floortatious

Cool Britannia Queen Elizabeth Stamp Rugs

2010-11-28T21:03:00.000-05:00

Stamps are a defining national mark of any country, and British stamps are some of the most highly regarded in the world. Almost all British stamps carry an image of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, on some part of the stamp. Yet the most standard of all stamps carry a full image of the Queen, with the cost of the stamp printed on one side. This stamp design has now been carefully reproduced as Stamp Rugs. This collection is made in Nepal, in fine wool, and is even GoodWeave certified. The monarchs' figure is beautifully created in a raised pile, to show some additional definition of the design, and the edge of the rugs are carefully finished in the perforated style of stamp edges, to mimic the stamps as accurately as possible. The British company Rug Maker, currently produces these rugs under license with the Royal Mail, and they are available in various denominations, colors, and both standard and custom sizes. The rugs are sure to make a Cool Britannia statement to any room, and even look well hung on a wall. It's a good thing you won't have to lick the back of them before applying them in their place!

Get Roped in with these High Tech Designs from Italy's Paola Lenti

2010-10-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

Shang

Crochet

Tye

Paola Lenti produces rugs, furniture and accessories. Through experimentation with design and dyeing techniques, as well as types of materials used, it's products challenge the basic concepts of what a chair or rug should look and feel like.

In the pieces made for the floor, the Paola Lenti collections include the traditional hand tufted and felted rug styles. However, most unique in it's collection rugs are the use of ropes, similar to those used in sailing. These are not your standard ropes, mind you! Special polyamide fibers which are used to make the rope allow the rugs to be used both indoors, but especially outdoors. The ropes are also dyed to uniquely selected colors, that together come to create pieces that work handsomely in any home decor setting. In designs like Tye and Spin, the ropes are gently spun around and formed into shapes that go to create the final piece. Of course, the rope would fall apart, if it were not for the expert craftsmanship that goes into stitching the rope together in all of the vital parts of the rug, making the finished piece strong and sturdy, and ready for use. These delightful rugs, as well as their seating and accessories, can be found by locating the nearest dealer to you at the Paola Lenti web site.

CariniLang: Rugs That Reach Beyond the Senses

2010-10-18T16:03:00.000-04:00

Wintertime

When you walk into the CariniLang headquarters in Tribeca, New York, the first thing you notice is the unique and pleasing aroma of a Tibetan rug weaving workshop. The confluence of wool, silk, hemp, and cotton, all evoke the peaceful and unrushed way of life in the foothills of the Himalaya's, where these beautiful rugs are made. The high ceilings of this bank like space allow the hanging and showing of several large rugs, and the touch of the differnt textures gives your hands a sense of how your feet will feel when walking on these exceptional rugs.

Lena Delta Sunflower

Joseph Carini's fascination with antique carpets, during the 1980s, led him to study colors, specialized natural dyes, design etymologies and weaving techniques: he also sold fine drawings and paintings, for which he trained at the Pratt Institute. He went on to work as an antique carpet and textiles dealer. Prior to launching CariniLang in 1998, Carini also worked in the Tibetan carpet industry for seven years. He see's himself as a colorist, and more generally as an artist, who is inspired by things he sees around him, and translates that inspiration into the design and creation of a unique Tibetan rug. Carini looks at rug making differnetly than some others might. He aims to make a beautiful, natural product that would rival the quality of the best carpets of past epochs; to benefit the people who weave the rugs and not harm the environment in the process; and to create work that goes beyond common commercial interests, by delivering a true artistic expression, whether making a rug for his own collection, or creating a custom piece for a client. See all the latest collections at CariniLang.

Innovative Rugs Individually Tailored by Lapchi

2010-10-13T11:18:00.000-04:00

Meadow

Pinwheel

Sutra

Lapchi came together as a company dedicated to the art of tailoring every Tibetan rug to the specifications of the client. By focusing on the details of each step in the carpet making process, they have been able to make some of the finest Tibetan rugs in the world today. Their emphasis on quality and timeliness has allowed them to consistently deliver a fine heirloom quality product to their clients, through creative design, refining traditional weaving methods, and socially responsible production. Lapchi also try to make it easier for their clients to see their rugs in person, by opening their own showrooms in design centers throughout the USA. They have also created some of the most beautiful catalogs we have ever seen, highlighting the beauty of their rugs, as well as showing some breathtaking images of Nepal. From the initial consultation, through the design process - whether choosing a Lapchi design, or imagining their own - until the arrival of the finished piece, the client is kept abreast of the progress of their custom rug. With 3 new collections coming out in 2011, you can be sure that Lapchi will continue to be at the cutting edge of creating tailor made Tibetan rugs.

