Attracting international design collaborations across disciplines from fashion to product design and architecture; these nine living room rugs are testimony that floor textiles are akin to art.
There’s no place like the floor of the home for creatives to unleash their textile flair. Presenting opportunity for design collaborations across continents, the artful living room rug can be sourced from some of the most remote pockets of the world, paying homage to age-old traditions and hand craftsmanship. For our global design edit, we’ve assembled nine of our favourite living room rugs, each sharing a unique story and tactile allure.
This piece originally appeared in issue #33 of est magazine.
Fresco – 112496 Rug
Melbourne-based rug and textile brand Behruz Studio have set a precedent for quality in Australia by sourcing and selling modern and antique rugs, Kilims and related textiles. Their Fresco 112496 Rug is a custom woven design based on the traditional Gabbeh rug, drawing inspiration from the beautiful sunsets, sunrises and local horizons of South West Iran.
Egyptian Rug – Aegean
The Egyptian Rug – Aegean is part of the new Egyptian collection by Armadillo&Co., inspired by the concept of quiet luxury. Marking an exciting new chapter for Armadillo&Co.’s sustainable, handcrafted textiles, the collection evokes calm through an authentic combination of dye, fibre and construction, wearing in soulfully like silk fabric.
Trenza Rug
The hand-knitted sisal Trenza Rug was designed by Valentina Hoyos, woven in Central Columbia by native communities. The Trenza Rug is made from raw materials and vegetable dyes, celebrating the cultivation and craft of the sisal fibre that’s embedded in Colombian tradition.
Atlas 3 Rug
The Atlas 3 Rug by Halcyon Lake is part of their artisanal Atlas collection, where every rug is a one-off creation. Reminiscent of traditional Moroccan rugs, the Atlas 3 Rug is composed of hand-dyed wool yarn with a thick pile that allow for a variance in colours and a deeper, richer palette.
Double Slinkie Rug
The electrically-coloured Double Slinkie Rug is made by hand in Nepal, designed by Patricia Urquiola for cc-tapis. The Slinkie collection aims to transform the intangible idea of shade and hue into a finely produced, sophisticated textile, through a cotton weave and himalayan wool knot.
Visoni B Soie Rug – Sunset Orange
Another visually arresting rug for the living room by Patricia Urquiola, the Visoni B Soie Rug demonstrates the designer’s contemporary creativity and age-old Nepalese hand-knotting techniques. Like the Double Slinkie Rug, the Visoni B Soie Rug was designed for Milan-based rug manufacturers cc-tapis and made through cotton weave and Himalayan wool that provides a silk-like quality.
Lunar Addiction Rug – Square
Designed by Milan-based design studio Studiopepe, The Lunar Addition Rug is described as a constellation of deconstructed forms that crash against one another. The abstract, textural rug is composed of a shaggy pile in un-dyed Himalayan wool and linen, juxtaposed with refined cotton weave, meticulously made by hand.
Mata Rug
The Mata Rug was designed by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba for cc-tapis as a compilation of travel memories and tangible emotions. Characterised by a cotton weave, Himalayan wool, silk and metallic fibre knot, the Mata Rug is reminiscent of a 19th century traveller’s diary that recorded scenery through sketches and watercolour drawings.
Hayon X Nani Rug
The Hayon X Nani Rug was designed by Jaime Hayon, made entirely from New Zealand wool through a hand-tufted technique. The rug brings to life Jaime Hayon’s imagination, as a reproduction of one of the designer’s original sketches.
