When walking into a senior living community, the eyes are naturally drawn to the artwork, furniture and accessories. However, there is more to the design than meets the eye, and everything matters down to the smallest detail, even the carpet. Carpet selection is about more than just finding something aesthetically appealing; one must also consider the type, functionality, durability and cleanability. The current challenge designers are facing in senior living is being able to choose carpets that can be scaled for large or small spaces and coordinate in color. Established as innovators in the senior living sector, StudioSIX5 is teaming up with carpet manufacturers to create carpet lines that suit their client’s needs—carpets not only for senior living, but for hospitality, multifamily and student housing projects as well.

“Oftentimes, manufacturers don’t have different scales of carpet in coordinating patterns and colors, so our goal with each project is to develop a series of carpets that color coordinate with one another and can be scaled to fit any size space,” said Dean Maddalena, president of StudioSIX5. The styles of carpet we enjoy using are biophilic [meaning they mimic living things], and feature free-flowing designs or a distressed look. The colors we use depend on the project, but grays have been the predominant neutral, that is moving toward a warm beige-and-gray combination. We also usually include cool and warm saturated colors highlighted in the carpets.”

There are two styles of carpets: the traditional broadloom, which is a 12-foot-long roll, and carpet tiles that come in squares, rectangles or planks. Carpet tiles are ideal for senior living because they have a lower pile height, making it easier for seniors to walk or roll on and making the transition between carpet to LVT (luxury vinyl tile) seamless. It’s important to select carpet that has a superior backing for durability, as well as moisture barriers and solution-dyed nylon yarn systems that make the carpet easier to clean. StudioSIX5 recommends avoiding high-contrast colors when determining the flooring as well. The aging eye cannot quickly adjust from dark to light, and for those living with memory impairments, dark spaces can be perceived as a void.

“When you consider all the criteria of selecting quality carpet, it is helpful when our team works with manufacturers to create designs. We make sure the patterns and colors can be incorporated into traditional, transitional or contemporary environments around the country,” said Maddalena. “New technological advancements are impacting the carpet industry, and we are excited to use them in our future carpet lines. For example, traditional carpets are made by tufting and weaving the patterns. There are new printing capabilities, and now it is possible to create photorealistic carpet patterns on the floor. Even the technology for the tufting and weaving is advancing, giving designers new pattern and color opportunities. If we see a need in our industry that isn’t being met, we want to fill it. If you design for senior living, those designs can be applied to commercial properties and hospitality. However, you cannot design for health care and hospitality and expect it to work in senior living. That’s what is so great about our carpet lines—they can be marketed to these other spaces as well.”