Best of British Design at Decorex 2010

2010-10-04T16:04:00.005-04:00

The annual design show in London, Decorex, did not disappoint this year, and the rug and flooring exhibitors showed off some exciting new designs.

Design duo Leo and Camilla Riviere of Riviere Rugs introduced a few new designs to their collection, while also adding some new and exciting color ways to their existing collection. Featured here is their new 'Babylon' rug, made of wool, with the pattern highlighted in silk. The palette is very soft and neutral, but has some shots of subtle color placed throughout. Riviere Rugs, already a hit with the design trade in London, is now available in the USA through M&M Design, who will be sending out copies of the new Riviere catalog following the Decorex show.

Another firm on show was Gideon Hatch. Gideon has been working with antique and contemporary decorative rugs for many years, finding pieces for top interior designers and architects. He has recently decided to combine his training in fine arts, and his love for rugs, and create a unique collection of his own rugs. The majority of his contemporary designs are hand woven in Pakistan, and the result is a unique interplay between the traditional weaving and finishing techniques and the artistic and abstract designs and colors created by the firm. Like most rug makers, these rugs come in several designs and color ways, and are easily customizable.

You can please some of the people, most of the time, but can you please all of the people all of the time? Woven Ground is trying to do just that. It already has a strong online presence at wovenground.com, which makes it very easy to see every rug, and to know exactly how and where the rug was made. The company will soon be adding it's third brick and mortar location in London's trendy Kings Road. It has a vast selection of all types of rug and flooring, both it's own designs, as well as top collections, such as Brink and Campman, Calvin Klein, Esprit Home and Arte Espina. You can also custom make any rug to your specifications, and you can also use the 'design-your-own' feature to create a unique one of a kind rug of your own from a variety of choices.

Any story about British design wouldn't be complete without a mention of the Union Jack - the British flag. In this incarnation, the rug is from Hill & Co. This rug is made in Viscose, thus giving it a beautiful silky finish. Owners Bill Hill and Peter Auckland worked together for any years at the famous Vigo Carpet Gallery, where they drank in all there is to know about oriental and Antique rugs and carpets, and were soon to create Hill & Co., which started by making one of a kind reproductions for top designers and embassies. The company has now developed a large collection of its own designs, which it wholesales to the trade, as well as continuing to work with interior designers to make bespoke custom pieces, both traditional and contemporary. You can see their collections on their detailed web site at Hill & Co.

The Designer's Designer: Tibetan rugs by Tania Johnson

2010-09-17T11:58:00.000-04:00

Stupa Lines

In the world of books, you have ghost writers, and in the world of design, many times, there are trained and professional people who are behind the designs brought to market by such prominent labels as Calvin Klein Home. Tania Johnson was born and raised in the UK and earned a Masters degree in Woven Textiles at London's Royal College of Art. After working for a period of time at a weaving mill in Switzerland, Tania moved to the USA in 1998, to work for Calvin Klein Home, where she designed their first rug collection in 2002. It was always a challenge for Tania to translate innovative design ideas into actual products, like rugs, and she soon set up a freelance studio, creating designs for many different home furnishings companies.

Branches

Not so long after, Tania began to work with GoodWeave, and establish a partnership in Nepal where she started her own collection of Tibetan rugs. Her designs are innovative in their looks, and utilize many different weaving techniques that play with the texture, yarns, and intricacy of patterns. Tania brings a unique perspective to rug designing, whether in her own collection, or when she works on creating a custom piece for her clients. You can find out more about the designer behind so any designers by visiting Tania's website Tania Johnson Design.

The Moon is Shining Bright courtesy of the Kurtz's

2010-09-15T16:25:00.001-04:00

Mirage Collection

John Kurtz is a natural artist, who has created many beautiful paintings. But he is also found a love for Antique rugs, and became a collector and dealer of them for over 20 years. Always trying to find ways to bring the art of handmade rugs to a wider audience, John became the host of the popular PBS series Art Underfoot, which originally aired between 1988-1992. Then John decided to find a way to combine his creative artistry with his love for fine and unique rugs - and thus New Moon Rugs was born.

