Category Archives: Inspiration board
Glow – design inspiration
Nature has been mastering itself for some time now and it is an honor to be able to capture its beauty. (Justin Beckett)
Glow, Hand Knotted Himalayan wool and Chinese silk. RUG ART
Ever since I learned scientific illustration I became fascinated by mother nature; rock formations and patterns, stones and plants.
When I was in high school I remember this trip very vividly; I was struck by this ancient magical small Cave in the Judea Mountains. It was an impressive collection of sculpted rocks and frozen drops of water, naturally formed during a period of a hundreds of thousands of years beneath the ground. I was fascinated by its ambiance and bizarre looking stones that like a magnet I was drawn back to see the cave time and again. It was a jaw dropping experience for me; The mood and color, nature’s glorious wonders, even the silence – everything was intriguing. I walked around gazing and speechless. I wanted to touch but wasn’t allowed. I did it when no one was watching. The rocks felt smooth to the touch almost like glass and very cold. The air was moist and strangely, while I walked followed by a path, it felt as if I was floating. I’ve never seen anything so magical, so magnificent and so naturally artistic without a touch of a human hand, as this drip-stone Cave. Still fascinated and in awe by this experience I knew that a rug design was a possibility and I already begun to envision how it’s going be constructed.
When I begun to think this rug in my head, my thought was to achieve something that will have a mystical/vintage feel but modern in design. The colors I worked with are not only subtly complementing each other, but also have an understated elegance. I chose to work with wool and silk. The design itself is layered with unstructured texture of drips-like silk, revealing subtle movement of elegant pattern in the background. Anything else added would distract from its sophisticated elegance. The high mountain wool is rich in oil which gives the rug its natural luster, but with the addition of silk the rug gets this patina shine that only emphasizes the design’s characteristics.
The rug feels very soft under foot and lustrous; a design well appreciated from any angle one chooses to look at. Visit our NY showroom to view the new collection.
Who inspires me now
I have been asked many times who, among the “rich and famous”, inspires me. It’s not always easy to point at someone and say this or that, there is so much I am inspired by but by people, only few: She is one of the most elegant women I’ve ever seen or heard of. Strong sense of discipline and structure she is a woman who knows her product and not afraid to take risks. Her evening gowns are glamorous and chic just like the designer herself. She is Carolina Herrera, one of my favorite fashion designers. I’m inspired by her talent and the way she works. I love how she uses superb luxurious materials to create beautiful elegant evening gowns, a dress that makes a woman look and feel like a million dollars. I love her oversize patterns, elegance and intricacy, in a word – details. It reminds me of how I design my rugs for RUG ART time and again, with a lot of attention to details, i just love the idea of working that way.
In my designs I like to strike a balance and am always looking for a playful idea to include in my rugs. Herrera’s gowns employ sensual and playfulness and I love that it goes hand in hand. I may be inspired by many other sources but always keep in mind what my client is going to feel when he or she have my rugs in their homes. How it flatters their environment, the mood, style, I take my designs personally almost like designing a dress for myself and knowing myself well, I do not like to compromise. Herrera designs smart and beautiful, it takes precision, meticulous craftsmanship and lots of patience – an approach I feel is key in creating a product that makes people keep coming back to for more.
I love her design compositions, color combination, floral patterns, geometric, all well thought out designs that contribute not only to the overall look of the one who wears it, but also how it feel to have one on. A rug should be treated no less and I get the same vibes when i see a beautiful piece of rug art work in a room. A beauty not to be ignored. I would love to own one of her gowns and if not, would love even more to meet her some day and chat, I have a feeling she is a very down to earth person. I just admire her.
Patterns I can’t live without
Custom hand knotted in Nepal.
There are some patterns I can’t live without, like oversize geometric particularly in carpets. I love all patterns like abstract and floral (abstracts in rugs only not in paintings. I just shockingly surprised myself), but there’s something energizing about bold geometric design that simply “blows” a room and make it look visually enormous, they work in contemporary and traditional interiors. When I work on geometric design I get this whirling sensation, almost disoriented, as my eyes roll around the drawings, checking every line and form making sure it’s where it should be, so many angles and points going across, very different process than if I would design abstract pattern for example. Bold geometric look beautiful even through the lens and I love to fool around with photo shoot and trying different angles.
The other day I had the pleasure to indulge on a shipment we received for inspection, the rugs came out so beautiful I wanted to keep them all in every room in my house. Patterns like these always add such a sense of order you can’t walk on them without looking twice. We have new patterns at works as I write this post, most are oversize and one in a small geometric scale with a rugged feel to it, makes you overlook the size and focus on texture. I take risks because I love to experiment, it’s the only way i know if it works or not.
If you own a bold geometric pattern rug than you got most of what you need in a room to begin with, because you already have an instant glamour going on. You can always repeat geometric in other rooms and in different scales, it adds such an undeniable personality it makes you take another look.
City Blocks, hand knotted in Nepal. Made to order.
Hand knotted in Nepal. Made to order.
I’m obsessed now and am working on selecting bold geometric rug from our collection for my house, not sure which will win; my bedroom or living room…or dining…there’s so much to choose from and when it comes to choose something for myself - I am my worst client…
Now you know why i love them so much.
Check out more of our bold geometric patterns here
Art is in the detail
”What is art but a way of seeing?”
I’ve been working on a new rug collections for the past few months, i’d say about two collections coming up for spring 2013. I thought i’d be done by now and submit them for production but it seems that my eyes, and i blame my eyes only, are the reason why its taken forever to finish. You see, art is in the detail. It really what sums things up. When i design i take my time sometime too much of it, i look at every little detail, color, hair of fiber and its placement. Then the most critical moment that can make it or brake it - i judge my work like “does this design feels right?” or “isn’t it weird to blend hemp in this section?” or “man…what was i thinking?” - things like that, if i don’t have an answer i go with it. And most times i don’t have an answer. That being said, i follow my guts. Whatever excites me i go for it. Imagine being excited all the time, wouldn’t that be tiring? Ha. But not for me.
detail detail detail
I love the positive chaotic environment that’s around me…is there even such thing? anyway, i’m surrounded by details of my designs, rugs, fabric swatches, pictures, silk yarns, paint brushes, pencils…that sometimes i want to scream…you know…that feeling of exhilaration…those moments when you feel you’re exploding with ideas and it seems to me that my space is too small for my loud over loaded mind. Speaking of excitement…
I want to share some of my excitement with you, the colors i’ve been craving lately in this case – all the them. Fibers – all of them. Textures – bring it on. Isn’t that exciting? I hope you’re feeling it.
And these are only a few of the many things i’m working on right now, not to mention I want to draw them all…turn them into paintings…that’s a lot to do…i need to breath.
Expressing one’s creativity is like scrapbooking – it’s full of colors, patterns, ideas – stimulation of the creative mind, the icing on the cake…don’t you think?
Quote of the day
I stumbled upon this inspiring note late last night, when i checked my last emails before bed and i couldn’t stop but wonder:
This couldn’t be more straight forward. Why live ordinary life? Be exciting, take risks, make people wanna be you even for one day, do the unexpected. Bring your life to new heights.
Do you do something worth writing about?
