Not too long ago, I wrote about eerie shapes in the forest-in the leafless woods, to be precise (see Wintertree Bookshelf). Those naked branches seem to reach out from shadows, casting web-like designs about your ghostly visage. But these very same shapes can be seen as lovely and inviting. Hendrick, Inc. surely thinks so, given that their broadloom collection of carpet tiles for Mannington Commercial is inspired by twigs and the lines they create. Sylvan-meaning "abounding in trees" or "one who lives in or frequents the woods"-brings together the organic and the architectural, based as it is on Herzog & de Meuron's Bird Nest stadium and Zaha Hadid's sculptural tables.

The Sylvan Collection. Designed by Mannington Commercial.

The Sylvan Collection is composed of patterns based on a mixture of organic and industrial elements. Like an abstraction derived from tree branches, certain Sylvan patterns use crooked lines in unsystematic compositions. “We set out to create a product that fills a gap in the market,” says Jennifer Hayward, who along with Alexandra Cardona led Hendricks’ design of the collection. “Many of our clients have a strong desire for vibrant spaces that combine a modern, urban spirit." Bold oranges and intense aquas enliven the woodsy carpeting, criss-crossing with grey and brown backdrops: the result mimics the crosshatching of Beijing's famous building and the interconnections of Hadid's chromosomal tables. Calmer palettes are also pleasing, with rich cement and resonant taupe hues. Mannington Commercial is responding to a more artistic client, who wants to marry durability and dash. The Sylvan Collection by Hendrick, Inc. alludes to architectural luminaries-and the mere reference to a vocabulary of such artistic bent means Mannington is taking style very seriously.