Erika in Polonaise

Trinidad in Citrus

LW18J in Paprika

New Moon rugs are produced in Nepal, using true Tibetan weaving techniques such as "crossed" weaving, which make the rugs sturdier and more durable than most rugs produced in Nepal. John's designs are translated intricately into the finished rugs, using time consuming handiwork throughout every stage of the rug making process, while maintaining a high level of social and environmental responsibility. Even the graphs required to be drawn and colored, as the weavers guide, are all done by hand and not computer. The interplay between the different types of yarn used, the unique dyeing of the yarns, and the use of texture, all come together to make a New Moon rug something that John can pass on as the collectible art underfoot for the next generation. Speaking of which, John and Ellen's children have followed in their parents footsteps by taking on some of the responsibilities of running New Moon Rugs. Erika Kurtz is the Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the production in Nepal and the distribution network that is spanning the whole world. Josephine Kurtz is a talented artist in her own right, and has become the artistic director of the company, putting paint to paper, just like her father, to create new rugs for the collection, as well as helping clients in their design of custom pieces for their projects. Josephine has helped to expand the collection of rugs to include classical, modern and basic designs, and a great new group of designs based on old Southwestern motifs, called the Mesa Collection.

If you ever pass through Wilmington, Delaware, be sure to stop by to see the Kurtz's at New Moon Rugs.

Traditional Persian Weaving, Modern Persian Heirlooms

2010-08-30T18:03:00.000-04:00

It started many years ago when Geoffrey Orley met Bahram Shabahang in a rug bazaar in Isfahan, Iran. Both shared a love in the art of Persian rug making, and began a business together to bring those beautiful floor coverings to the public. Thus began Orley Shabahang. For many years the two traded in all manner of Oriental rugs, but about a decade ago, they witnessed the continuing transformation of traditional master weaving techniques and qualities into a production that was tailored to the mass market. So the two decided to set about correcting this, what was in their minds, "wrong". They did this by producing their own rug collection, and in so doing, taking control of every aspect of the making of a Shabahang Persian rug. From owning the sheep, to the spinning and dyeing of the wools and silks, and to the fine weaving techniques and finishes that every Orley Shabahang weaver is required to maintain, or risk not being called on to make another rug.

This relentless pursuit of perfection has led to one of the more unique rug collections available on the market today. The wools and silks used are of the finest quality, and the unique dyeing techniques used in preparing the yarns, make each of these rugs a unique and individual masterpiece. With a large selection of designs, some of which we have selected for you to see here, the rugs are a pleasure to see in person. These rugs bring us to a new era in master Persian rug making, and the Shabahang rugs are certain to become the antique collectibles of the early 21st century.

Design with Luxury in Mind: Rugs by Campion Platt

2010-08-30T13:08:00.000-04:00

Manta Rays

Ever since discovering Frank Lloyd Wright at Columbia University, Campion Platt has held a passion for all elements of Architecture and Design, from the structure down to the interior details, and is favored by many celebrities and socialites around the world. Now, Campion Platt has emerged as a world class Architect and Designer, and has been recognized as such by being selected as one of the AD100 top Interior Designers for 2010.

Big Catch

Layers

In his new Rug Collection for Roubini Rugs, the Mariner Collection, the soft color palettes and almost three dimensional textures evoke the feeling of sand and sea. With the use of luxurious wool and silk touches, these hand knotted rugs make a delightful and fresh collection. The collection was inspired by Campion Platt spending the last two years in the Turks and Caicos islands, where he is working on a large development at Ambergis Cay. The initial collection has 10 designs, and all can be custom sized for the client. The collection is full of aquatic themes, with an emphasis on the wonderful randomness of nature, the oceans, ethereal patterns, marine life, waves and our effect on the landscape.

Green Leaf Rugs eco-friendly Collection

2010-07-27T13:35:00.000-04:00

When embarking on creating a new rug company, Zachary Nitzan made it his goal from the start to base the production of the rugs on environmental sustainability and social responsibility. The rugs, which are hand made in India, use all natural dyes, are 100% biodegradable, and made from organic materials. The wool is sheared humanely, and then dyed by hand with naturally sourced materials used for coloring the wool, such as indigo, oak, walnut and pomegranate, bringing all of the rich tonality of nature to the living room floor. The rug designs themselves are also quite fresh and sometimes unusual, with images of faces or words, famous bridges and structures, paint splashes and brush strokes, textured and highly shaded piles, as well as the soft and natural tones of the colors. The company next hopes to convert the manufacturing facilities in India to use alternative energy - such as wind and solar power - making the complete production process extremely eco-friendly. To see the collection, visit Green Leaf Rugs.

