Inspired by Nature – Armadillo & Co Showroom by Studio Goss

Armadillo & Co’s first Australian retail store, located in a 385 square metre gallery-esuqe building in the vibrant design district of Surry Hills, opened its doors early November. Designed by Studio Goss, the Sydney showroom represents the brand’s focus on natural materials and subtle textures.

Armadillo & Co was founded in 2009 by Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst, who were driven by a desire to honour age-old methods of craftmanship. The showroom opening marks the decade-long milestone for the brand as Sally explains, “we wanted to create a sensory spatial environment that represents the Armadillo & Co of today and the future at the forefront of contemporary design.”

David Goss, of the eponymous Studio Goss, was tasked to design a space to foster interactions and experiences on a more personal level. Part of the brief included representing the brand in simple and beautiful textures found in natural materials, so David sought inspiration by looking into Armadillo & Co’s influences. From shifts textures and shadows to Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh and concrete palettes, David was able to design an unmatched retail experience.

All rugs from Armadillo & Co are infused with rich history and artisanship of the hands that created them. For this reason, David designed the space to harness the abundance of natural light that showers in from the six-metre floor-to-ceiling shopfront window to amplify the refined quality of Armadillo & Co’s full range of rugs. Armadillo & Co is driven by ethics, the same way it is inspired by aesthetics. It prides itself in using natural and sustainable fibres, using Fair Trade practices. The design of the showroom also coincides with this, as David opted to use FSC-certified oak timber.

“We wanted to create a sensory spatial environment that represents the Armadillo & Co of today and the future at the forefront of contemporary design.”

“David really hit the brief of conjuring the emotion of the space,” Jodie says. “The interior is at once soothingly intimate and undeniably luxurious, a true reflection of our brand’s design philosophy and application that invites visitors to immerse themselves in this refuge from the outside world.”

While the concrete floor, natural coir matting and solid white-oak furniture harmoniously tie the entire material palette together, Armadillo & Co’s classics are put on display. The showroom pays respect to function and aesthetics. This is proven in the way that certain rugs are displayed in the space – where the Agra Knot rug reflects the light and the Atlas rug boasts a modern living space, the Sonoma and Andorra quickly revitalises and invites.

While the concrete floor, natural coir matting and solid white-oak furniture harmoniously tie the entire material palette together, Armadillo & Co’s classics are put on display.

The 2.2-metre ceiling height of the sample rug room allows visitors to justify their design decision. Both Jodie and Sally want people to appreciate the handmade ‘heirloom appeal’ of their rugs; therefore, it was important for the sample space to balance between aesthetics and functionality – showing the multitude of ways rugs can ‘lie lightly’ around an area. “The effortless collaborative process we experienced is evident in the sense of calm and balance in how the space has come together,” David says.

“The effortless collaborative process we experienced is evident in the sense of calm and balance in how the space has come together.”