2019 Design Journey: Shaw Contract partners with SMJ Furnishing Philippines


Shaw Contract, a design leader in commercial flooring solutions and surfaces is excited to introduce Inside Shapes, a flexible toolkit that inspires creativity.

Shaw Contract is a commercial brand under Shaw Industries, a Berkshire Hathway company, and the world's largest carpet manufacturer and carpet fibre producer. They recently collaborates with Filipino company, SMJ Furnishing to organize an exclusive roadshow for Filipino architect & the Philippine interior designer community.


Held at the charming Whitespace Gallery in Makati, the event also celebrates a decade-long partnership between the two companies. Shaw Contract is a commercial brand under Shaw Industries, a Berkshire Hathway company. SMI Furnishing is one of Philipines' leading interior fitting suppliers with a strong reputation among the design community.

"With our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Nantong, China, Shaw Contract has been expanding our product offerings to better service to Asia-based clients, and Philipines is one of our key markets," shares Mr Jeffrey Loh, Regionai Sales Manager, South East Asia, Shaw Contract, "We are confident that SMJ's strong local network and expertise will continue to help bring service excellence to our clients."

"It is inspiring to have been a part of the Shaw Contract global family and a change agent to introduce better, greener design solutions to the Philippines market, and help set the standards for local and regional design and sustainability practices" says Ms Bebet Sison, Managing Director, SMJ Furnishing.

Shaw Contract unveils "lnside Shapes" a Ground Breaking Flooring System

In its first collaboration with Stockholm-based design studio, Form Us with Love, Shaw Contract has challenged how the standard 24"x 24" carpet tile might be approached in a new and unique way. With Inside Shapes, a floor becomes a canvas for creative expression combinations unlimited shape & color can be both simple and abstract. Designers can create the perfect solution for any environment.

"Inside Shapes is a genuinely groundbreaking product, that has deep layers of design thinking at play", explains Reesie Duncan, VP of Product Design for Shaw Contract. "It's the result of a very considered and intentional method of working with different talents to constantly innovate."


lnside Shapes is the result of the shared expertise and imagination between Shaw Contract and Form Us With Love. Rather than designing a new collection, the creative collaboration between the two organizations opened up opportunities to think differently about what a carpet tle could be - beyond variations of pattern and color. The simple reframing of the tile as an object, not a surface, created new possibilities for an innovative toolkit that allows designers the freedom to design, and not just specify.

Shaw's work ethic didn't feel all that different from how things work at Form Us With Love", said Form Us With Love Co-Founder John Löfgren. "Despite the enormous scale of the company, we worked with a tight-knit team, with whom we could really hone in on the details. We had an intense level of dialogue, iterated endlessly and went to the farthest reaches of our imaginations to then concentrate our mutual findings and push the process forward."

The mission was to design a creative response to enhance how commercial environments feel and function today. With four distinct geometric shapes – square, diagonal, point and curve - and 12 color options, each in light and dark shades for added dimension, Inside Shapes creates a dynamic interior landscape. Utilizing a CNC machine to cut each shape that makes up a 24"x 24" carpet tile, Inside Shapes is full of personality just waiting to be brought to life.

"The shapes themselves become characters in an overall narrative that allows each designer to tell a singular story", explains an Oriana Reich, Brand Director at Shaw Contract.


Along with the launch of Inside Shapes, Shaw Contract will also provide a digital tool that allows architects & designers to visualize all of the possibilities Inside Shape allows. Users can begin with a blank canvas, easily change colors or re-arrange tiles from a series of idea starters, or use a premix option to seamlessly produce a dynamic layout. This interactive tool will enable the creation of compelling designs that express a particular vision.

From offices to schools, retail to hospitality interiors, today's architects and designers are seeking ways to enliven the human experience in commercial spaces. Inside Shapes turns a passive product into an active decision, allowing for a variety of intentions and feelings in public areas. Debuting at NeoCon, June 11th-13th, 2018 at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, IL, Inside Shapes is poised to change the way designers approach the creative proces and elevate the way end-users experience- the built environment.

For more information on Shaw Contract, visit www.shawcontract.com.