Kravet introduces creative rugs by Echo Design

2010-07-26T12:48:00.006-04:00

Echo: Beauty

Kuba Cloth

A new collection of rugs by the long established Echo Design company was recently introduced by Kravet in their showrooms. The two closely held family operated companies have been collaborating for many years on fabric, trim, and wallpaper, which Kravet sells through its showrooms. More recently, Kravet has expanded it's offerings to include it's own private label rug collection, which includes traditional, modern, hand tufted and Tibetan rugs to name a few. The rugs by Echo are hand Tufted in India and China, and bring their bold and unique design ideas to the floor, combined with their modern graphics and fresh fashion forward colors. As with most designer label rug collections today, these rugs can be customized for size and color, and with their use of different yarns and textured finishes, the rugs make a great starting point around which to decorate a room. Kravet has several showrooms throughout the USA, and it's products are also distributed worldwide. For more information, and to see all the Echo Design rugs, visit Kravet.

A Collection that is anything but Nought

2010-07-14T17:21:00.000-04:00

Cycle

Baghdad

Fine rugs, made in Nepal, using the finest yarns, made by master weavers, and certified by GoodWeave. Yet at the same time, looking like something altogether different. This unique collection comes from The Nought Collective, who are based in New York, and have brought together designs such as motorbikes, tractors, and city maps, in something akin to a fine line drawing. The effect is stunning, in its simplicity, and will be a centerpiece for any room it is placed in. The company has also recently collaborated with another New York company, Desiron, to produce a series of city maps of various sections of Manhattan. All of the rugs are custom made, and the client can even choose to add colored dots on the map, at any point of the rug that may hold some significance to them. What will they think of next, we will just have to wait and see.

Kalaty Rug Merges Tradition with Tomorrow

2010-07-14T14:11:00.001-04:00

Mojave Collection, 2010

Kalaty Rug continues it's tradition of producing fine area rugs for today's discerning rug buyers. The 4th generation of the family are now adding new collections with their unique colors and styling. Some of the new designs we like are from the new Mojave Collection for 2010, shown above. The rugs are in the Nepal weave, and their use of hand spun dyed yarns gives a stylish vintage look that these updated Tribal and Causcasian style patterns deserve. Kalaty has also made it easier for the rug buyer to custom color their own rug - just one of its many marketing tools. When going to the Kalaty Custom page on their website, the interactive page allows anyone to easily recolor the rug of their choice, see their creation, print it, and then order it. This is a feature now being used more and more on broadloom websites, and has now found its way to some rug websites, making the whole process of creating a custom rug a unique hands on experience.

Broadloom by Nourison that is a Feast for your Feet

2010-06-14T12:42:00.003-04:00

Nourison Miami Collection

Having grown over the past 30 years to be one of the most influential rug and carpet companies in the world, Nourison continues to expand it's horizons with the development of it's new broadloom carpet collections. Having invested greatly in it's own production and distribution facilities worldwide, and brought it's rug design experience into the broadloom arena, it's latest collections bring a whole new dimension to the areas of residential, commercial and hospitality flooring design. Some of the unique features in it's new Wilton face-to-face carpet production are the use of 100% New Zealand wool, it's dramatic post production hand carving of the designs - which give the broadloom a textured and highly styled finish - and the migration of colors and designs from successful rugs into broadloom.

The collections are so unique, that they are being used not only as broadloom, but cut to specific sizes for use as large area rugs in defined spaces, such as the room above. Nourison's most recent collaboration has been at 75 Wall Street, the largest building of it's kind in the Wall Street area of New York that has a hotel, condominiums, lobbies, public spaces, restaurants and bars. Nourison was the exclusive supplier of all the soft flooring for this project, and worked with the David Rockwell Design Group in creating and specifying the soft flooring for the building.

With it's vast collection of flooring that covers almost every category in the market today, and the large network of dealers it has established in the USA, UK and throughout the world, Nourison is truly one of the industry leaders, for it's variety of products, innovative designs and collections, and now the newest source for distinctive and unique broadloom carpeting.

Jan Kath's Contemprorary Twist on Traditional Weaving

2010-06-08T11:35:00.000-04:00

Dilip Maron

Jan Kath has a long family background in rugs, and travelled to weaving centers around the world as a young man with his father. At the young age of 20, Jan made his own travels, and ended up in Nepal, where he got involved in learning the manufacturing process at a rug factory, and soon began creating his own designs and color palettes. Jan Kath, which is based in Bochum, Germany, is now recognized worldwide for his contemporary designs, which sometimes take an unconventional approach. Notably his two new designs, shown here.

