Vicky Sanderson After years of reflecting the Hygge-esque esthetic that floor covering should be a discreet neutral, statement rugs that refuse to sit quietly on the floor are having a moment. It all makes sense to me. That’s in part because I love brights and in part because the idea of washing one of the largest surfaces of a room in colour or pattern appeals to my adventurous side. I like a big, bold rug as a base layer, even if it means going easier on other decorative elements in the room. In fact, I think I may prefer it that way.
There’s no shortage of confident carpets (in fact there never has been) but here are a few I’d currently consider making the centre of my attention;
Rug as record
Jan Kath is a master of colour and pattern. The German-born designer shows this in the Spectrum collection—in which saturated tones tell beautiful abstract colour stories while collections like Polonaise and Savonnerie Surprise play with traditional motifs. His “Rug Bombs” series of 11-by 11-foot compositions in Kassel, Germany wove depictions of current cultural and geopolitical events, such as shadowy scenes of displaced people, war, and military materiel. There’s a fascinating thread tying them to the history of weaving.
Palm Springs Story
The Palm Springs rug collection is a seventies-inspired collaboration between Work in Progress—a queer décor brand that partners with independent artists/designers—and designer Ravleen Kaur. Along with founder WIP Holland Denvir, Kaur has created a line of special rugs (below) that relies on simple shapes in citrusy orange, pink, blue, green, and yellow. Pieces come in rounds and rectangles: some are dissected with pink or green lines, others sport big blue bubbles or stripes in zesty lime, blue, and lavender. Available at a limited number of U.S. stockists and online: there’s a $40 flat shipping fee for Canada. It’s all very fun, very fresh, and wonderfully cheerful.
No-animal animal hides
Ruggable has a new faux-hide indoor collection with cow, zebra, tiger, and cheetah patterns (below) that makes its own kind of statement about the use of animals in decor (below). Available in various sizes, these special rugs are made with cushioned, medium-pile, recycled virgin polyester and polyurethane. Shed and stain-resistant, they’re also machine washable.
BONUS Don’t forget that back in May I shared another exceptional floor covering line from Mark Krebs that’s also a perfect fit for a story about how special rugs can define a design.
