Vermillion Energy: when colour becomes a current

Choosing the obvious

Given the company name, a carpet tile with red-orange pigment (‘vermillion’) might seem like the obvious choice. Yet in a workplace built around calm decision-making and environmental responsibility, that intensity felt misplaced. The design team at Chawner & Trench, together with the end users at Vermilion, steered the palette toward something quieter, more grounding, and ultimately more forward-looking.

Three shades of grey. And a single line of green

Three tones from Mohawk Group’s Pattern collection create the foundation: 225 square metres of dark grey, nearly 200 square metres of mid grey and 23 square metres of light grey. They build a modern, professional landscape: stable, timeless, and perfectly suited to a technical environment. But the distinctive character of the project emerges from just 9 square metres of Basalt green from Rudiments. Instead of functioning as an accent, the colour behaves like a current: it begins on a painted wall, runs over a semi-open room divider, and then flows diagonally across the floor. It pulls the eye through the space, creating a clear transition between two grey zones.

Zoning that feels effortless

Within the enclosed glass offices, the darker grey tile supports focus and privacy. Out in the open workspace, the transition is gently diffused: small clusters of darker tiles appear on the lighter area, dissolving the boundary between communal zones and concentrated work. Under the long shared desks, the same strategy continues. Darker tiles mark where workstations begin, yet the progression starts early, with one or two tiles easing the eye into the zone. This creates a rhythm that feels human rather than rigid; zoning that guides without insisting.

An environment shaped by colour, clarity and flow

Altogether, more than 600 square metres of carpet tiles shape a workspace that mirrors Vermilion’s ethos: modern, responsible and quietly confident. Grey tones provide stability. The green thread introduces movement. And the interplay between both creates an environment that supports the clarity required in the energy sector.