Contemporary designer rugs

Calvin Klein, Nanette Lepore and Tommy Hilfiger are just examples of great names who became interested in designing luxurious rugs, whether buttoned-down or whimsical, neutral or bold, staid or humorous. Such carpets could be considered crème de la crème of contemporary woven art, considering their great quality and beauty of design. Here at Doris Leslie Blau Gallery, in the very heart of New York City, we have also partnered with some of the most creative and well-known fashion designers in the world to create truly special new designs to reflect the unique fashion sensibility of our clients. Work with some of the most talented designers in the world was a privilege and we are proud to show our clientele the results of this collaboration. For many people there is little to no difference between a regular rug and a designer one. Some would think that it doesn’t matter which one you pick, but there are in fact some differences that could make designer rug a better or worse pick.

Antique and Oriental rugs are cherished for their classic beauty, created by centuries of tradition and expertise. Although contemporary designer rugs do not have such a long history, they posses something that no other type of rugs do – flexibility. Modern rugs are diverse enough to fit into any kind of house. During your search for a perfect rug you will come across many wonderful types of contemporary carpets – like for an example abstract rugs – but few are as brave as professional designers are, when it comes to patterns. They are the only ones who can make the most bizarre color combinations look stylish, thanks to the years of expertise and a keen eye. Sometimes designing such a piece of art might take days if not weeks, but at the times a spur of inspiration is enough to make a masterpiece. Designers are aided in their task by traditional techniques and materials, which help them to create a rug that is truly unique amongst many identical products available on the market. Such a work is not an easy one, but definitely pays off.

Designer of both fashion and interiors often experiment with their materials and color palettes in order to set new trends, but more often than not they come back to the roots in order to find inspiration. Many of their rugs were actually inspired by the masters of old, so it is not uncommon to see a beautiful classic Tabriz pattern repurposed for more modern interiors. Designers play with tradition and art in order to create something that is completely new and fresh. As a society we considerably broadened our tastes and are more willing to experiment, so designers had to follow suit in order not to stay behind. By creating new contemporary and custom carpets, artists and artisans are able to serve the discerning client regardless of how varied their tastes. Designer rugs can be easily distinguished by their exquisite elegance, visible in every inch of their pile, but also by great quality of their weave. After all a respectable designer would never deliver a product that is below their standards, despite what some might think.

Thanks to the rapid changes in our society, right now we are witnessing one of the biggest cultural and aesthetic revolutions in history. Trends and fashions change fast, so that each year we can indulge in something completely new and different. That is no easy task for designers, but despite the odds they continue to surprise us. Thanks to their experimentations, we’ve been introduced to for an example plant fibers, which are now commonly used as a rug material. A few years ago nobody would thought of utilizing hemp in weaving, but thanks to the approach of a few brave designers it is quickly gaining popularity. Made of specific kind of the cannabis plant, that grow extremely fast in any kind of climate and terrain, hemp carpets are very and easy to make, not to mention very fashionable!

Doris Leslie Blau’s collection of designer rugs has no equals in its richness. Thanks to our vast net of contacts, we manage to keep in touch with some of the most famous name in design industry. Nanette Lepore designed an exuberant work in a bright tropical shades, which features a field of luscious Peacock feathers, invoking the image of an opulent palace. Kim Alexandriuk evokes traditional tribal patterns but assembles them with a more modern sensibility, while also doing a riff on traditional Berber rugs by modern mélange of rectilinear and curved shapes while using their traditional materials and style of weaving. Tommy Hilfiger designed two rugs for us, a Tibetan and Aubusson inspired pieces, which wee modernized with a chain pattern in the case of the Tibetan and a red-bordered field of ship’s wheels used in the Aubusson. Ann Getty and Associates, works greatly with a traditional floral pattern, rejuvenating it with exuberant coloration and the non-standard arrangement of color and form. Other renowned and well-known designers who have created patterns for our collection include: Mariette Himes Gomez, Amy Lau, Miles Redd, Bunny Williams, Cullman & Kravis, Carey Maloney & Hermes Mallea, M (Group), Brett Beldock, Buzz Kelly, Lucca & company, and our very own, Doris Blau, among many others. Working with every and each of them was a great adventure and an unique opportunity to learn how the minds of great artists of our generation work. What for some might seem obvious, was not so for them – every element of pattern, every color had its own place in the grand scheme to finally create a truly memorable composition that is bound to charm even the most demanding collectors and carpet afficionados.