Studio News
New 2023 Designer Rug Launch Santorini Sunset
A second collaboration with the KLC x Sonya Winner Rug Design Competition
An exciting collaboration took place between Sonya Winner Rug Studio and KLC Interior Design School who joined forces to organize a contemporary rug design competition.
This competition offered the opportunity for students from KLC to work alongside Sonya to their rug design to life as a luxury rug. Earlier in the year, we launched the first successful contemporary rug design by student Alice Hislop with The Lichen Blue Orange Rug and The Lichen Greige Rug. Now we are delighted to announce the latest addition to our contemporary rug collection created in collaboration with Cheryl Sanders, the Santorini Sunset rug.
The KLC School of Design students were given the task to craft a contemporary rug for Susan, a fictional character’s loft-style room within her modern home.
Susan, aged 58-65, is an artist and owner of an art gallery. Her vibrant and lively personality is reflected in her colorful and playful style. Located in Hampstead, a renowned artistic and culturally rich neighbourhood in London, Susan is immersed in an environment teeming with creativity and theatrical residents. She effortlessly balances her playful nature with a professional and business-oriented mindset, thriving in diverse and artistic circles. Susan’s interests encompass art, discovering emerging talent, nature, travel, and exploration.
The living room below is an interpretation of Susan and her Interior design aesthetic:
Cheryl’s contemporary rug design proposal showcased a captivating array of modern rug designs, drawing inspiration from Greek culture and the vibrant color palettes found on the Greek islands. Her modern rug designs were influenced by the allure of Greek Goddesses, the intricate patterns of sundials, and the breath-taking sunsets of Santorini.
Sonya’s deep-rooted love for the Greek Islands made Cheryl’s contemporary designs particularly resonate, especially her sixth sketch (displayed below). The geometric shapes in this design beautifully echo the iconic architecture of the Cycladic buildings, resulting in a luxury rug design that also embraces rich, warm hues that capture the essence of the Greek Islands’ magnificent sunsets.
When it came to the colour palette for this modern rug, Cheryl’s strong understanding of the clients desires and requirements are balanced perfectly.
Cheryl viewed the colour selection from an artistic perspective, taking into consideration how the colours within her contemporary rug design will interact with the rest of the client’s room. This way of thinking is similar to Sonya’s design process, and immediately stood out as a key component within Cheryl’s presentation.
Here, Cheryl explains the reasoning behind the colour selection in relation to the brief:
“Bold colours are invigorating, inspiring and uplifting. They play an important part in how we feel about a space, and in how we interact with a space. In designing a rug for Susan’s living room / work space the colours chosen were soothing, warm, cosseting colours whilst equally invigorating and uplifting. A look that would allow Susan to come into the room and feel energized, and motivated, whilst allowing enough space for thought and reflection, a space where nothing would compete for centre stage, but simply allow creativity to run wild.”
The creation of The Santorini Sunset Rug.
After Cheryl Saunders was selected as one of the 2 winners of the Sonya Winner Studio x KLC School of Interior Design competition, we began developing this design with Cheryl to bring it to life as a luxury rug. With Sonya and her design teams keen understanding of modern rug design, we evolved and refined Cheryl’s initial concept to produce a luxury rug design that could be introduced to our Contemporary Rug Collection. After the artwork had been finalised, our skilful artisan weavers began work on the complex process of crafting the design.
The inspiration for the name ‘Santorini Sunset’ originates from the world-famous Greek Island of Mykonos, nestled within the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. This new inspirational luxury rug design proudly showcases the distinctive shapes within Cycladic architecture: Drawing upon the island’s rich heritage, the iconic cubic shapes, clean lines, and minimalist aesthetic that have become synonymous with the island’s architectural style.
In the creative process, Sonya carefully extended certain shapes, deviating from the conventional rectangular form, and embracing an irregular outline, reminiscent of the cubic Santorini landscape. This thoughtful adaptation captures the essence of Santorini and adds a touch of uniqueness to the rug’s overall design. The irregular rug shape is also a signature design feature of the Sonya Winner contemporary rug collection.
Santorini sunsets are renowned for their stunning exhibition of vibrant and captivating colors. As the sun descends, the island’s distinctive white-washed buildings undergo a captivating metamorphosis, transitioning into a spectrum of bluer tones that cast enchanting shadows. The iconic blue-domed churches, reminiscent of sapphire gemstones, add an exquisite touch to the scene. Inspired by this, Sonya and her design team meticulously curated a new color palette infused with these vibrant tones. The Santorini sky at dusk undergoes a breath-taking transformation, resembling a kaleidoscope of hues, including shades of orange, pink, and purple. These colours create a magical and majestic ambiance that Sonya and Cherly embraced and incorporated into this new new designer rug.
The final result is a new contemporary rug design titled ‘The Santorini Sunset’ – a beautifully bold modern carpet that has transformative power. This luxury rug design will havea striking impact in your home flooding it with positive warm colours and bold desig. It also will transports you back to the times and locations that evokes warm memories of tranquil holiday evenings, embracing you with a sense of joy and relaxation. This designer rug seamlessly brings the essence of architectural and beauty and natures warmth indoors, infusing your home with warmth style and sophistication.
Welcome the allure of ‘Santorini Sunset Rug’
Let the captivating presence of this irregular designer rug breathe new life into your living space. Whether you place it in a cozy reading nook, a vibrant artist’s studio or an elegant living room, this contemporary carpet design will become the centrepiece that sparks conversation and ignites creativity. With its harmonious blend of artistic vision, architectural inspiration, and luxurious craftsmanship, this designer rug invites you to embark on a journey of interior elegance.
The Santorini Sunrise rug is an additional colour-way to the Santorini Rug series. Santorini sunrises are known for their calming, soft color palette, reflecting the birth of a new day – a new beginning, across the Cycladic landscape and Aegean Sea. This contemporary rug design features gentle pastels of oranges, yellows, and purples, echoing the colours of sunlight bouncing off the Cycladic architecture.
Both the Santorini Sunset rug and Santorini Sunrise rug are a result of Cheryl’s and Sonya’s love for the Greek Islands at their most spectcular times of day; ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Sunset’.
If these rugs have inspired you to transform your home do request a free visualisation and we will show you how they will look in your space before you purchase – see here.
Do explore the rest of our Vibrant Contemporary Rug Collection here, and bring the warmth of the Santorini sun into your home now.
