkett.
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