Design Analytics and Designer Pages recently announced the SpecStars winners for 2021. This annual report recognizes the top specified manufacturers and products in 25 categories across furniture, flooring, ceilings, wallcoverings, and storage: see the complete list at SpecStars 2021. We’d like to offer congratulations to all of the winners and take a closer look at some of our favorites.

Broadloom Carpet: Tarkett Aftermath II

Aftermath II, designed by Jhane Barnes

Gold winning product in Broadloom Carpet, Tarkett’s Aftermath II is inspired by the mathematical insights of Leonardo Euler’s Pi function and Leonardo Bonacci’s famed Fibonacci sequence.

Aftermath II contributes to LEED credits for environmental sustainability and indoor air quality.

Designed by Jhane Barnes, Aftermath II offers an innovative way to create patterned repeats: “Barnes’ system allows her to design a pattern for carpet that uses rotated identical elements to make up a large repeat, creating less waste, reduced pattern fatigue, and easier installation.”

Ceramic Tile: Daltile Color Wheel

Daltile’s Color Wheel on an accent wall

Color Wheel is a classic ceramic tile collection with a unique take on colorways that offers users vast creative potential.

The wheel of color provides designers with an array of aesthetic expression. Everything from “bright and pigmented hues to natural, earthy tones.” Color Wheel includes 30 different colors along with a variety of shapes, patterns, and sizes, including coordinating trim profiles.

Fixed-Height Stools: Haworth Maari

Maari seating line by Haworth

Patricia Urquiola’s Maari is mixed-materials seating with a timeless modern aesthetic and an affordable price point. All Maari seating uses a textured, moulded shell for uniformity and ease of production.

Maari Fixed-Height Stool, designed by Patricia Urquiola

Options include nine shell colors, five base styles, and counter or bar stool heights. And Maari achieves a sense of customization via its articulating junction at seat and back: “a built-in level of support to accommodate a broad range of users.” Materials include wood, aluminum, or fabric.

Privacy Booths / Meeting Pods: Steelcase SnapCab

SnapCab offers a variety of privacy pod sizes, styles, and finish options.

Though the company’s been around since 1983, SnapCab seems to have been tailor-made for the current age of flexible working styles.

SnapCab’s Focus model

With so many years to refine the concept, SnapCab has perfected the nature of on-demand privacy. These are highly mobile, noise-proof, stand-alone, distraction-free units. Features include quiet ventilation for constant air flow, LED lighting for consistent illumination, and an option for Corning Gorilla Glass marker-board. On the horizon? a portfolio of new products and features including height-adjustable work surfaces, changeable panels, design options for home-based pods, and a “COVID Shield” model for medical use.

COVID Shield SnapCab privacy pod, currently in research and development

Workspaces: Kimball Priority

Priority includes freestanding work surfaces as well as incorporated storage.

Priority is a comprehensive suite of desks, tables, benching, and casegoods, but that just begins to tell the story.

Priority with overhead storage

The larger view is a complete workplace solution. These are modular elements that support solo or collaborative working styles. And by integrating innovative features like wall-mounted cabinets with writable glass fronts, wall tiles with tackable surfaces, pedestal-operated height-adjustable surfaces, and accessory rails, Priority embraces a “multitude of possibilities.”

To find out more about the data collection methods for SpecStars and information about Design Analytics’ market analytics solutions for interior design, see Design Analytics or contact Mark Daniel, VP of Analytics at 212-683-4696.