Ferrara Rocked/Turquoise

His Ferrara Rocked design, from the Radi De Luxe collection, takes a traditional carpet design, and then seemingly erases part of the design, while embellishing the pattern with wool and raised silk.

Agate Blue

From the Sliced collection, Jan Kath tackles the very difficult lines and color elements of natural gem stones and crystals, taken from the perspective of having sliced through the rock. An example is the Agate, in blue, above. With every point in the design being different in both shape an color, the making of these rugs is very time consuming, and requires delicate attention to each knot being woven.

Jan Kath's award winning rugs are available throughout the world, and can be found in some of the finest homes, retail stores, hotels and restaurants around the world. As with all Tibetan rugs from Nepal, they can be custom made to any size and color specification. With a wide selection of yarns, over 1200 colors to choose from, and with over 1500 weavers working on his rugs throughout the world, a Jan Kath rug is sure to be made exactly as you wanted it to be.

Floortatious Introduces it's Rug Finder Service

2010-06-02T22:38:00.002-04:00

Floortaious Rug Finder is a great new service being offered by Floortatious directly to consumers, Interior Designers and Architects alike. We will help you find the rug you are looking for, or the rug you wish to source, for your home, office, or project, whether it be residential or commercial. With our extensive background in the field of rugs and floor coverings, and our insider knowledge of companies, production possibilities and price points, your search will be an easy one, and we will help you find the right item at the right price.

We have created a very simple request form, which you can download and fill out, and email back to us. We will then use your search criteria to find the exact item that fits within your specifications. Any additional specs or information you may wish to submit can be added at the bottom of the form. Let Floortatious help you find the rug you are looking for, whether it's new or Antique, traditional or contemporary, hand knotted or machine woven, we'll find it for you! Download the Floortatious Rug Finder Request Form here, which can be filled in on your computer and returned to us by email to floortatious@gmail.com.

Fly the Flags and Spread Good Will

2010-06-01T20:22:00.003-04:00

Garland

Prayer Flags hanging near the Himalayas

It's always exciting to see new ideas and designs being created for floor coverings. So that is why we really like the new group of rugs designed by Amy Helfand. Amy's background is an an artist, earning her Master of Fine Arts degree at the School of the Arts Institute in Chicago. She has been translating her works of art into rugs for some years now, and her work has been featured in Museums and galleries around the USA. Now based in New York, Amy's newest collection of rugs takes it's inspiration from the prayer flags that are seen hanging all over Nepal - which is where these fine wool and silk rugs are made. The prayer flags date back over 1000 years, and sacred writings were written on each one, and then hung up outside to be blown in the wind. Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to 'gods,' a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all. The Garland rug shown above, is just one of the designs in the new group of rugs by Amy, in which she has captured the essence of the hanging flags, and brings a sense of their motion into the design. For more on this collection, all of which is certified by GoodWeave, and how to get your hands on one of these rugs (and your feet to walk on them), visit Amy Helfand.

A Short film Showing the Amazing Process of Making a Tibetan Rug.

2010-05-27T17:18:00.005-04:00

This is a very special and exclusively commissioned video, by M & M Design, a company in it's third generation of manufacturing rugs, and which has been making custom Tibetan rugs for over 20 years. The short film shows the complete process of making a custom Tibetan rug, and has been specially captioned throughout to make the viewer understand clearly what they are seeing. It turns out that it's actually more complicated to make a custom rug than anyone can imagine, and quite a long process. However, the end result is something of exceptional beauty and craftsmanship, respectful of the earth and environment, and certified by GoodWeave. Not to mention the musical soundtrack, which gives you a great sense of the pace of daily life in Nepal, and the sounds you would be immersed in if you were in Kathmandu.

John Lewis Continues to Please all it's Shoppers

2010-05-27T09:36:00.001-04:00

John Lewis is one of the most established retail names in British retail. It was established as a company in 1864, and is still growing today, with one its most recent expansions being the opening of it's largest single department store in Cardiff. The online side has also been completely revamped, and makes the shopping experience very easy, and backed by a top selection of products, and with superior customer service. The 29 stores are also a great place to buy rugs and carpets, with a unique selection always available. Rugs can also be purchased online, and here are some of the more interesting items we found they are currently selling:

The Union Jack Mat - very inexpensive, but a fun way to have family and friends enter your house!

This cute design is called Pencils Rug. It's hand tufted in wool, and makes a great addition to any kids room!

