Whether we’re ready for it or not, nature is moving into our major urban corridors in a big way. Case in point: last night John Stewart hosted Will Allen—former NBA star and perhaps our foremost proponent of Urban Gardening. He’s spearheaded productive organic farms on small plots throughout Milwaukee and forecasts the onset of  “vertical gardening” (stacked greenhouses in skyscrapers) throughout Manhattan, of all places.

Urban Retreat modular carpet tiles. Manufactured by InterfaceFLOR.

InterfaceFLOR’s Urban Retreat is an Oasis in the City

If manufacturer InterfaceFLOR has taken the pulse of the current zeitgeist correctly, their latest collection, Urban Retreat, should be very much welcome among Gotham’s huddled masses. Much like the demographic Allen espies, the target audience for this line of sustainable (about 80% recycled content) nature-themed carpet tiles are those who crave some greenery amid their concrete, their towering edifices of glass and steel.

As Interface puts it, “even in the most urban spaces, people want to feel connected to nature.” Urban Retreat provides this dash of grass, this creeping splotch of lichen and moss, courtesy of nine different styles along a continuum of neutral colors: very much in line with what one might find on a casual stroll along a bubbling brook, or a sunny picnic outing in a vast green field.

The styles range from “refined textures to broad organic forms… the quiet and sanctuary of an old-growth forest floor down to the occasional moss or lichen-covered stone.” Several of the styles feature a robust interplay of complementary colors: Flax/Grass portrays a fuzzy borderline between khaki and green, approximating the intersection of summer’s grass and autumn’s cultivated crops. Others—such as Ash, Flax, and Stone—offer a Pointillist’s take on the multiple, subtle variegations of nature’s palette.

If Chicago can be said to be a test market, then the advance word on Urban Retreat is kind. The collection just took home Silver Award honors at NeoCon 2012.

About the Manufacturer: Manufacturer InterfaceFLOR is the first to admit that the company philosophy was a “square idea in a broadloom world.” Founder Ray Anderson’s “square idea” was modular carpet tile. Conceived back in the 70s, carpet tiles seemed unorthodox indeed, yet InterfaceFLOR has parlayed the notion into one of the most important innovations in flooring. As compared to conventional carpets, InterfaceFLOR’s extensive line of carpet tiles offer streamlined manufacturing, minimized waste, easier installation, and unparalleled design potential.