A spectacular custom-designed rug by Siren Design in collaboration with Designer Rugs is the standout piece in the new lobby of this refurbished office building.

The Journey

As a prestigious and busy corporate hub, North Sydney office buildings have to work hard to impress. Interior elements, including rugs, need to be both practical and beautiful – able to withstand high foot traffic while demonstrating a commitment to quality and good design.

 The refurbishment of the lobby of 60 Miller Street aimed to create an impressive North Sydney ‘hub’, offering a premium experience to encourage new tenants to the building as well as retain existing tenants. The design concept was to provide a central ‘meeting place’, reminiscent of the city’s natural landforms and traditional Aboriginal occupants.

A prominent corner building with 12 storeys of office space, floors and suites, the office block has impressive views over North Sydney with natural light flooding in. The refurbishment brief included creating a modern light-filled foyer leading onto a courtyard lined with food and beverage outlets.

Senior interior designer, Mikayla Bell of Siren Design Group, says she knew that a custom rug would be a key element of her design for the lobby.

“It needed to be warm and have depth while being suitable in a high-traffic area of a lobby space,” she explains.

Bell has worked with Designer Rugs on previous projects and says they were her first point of call.

“I went straight to the Designer Rugs website for inspiration as I knew I would be provided with an incredible product and amazing service,” she adds.

The Solution

Project challenges

Like many commercial projects, tight lead times were a challenge, and this was managed by installing the custom-designed rug after the main construction of the lobby was completed, to give more leeway in terms of production time.

Bell says the other main challenge was selecting a variation of colours that would enhance the other warm materials in the space and distributing these in the correct proportions.

“A lot of thought also went into the differing pile heights and bamboo areas,” she says.

The customisation process

The rug was created in collaboration with Lynnette Dowling Wiley, commercial and hospitality manager at Designer Rugs, and the in-house design team, resulting in a unique, site-specific design.

“I communicated my vision to Lynnette, which involved a connection to nature and shared images that resonated with me in terms of colour, texture and pattern,” says Mikayla Bell.

“We then had multiple design stencils drafted and chose one that resembled fallen leaves.”

“The rug needed to be cut around joinery pieces, specifically a radius of metal fins. The detail and precision executed was extremely impressive.”

The Result

“The rug is the hero piece of the project and is the design element I am most proud of,” says Bell. “It anchors and delineates the space beautifully while expressing the notion of contour versus relief, inspired by the hilly landscape and elevated city centre of North Sydney.”

Installation was completed by flooring contactor, Master Carpets, who expertly managed the process with professionalism and ease.

The rug design also references the ancestral rock engravings of the local Cammeraygal people, with warm deep tones reminiscent of the local landscape.

“The rug impacted the overall space profoundly as it provided depth, movement and ultimately interest,” she adds. “It also signified the two main zones of the ‘meeting hub’ where users could interact with others or choose to take a moment to pause and connect with the context of the current landscape.”

And the client loved it. “Many people have asked where the rug is from as it is so unique and captivating,” says Bell.

Interested in a custom-designed rug?

Custom rugs allow designers to specify flooring that is unique to the project, anchoring a well-crafted design that acts as a base for curated architectural choices. To incorporate a bespoke rug as part of your design, contact our dedicated sales team or call into one of our showrooms and chat with our experienced staff about the next steps.