There are many animal skin rugs on the market today, and this one is one of the softest to walk on! The Shearling Rug is available in a few different designs, but we like this one with the big blocks!

Good luck shopping at one of Britain's top department stores, and when you are done with rugs, there are plenty of other things you can find at John Lewis.

A Touch of Sophistication and Glamour

2010-05-25T12:31:00.000-04:00

James Duncan Dovima

Simone

James Duncan's goal has always been to create a modern interpretation of classic styling. His collection includes rugs, furniture and tiles, which come in both standard and custom configurations. Working alongside his partner Miriam, the James Duncan Collection has emerged to be eclectic, vivid, glamorous and elegant. This reflects their personal backgrounds of having travelled around the world, and having lived in Asia, Africa and Europe, as well as now in the USA. Their worldly aesthetic translates itself into the use of luxurious materials and fine craftsmanship. The Tibetan hand made rugs are woven in Nepal by the finest weavers and carpet artisans, and all of the rugs are certified by GoodWeave. The materials used are wool, silk, hemp, linen, cactus, which help to draw subtle textural features and color shades to each rug's design. Duncan believes that contemporary design only works well if it has some historical reference. This is clearly the case when looking at his sophisticated rugs, which have been used in fine homes around the world, and placed in elegant commercial spaces.

Dominic Crinson's Tiles are a Kaleidoscope of Colors and Shapes

2010-05-25T11:24:00.005-04:00

Glitz Moco

Great British eccentricity in creative design is alive and well. Dominic Crinson has developed a unique digital printing method to create some one of a kind, extravagant and bold tiles and wallpaper. His tiles can be used for the floor to create a vivid and contemporary statement. As well as his own colorful and sometimes kaleidoscopic designs, which number over 200, Crinson can also take any image you submit, and transform it into a beautifully tiled floor or wall.

Londonscape

In the collection he has created a graphic that shows the city of London, and also the city of New York, that make you feel like you are in a helicopter flying above. The glazed ceramic tiles are made using a proprietary printing process, which allows Crinson to create bold and evocative images, which adorn each space in a most unique way. His original and custom designs can be seen in both commercial and residential spaces all over the world. For a unique look at the collection, visit Dominic Crinson.

Down Under, the Cadrys make the Floors as Nice as The Walls

2010-05-21T15:11:00.005-04:00

Japanese Fans/Florence Broadhurst/2010

Swedish Stripe/Florence Broadhurst/2010

Multi-Tone Poppies/Florence Broadhurst/2010

The Cranes/Florence Broadhurst/2010

The Cadry family are now the third generation who are dealing with unique and beautiful floor coverings. The patriarch of the family, Jacques Cadry, started the business almost 60 years ago, in Sydney, Australia. Throughout the years, the Cadrys have brought many a wonderful collection of rugs and carpets to their clients, from tribal rugs, rare Perisan pieces, fine Antiques, and contemporary Tibetan wool and silk rugs. One of the latest collections that the family has introduced is the Florence Broadhurst collection of rugs, which was launched in 2008. They have taken the masterful wallpaper designs of Florence Broadhurst, who started designing wallpaper in the 1960's in Australia, and adapted them as Tibetan rugs. Her original creative designs were inspired by her travels around the world as a member of a travelling group of musicians and comedians called the Globe Trotters. Of particular influence to many of her designs was Asian culture, architecture and design. This can be seen in many of her new designs for 2010, some of which are shown above. The designs have been recreated beautifully as wool and silk Tibetan rugs, and each pattern lends itself to a multitude of different color palettes, making them easy to specify for any color and any decor. Jessica Cadry, who is the granddaughter of founder Jacques, is now spearheading the new distribution that Cadrys has established in the USA. With a growing number of dealers showing the collection, finding one of these rugs should not be too difficult to do. You can find the complete list of dealers at Cadrys, and the complete Florence Broadhurst collection can be seen here.

Like Walking on Glass

2010-05-17T14:45:00.002-04:00

Sometimes we fall into an area of work by accident, and end up creating the most magnificent things. Tracy Glover started out studying Architecture at Virginia tech, but was captivated by a photo of a glassblower. So she transferred to Providence RI to study glass blowing, where she honed her craft, and was even mentored by a Venetian glassblower in-residence at Dale Chihuly's renowned Pilchuck School of Glass. She has now developed her own collection of glass objects, from lamps to vases, curtain finials and door handles, all of which can be seen here. Her glass designs are elegantly colorful, and glamorously refined with their unique shapes and in the way they are mixed together to form each object. Even more exciting is how she has now developed some of her designs into fine hand woven wool and silk Tibetan rugs. The Lazy Cane rug (shown above) cleverly reproduces the subtle design, shapes and lines of a glass vase as a beautiful rug. The colors and scale make it so easy to use in any setting. Hopefully we will see more of her lovely creations made into rugs soon. Meanwhile, you can order your one directly from her online shop Tracy Glover Studio.

