Studio News
New 2023 Designer Rug Launch: The Lichen Rug
In 2021, we partnered with KLC Interior Design School and launched a contemporary rug design competition. The result is a new modern rug design, created in collaboration of KLC student Alice Hislop and Sonya, available in two colours and bespoke options.
The competition brief was to design a contemporary rug for Susan, a fictitious person who has a loft-style room in her modern home. Susan is a 58-65-year-old artist/art gallery owner with a colourful and playful style. She lives in Hampstead, a London neighbourhood known for its artistic and thespian inhabitants. Susan is playful yet professional and business-oriented, and she moves in artistic and multicultural circles. Her interests include art, discovering new talent, nature, travelling, and exploring.
Here is an interpretation of Susan and her Interior design aesthetic:
Alice’s presentation demonstrated the in-depth thought processes and workings that we value when designing new pieces at our studio.
Below Alice describes her process:
“The main source of inspiration came from the concept of ‘Structural Fluidity’, exploring the unique and organic structures which can be found within the natural world. This developed a particular interest in the repetitive and flowing structures of wild mushrooms, fungi and lichen, and the range of colours in these organic natural forms. I felt that a rug based on these natural wonders would create an abstract and unique design that would suit the client, her space and work well within the Sonya Winner Rug Collection.”
The shape and colour scheme were guided by the clients existing space and furniture, as well as by Alice’s inspiration images. Alice selected a mixture of muted purples, pinks and neutrals as her final colou scheme. The style of the contemporary rug submitted was abstract, fluid and organic and aimed to be a real feature of the room adding interest, texture and colour whilst bringing all elements of the space together.
The creation of the Lichen Rug Design series.
After selecting Alice Hislop as the winner of the Sonya Winner Studio x KLC School of Interior Design competition, Sonya and her team of creatives began working on bringing Alice’s design to life. Using our expertise knowledge in modern rug design, we evolved and refined Alice’s initial concept to produce a luxury rug design that could be handwoven and included in our Contemporary Rug Collection.
Sonya and the design team revisited Alice’s research phase of her design process and focused on the organic shapes of fungi and lichens that had inspired her. We explored a slightly new direction by emphasizing the rhythmic, flowing, curvaceous designs and patterns found in the world of lichens, drawing inspiration from their gem-like colours and shapes.
Upon delving deeper into the world of lichens, we were fascinated to discover that they cover 8% of the planet’s surface, an area larger than that covered by tropical rainforests! Lichens are highly sensitive to air pollution, so in areas where the air is clean, larger and more abundant lichens are found, while in areas with poor air quality, lichens are fewer and smaller. This makes large, abundant lichens a sign that the air is clean.
With over 18,000 species of lichens worldwide, of which 3,600 can be found in North America alone, we found an extraordinary range of stunning contrasting colors and shapes when researching images of lichens. These images served as the primary inspiration for our new organic rug design series. Take a look at some of our most inspiring lichen research images below:
Trametes versicolor
The end result, titled ‘The Lichen Rug’, is a stunning contemporary rug design that showcases a new level of weaving complexity now available in 2023. This modern design is a spectacular representation of high-quality, ethical craftsmanship, where each stage is hand crafted by our artisanal weavers.
In January 2023, during a visit to our artisanal weaving teams in India, Sonya worked directly with our weavers to perfect the final sculpting of the pile levels. The 3D elements of this designer rug represent a new level of skill and intricacy in weaving, resulting in a luxurious rug that not only pleases the eye but also delights the sense of touch.
This contemporary rug design features gentle, flowing forms that aim to soften the hard surfaces commonly found in modern interiors. With its whimsical nature-inspired design, this designer rug adds a sense of rhythm and flow to your space, setting it apart from typical rugs that feature geometric patterns commonly found in modern décor. Available now in two distinct colors, this designer rug is sure to enhance your living space.
The Lichen Blue Orange Rug:
This electric colourway is the perfect marriage between a range of blues; baby blue, navy blue, violet blue, cobalt blue, lapis lazuli, and a vibrant blue alongside a pop of bright warming orange.
Pair this blue rug with ‘Juniper Ash’ wall paint from Little Green to create depth, sophistication and a gentle energy flow within your room, reminiscent of the tranquil seas and oceans. Alternatively let this large wool area rug inspired by nature be a focal point by surrounding it with farrow and Ball’s ‘Cabbage White’, which has a slightly hint of blue to achieve the perfect calming balance of colour in your interior.
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The Lichen Greige Rug
This beautifully subtle colourway is the perfect marriage between warm and cool greys with a highlight of creamy white lines.
Pair this grey rug with Cool Arbour, French Grey and Cerviche wall paints from Little Green to create depth, sophistication and a gentle energy flow within your room. Alternatively let this large wool area rug inspired by nature be a focal point by surrounding it with Little Green’s Gauze, which has a slightly hint of blue within its grey tones to achieve the perfect calming balance of colour in your interior.
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We have also explored other color options for this contemporary rug design, which are available upon request. Additionally, if you have a specific color in mind, we welcome bespoke color references and can accommodate accordingly on rugs that are 6 sqm or bigger.
