Decor January-February 2019

Konuk Tasarımcı
As an internationally acknowledged and respected
designer Phil Pond works with retailers, manufacturers,
housing developers, hotels, restaurants, consumer
& trade press. He has been providing them with
in-depth information about the future wants, needs &
desires of people. Informing clients about how people
will be living in the new future, Pond detailed how
he can manage this difficult job in an interview he
granted to Décor magazine. Full text of the exclusive
interview follows.
Design from the
perspective of
Phil Pond
First of all, let’s know Phil Pond.
Phil translates consumer & design trends into high
growth business strategies for clients of Scarlet
Opus. A UK Trend Forecasting agency dedicated to
providing consumer, business & design insight for the
Interiors sector internationally.
Phil has an enviable reputation in the interiors sector
for creativity in product development & inspirational
Marketing ideas. Clients have included Nike/sappi,
Louvre Hotels, Steelcase Inc, Mannington Inc, Le
Creuset, Interface Inc., Modulyss. For 10 years he has
spoken at Interiors events including TISE (USA), Décor
& Design (Australia), INDEX & Workspace (Dubai), The
Flooring Show (UK). He has worked in and specialised
in the flooring industry globally. He owned a UK producer
of Axminster carpet from 2002-2007.
He passes on his marketing expertise to college &
university students via his international lectures
and in 2014 was honoured by Lancaster University
in the UK with his appointment as ‘Entrepreneur in
Residence’ to the Faculty of Art & Social Sciences in
recognition of his lectures and mentoring for under &
post graduates. He’s regularly contributed articles to
popular Trade & Consumer magazines, blogs & press
in many countries for a number of years.
What does Carpet mean to you?
Carpet is one of those interiors products that should
be a major consideration for any interior design
project. It certainly used to be in the ‘60s &, ‘70s. But,
because the manufacturers of the world invest little
in product design, across the whole world, sales of
carpet have fallen since 1995. Many manufacturers
no longer exist. The colors & patterns that carpet
manufacturers offer today are far away from what
consumers’ desire. As a result, sales of LVT, wood,
ceramics have dramatically increased over the same
period of time. These manufacturers make products
in beautiful designs and colors. They invest in Trend
knowledge and their own design resources. Carpet
manufactured for use in the Workplace is much better
16 DECOR • January - February 2020