Malene B's Colorful and Cultural Journey

2010-05-17T12:14:00.002-04:00

Malene B is no newcomer to designing rugs. She has been involved in designing rugs for the industriy's top companies, and has been the designer behind some top private label rug collections, such as Nicole Miller and Liz Claibourne. But now she has ventured out on her own, and her first collection of rugs reflects a more personal story behind the designs. Her designs reflect her own African-Carribean heritage, which she combines with her travels throughout the world to places like India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. We find her images tell a global story, with looks and colors taken from many disitnct cultures, that will easily resonate with anyone. One of her newest designs also goes to help those in need in Haiti. The Tap Tap rug (shown above) is a great expression of Haitian art, much of which is seen on their unique taxi cars and buses. The rug, which is handmade in India, has multi level pile heights, beautiful bright colors, and striking geometric lines. Working with the organisation Aid to Artisans, all proceeds from the sale of this Limited Edition rug will go to rebuilding a workshop in Port-Au-Prince Haiti that employs 500 artisans.

It's a Chemical Element - Holes Included

2010-05-13T11:27:00.000-04:00

Leave it up to the Italian designers to come up with new creations for rugs. Nodus Rugs from Italy has come up with a whole series of unique and unusual rug designs as part of its 2010 collection. Each rug is designed by a different designer, and represents a different way of thinking on how a rug should sit on the floor. Most if these would probably do better as one off pieces of art, suitable for a gallery or museum. Most notable is the design ATOM, by designer James Irvine, shown above, which is like something out of a chemistry book, where a series of hexagonal shapes are connected to each other, while leaving the unconnected parts empty. So the rug has plenty of holes all over it, making it a cool design to look at, but we're not sure how easy it would be to walk on, since half of the time you would be stepping in the hole and not on the carpet. Nevertheless, the collection is quite large, with many artistic designs, mostly hand knotted in Nepal. Perhaps many of them would look better on the wall than on the floor.

Zap! POW!! KABOOM!!!!

2010-05-11T11:15:00.002-04:00

Newly introduced designs in the collection by Marc Davidson is this explosive pattern called Tribune. The design looks like it came out of one of those old comic books, and cleverly recreates that visual impact as a cool rug. The Tibetan rug is made in Nepal, in 100% wool, and can be custom sized and even custom colored if you wish to crank up the effect to fit in even more with your own rooms' decor. The rugs are also GoodWeave certified to be free of child labor (see article below), and part of the proceeds of the sale of each Marc Davidson Tribune rug go towards social programs for the children and communities in Nepal. Not easily available, but you can buy it on the net by clicking here for the black-white-red color way, and here for the rainbow color way. Shazaam! Kerpow!!!!

A Hope for communities in Afghanistan

2010-05-05T12:21:00.002-04:00

ARZU, which means 'hope', is a social/business enterprise that sets out to break the cycle of poverty of families in Afghanistan. It does this through the revenues generated from selling beautiful hand woven rugs, made by the women of Afghanistan, as well as from donor support. ARZU is proud of its 'social contract' with the weavers, whom it pays more as an incentive to agree to, amongst other things, send all children, both girls and boys, under age 15, to school full-time; to allow all women in the household to attend ARZU literacy classes; and to permit ARZU to transport pregnant women and newborns to clinics for pre- and post-natal care.

While being busy on the social side, they are also busy making beautiful rugs. ARZU has collaborated with various designers such as Zaha Hadid and Thomas Schoos (shown above) who have produced designs for the company. There was also a collaboration with the national furniture chain Design Within Reach, which arranged a series of trunk shows showing the rugs in its various stores nationwide in the USA.

Not only do they make beautiful rugs, but they put the monetary gains back into the communities where the weavers live, and provide those families help in the areas of education, healthcare, clean water, and developing community programs. You can see the collection, and learn more about ARZU Studio of Hope at their website.

