When we seek out inspiration, it can be hard to come by — or it’s fickle, or it’s fleeting. But when we open ourselves up to inspiration, and we let it find us: it always does. Be it a thing or a thought, a moment in time or a state of being, a part of the natural world or a piece of the one we’ve built. Inspiration is everywhere.

This volume of Shift takes on Discovery: an unearthing of thought and creativity that ultimately lead to innovation and breakthrough. In modern learning spaces, design, color and pattern engage and inspire critical thinking — form and function spark creative imagination. It’s these elements that provide the foundation for discovery in the 21st century.

This volume of Shift takes on Journey: a wandering exploration—a pilgrimage in search of answers. Here, pattern pursues a certain texture, tone meets its intended color, and movement guides ever-fated emotions towards our journey’s end — a destiny that awaits our imminent arrival.

This volume of Shift takes on Simpatico: the quiet moment when the unknown becomes the trusted familiar. Here, harmony springs from unexpected pairings of pattern and texture, tone and color, movement and emotion, like the unspoken, yet shared experience, of a stranger turned friend.

This volume of Shift takes on Hyperbole: inspiration of perfect overstatements, extravagance of pattern and texture, tone and color, movement and emotion. Over and over, it asks and answers a simple question: is too much ever too much?

Welcome to the debut volume of Shift, whether shifting highlights, variations in exposure or a transfer of focus, we hope this issue will inspire you to think of the floor as a canvas and an opportunity to create a unique design statement for your next project.