Designer rugs - my top picks for AW16
September sees one of the busiest months in design around London with London Design Festival, Decorex, Design Junction, 100% Design among the events that take place. It's great to go along to these exhibitions (well, a must for those who work in interior design or just blog about it like yours truly) and a great opportunity for those looking for inspiration before heading into a project.
You get to see first hand what is going to be trending in the coming months and what is already available in shops by top interior shops as well as independent boutiques and designers. And don't forget - on the last day - to ask if anything on display is for sale (besides products that are already marked as being available to buy there and then). Exhibitors will much prefer to sell something than have to take it back with them, so bring some cash with you! Decorex International takes place between 18-21 September 2016 in Syon Park.
Exhibitors to watch
I thought I'd focus on flooring in this post as we are officially into Autumn (no joy here!) and I dread the cold months ahead without a lush carpet to walk on. Our home has wooden floors and we have covered most of them with oriental rugs which were gifted to us by family, and while I love them (the carpets and the family), I would also like something more modern - or something I would have chosen myself. So this is the perfect opportunity for me to share a list of DECOREX exhibitors I look forward to visiting that also happen to be on my shortlist for when I update our accent rugs around the home.
So first up my list of exhibitors to visit is London design studio A Rum Fellow, featured in my opening photo above. Launched in 2014, they are dedicated to luxury artisan textiles and creating statement interior pieces. They have become known for their bold use of colour, intricate patterns, and their skills in translating heritage techniques into contemporary collections just as you can see in the photo below (this specific design has been spotted in many interior design publications this year).
Photo: A Rum Fellow, Kaya - Hand Tufted Rug. Find them at Stand A4
Left to right: Coban Kilim Rug, made in India; Kaya in Blush
Up next is Art Hide, another supplier of originally designed and ethically sourced leather products of an heirloom quality. The company was formed by Australian sisters, Kura Perkins and Bree Hay-Hendry in 2009. The duo’s expertise, combined with the traditional skills of their meticulous leather-craft team and an array of cutting edge technologies, have created timeless everyday masterpieces for hundreds of clients. Art Hide’s premium quality cowhide is sourced as a by-product of the meat industry from regulated tanneries, where methods involved in tanning and dyeing are always safe for workers and are non pollutant. Their tiled cowhide rugs have caught my eye and I would love to see them up close.
Photo: Art Hide, Tiled cowhide rug (Angulo rectangular in blue). Find them at Stand No: H36
This one will be a real treat for you I bet. Meet Somerset based Elizabeth Ashard, who trained at Central School of Art but more recently started working with skilled carpet weavers in Kathmandu designing and making her bespoke handmade rugs using the finest Tibetan wool with silk accents.
Photo: Elizabeth Ashard rug from the Moghul collection. You will find her at stand No: A61
One to watch for her prism pattern rugs with jewel like colours, Sonya Winner's iconic designs have been featured in over 80 international publications and numerous blogs and web magazines with Wallpaper* magazine describing her designs as Matisse-like. Blending colours like no other, Sonya works on her designs from her studio in London.
Photo by Sonya Winner. You will find the brand at Stand E16.
Left to right: Jewel Rug in Sky Rose; The Kiss tender; After Albers and Jellybean Berry Rug
Finally, The Rug Company is currently one of the top places for my inspiration when it comes to contemporary rugs, as they have collaborated with 40 of the world’s most inspirational designers like Jonathan Saunders, Jonathan Adler, Paul Smith, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kelly Wearstler, Barber and Osgerby to name a few (oh, ok, Suzanne Sharpe's geometrics are also firm favourites if you have to ask). Their cotton dhurrie flatweave designs like the one below (Mamounia Sky) are exceptional.
Photo: The Rug Company, Mamounia Sky
Left to right: Syrie Blue, Jonathan Adler; Asan Indigo, The Rug Company; Sybil Lines, Jonathan Adler and Darjeeling Orange, The Rug Company
If you like/love the companies above or have a firm favourite from their collections, drop me a message below. I always love checking your taste as well as sharing mine. You might even help me discover my next rug!
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