Going Modular with Blue Jeans

2010-05-04T12:36:00.000-04:00

A simple idea, with dramatic results. Modular floor carpet tiles from FLOR are made in hundreds of different color palettes and design groups. So when you want to decorate your floor, whether it is a living room or hallway or bedroom, all you need to do is select the number of tiles you want, in the colors and design of your choice, and then placing them down is a snap! This is one of the more unusual designs, 'Blue Jeans' - without the rivets of course. FLOR modular carpet tiles are widely available, and with their new web site, FLOR has made it easy to design your rug or carpet online, see how it will look, and then order it directly. One of the best things is that if one of the tiles becomes dirty, or needs to be changed for some reason, you can just take it out, and put in a new one, without having to change the whole floor!

A Yoga mat is just a Yoga mat, unless.........

2010-05-03T22:18:00.000-04:00

It's the latest trend in fitness of the mind and body is Yoga. Yoga originated in India, as a way to attain discipline mentally, physically, and verbally. It developed into many branches, such as Karma, Shiva and Tantras of many kinds. But now, along with the Yoga comes the Yoga mat. What started out as a simple rubberized or padded mat, has evolved into many different kinds - there are eco-friendly mats, futon style, photo mats (which let you put any image you choose on the mat), fleece, leather and even fine lambswool mats. So now, you can do Yoga for a better inner disposition, while at the same time presenting a pretty and colorful outer appearance to keep you one step ahead of the person next to you in the class. Here is a cool site to find some these interesting Yoga Mats, and more for the Yoga enthusiast!

Just what the Designer ordered

2010-04-29T13:18:00.001-04:00

How do you make a professional presentation to your clients when specifying a Tibetan rug, without having to go back and forth between the manufacturer with samples and other relevant information? Well, now someone has come up with the answer with a simple clever idea, called The Rug Cube! The Rug Cube comes in a small package that is easy to store, and easy enough to carry to meetings, yet they have managed to include in less than 1 cubic foot of space, all the elements necessary to present to a client who wants to order a custom made Tibetan rug. The samples included in the box show all the yarns available - such as wool, silk, hemp, linen, cactus, as well as all of the qualities, and pile possibilities - such as cut pile, loop pile, shaggy pile etc. The top yarn colors used for rugs are also included and the rugs are all GoodWeave certified (see previous article). Could a designer or even rug store ask for anything more? Well, if they did, they would get what they asked for - the Rug Cube is FREE!! (an initial charge of $300.00 is fully refunded on the first order!). We think this is one of the coolest tools anyone involved in making Tibetan rugs can have. Even the Rug Cube website is cool, and the Rug Cube can be ordered from there.

New name for RugMark organization: GoodWeave

2010-04-29T11:05:00.003-04:00

The worldwide organization that works to prevent the use of child labor in rug production, has changed it's name. The new name to be used is GoodWeave, and along with the new logo, this label will appear on all rugs that are certified by GoodWeave to be free of child labor (defined as no children under the age of 14 being employed by the facility who made the labeled rug). Currently, GoodWeave is working with rug production in Nepal and India, but is planning to expand its horizons to other countries. It also hopes to expand its core work to include environmental and social responsibility. The Faces of Freedom photography exhibit is also touring the USA and being shown in various locations, to make people more aware of the campaign. You can find out more by connecting to the GoodWeave website.

The World of Fornasseti in Rugs

2010-04-28T23:41:00.001-04:00

The iconic Italian company Fornasseti has entered the world of rugs with many of its classic designs woven into finely crafted hand knotted rugs. Pictured are two of it's more well known looks 'Bacio' and 'Serratura'. These rugs make a great decoration piece, and they are loved by avid collectors of Italian design in general and Fornasseti in particular. The collection is now available in full, and you can see all the Fornasseti rugs here.

Amazing Cowhide rugs

2010-04-28T17:35:00.005-04:00

It's amazing what designs can now be made with cowhide. It requires a lot of skill in cutting up the large quantity of pieces required for a rug, and then there is the careful sewing that needs to be done to achieve a clean finish. Pure Rugs, started by Architects from Argentina, is producing some very interesting designs, such as the Kahn rug, with repeating small triangles. I wonder how many cow hides they went through in order to make just this one rug.

A new style of Animal Skin from Riviere

2010-04-28T14:25:00.004-04:00

This is the newest design from Riviere Rugs, a company based in London, England. Croc is cool way translating the crocodile skin design into a rug. This one is Tibetan, with great textural elements to make the skin feeling that much more real. Camilla and Leo Riviere have an extensive collection of contemporary designs, which are a mix of understated elegance and European glamor. The rugs are all natural too, from the start of the production process, to the yarns used, it's as green as you can get. Not to mention that all the rugs are also GoodWeave certified to be free of child labor.