In this behind-the-scenes Q&A, we sit down with Helen Lloyd, the designer behind Milliken’s latest and most expressive collection, to explore how Pattern Play came to life.
Pattern Play isn’t just a carpet collection—it’s a creative playground. It’s a celebration of creative freedom, colour mastery, and design possibility. Fresh from winning the inaugural Clerkenwell Design Week Product Award in the Carpet & Rugs category, Pattern Play is already making waves. With its joyful aesthetic, modular flexibility, and Milliken’s signature colour transitions, this collection unlocks design freedom like no other.
The brief for this collection was 'Mission WOW.' Careful thought was given to the end result – a collection designed to be vibrant and expressive. A collection that dares to be different. Inspiration for the collection came from The New London Fabulous Movement. Our design team was inspired by the movement’s confident use of colour, pattern, and personality which aligned perfectly with our vision to bring a fresh, playful energy to commercial interiors. Pattern Play was born from a desire to push boundaries and move people from a sea of grey to a world of colour. It’s a celebration of maximalism, movement, and mood, designed to energise spaces and spark creativity.
Pattern Play is a collection to be played with. It’s all about options. With five bold motifs—Arch, Block, Diagonal, Scallop, and Stripe—and a palette of 72 colours (yes, 72!), the possibilities are endless. From punchy primaries to soft pastels, designers can mix, match, and layer to create truly unique floorscapes. I was very conscious to offer something for the minimalists amongst us too. The beauty about the Pattern Play design is you can drench the floor in just one, understated but sophisticated colour across the floor plane. Or you can go all out colour play, and use multiple colours in combination. The designs are modular, flexible, and full of personality. And thanks to Milliken’s advanced Millitron® print technology, every detail is delivered with total precision, from the smoothest curves to the sharpest lines.
Milliken’s colour transitions are where the magic really happens. Unlike traditional fixed-base transitions, Pattern Play shifts seamlessly from colour to colour to colour—creating stunning rug-like effects and immersive visual journeys. It’s colour application at its most dynamic, and it’s what Milliken does best. But even then, I wanted to take this to the next level. Rather than transitioning from one neutral base colour to a contrasting colour, I wanted to explore the idea of transitioning from one expressive colour to another. And so our Transition colour families were born!
Pattern Play builds on Milliken’s legacy of design layering, only this time with a graphic twist. Where last year’s Painted Garden collection explored soft, organic overlays, Pattern Play goes bold with striking shapes and impactful contrasts. It’s a new direction, it’s unapologetically bold and a collection that’s already turning heads.
I really wanted to put myself in the shoes of a designer, and remove any barriers or obstacles they might face when putting together design schemes. I wanted us to be able to offer customisation that empowers creativity. The Pattern Play Workshop at Clerkenwell Design Week gave designers the chance to get hands-on—building mood boards, sketching ideas, and exploring the collection’s full potential. And with Milliken’s Custom Design Service, those ideas can become reality. Whether it’s a bespoke motif or a tailored colourway, Pattern Play is ready to adapt and evolve.
This is just the beginning. With more motifs and custom options on the horizon, Pattern Play is set to grow and continue inspiring the design community, encouraging bigger, bolder, and ever-expanding creatively.