The Design Process: Creating a New Bespoke Rug
Every bespoke rug begins with a new challenge! Recently, we created a bespoke knotted version of our Sonia and Sonya rug for the entrance hallway of wonderful clients in Scotland. We worked with them to change colours, shapes and proportions to fit with their requirements. We are so delighted with the result you will be able to find it within our rug collection very soon!
Our clients wanted their entrance hall to reflect the creativity, colours and shapes already found in their home, including the Papillon Console Table by Tom Faulkner and dynamic artwork hand painted directly on their walls. Rather than selecting a standard-sized rug, they commissioned a bespoke version of our Sonia & Sonya design, allowing every detail – from the proportions and colour palette to the construction – to be tailored specifically to their interior.
A Design Shaped by the Space
The Sonia & Sonya rug provided the perfect starting point. Its overlapping circular forms echoed the geometry of the artwork displayed in the hallway while offering the flexibility to be reimagined for the architecture of the space.
Initially, they hoped the rug could extend around a corner into a second hallway. After discussing the idea with our expert weavers, we discovered this wasn’t technically possible without compromising the structure of the rug.
One of the benefits of working directly with experienced rug designers is being able to explore these ideas before production begins. While we always try to fulfil our clients’ vision, we also believe great design is about balancing creativity with practicality.
Instead, we developed an alternative shape that achieved the same visual impact while ensuring the rug would last for many years.
Working from floor plans and photographs, we explored a number of layouts through digital visualisations, refining the composition until it felt completely integrated with the proportions of the hallway.
The original curved edge, where the design met the staircase, was replaced with a straight line to create a more comfortable transition underfoot. This architectural detail was repeated elsewhere within the composition, creating balance while ensuring the rug felt purposefully designed for its surroundings rather than simply adapted to fit.
One of the greatest advantages of commissioning a bespoke rug is that you’re never limited to what’s shown on our website. Almost every aspect of a design can be tailored, from the size and shape to the colours, materials and construction.
Developing a Bespoke Colour Palette
Colour is at the heart of every Sonya Winner rug, and developing the palette became one of the most rewarding stages of the project.
Our clients supplied the RAL references for their interior finishes, together with photographs of their artwork and console table. Using our library of more than 6,000 yarn colour poms, we selected colours that complemented these existing elements while considering how natural light would influence each tone throughout the day.
Some colours were matched exactly, connecting the design to the wider interior, and others chosen to create a harmonious complete palette.
Once approved, each colour was hand dyed by our master dyers using traditional pot-dyeing techniques before weaving began.
Handcrafted by Expert Weavers
Our clients chose a hand-knotted construction for its refined, low-profile finish, making it particularly well suited to a hallway while offering exceptional durability.
Using 100% New Zealand wool, every knot was tied by hand by our expert weavers before the rug moved through the finishing stages, where it was washed, stretched, trimmed and carefully inspected.
The result is a luxury handmade rug that combines traditional craftsmanship with a contemporary design language, created to be enjoyed for generations.
The Finished Bespoke Rug
The completed rug brings a new sense of cohesion to the entrance hall.
Its bespoke proportions respond naturally to the architecture of the space, while the carefully developed colour palette creates a visual connection between the artwork, the console table and the surrounding interior. The flowing circular forms introduce movement without overwhelming the space, allowing the rug to become an integral part of the overall composition.
One of the hallmarks of successful bespoke design is that it never feels imposed. Instead, it appears entirely at home within its surroundings, as though it could never have been created for anywhere else.
This project perfectly demonstrates the value of commissioning a bespoke handmade rug. By adapting an existing design through custom proportions, bespoke colours and hand-knotted craftsmanship, it was possible to create a piece that is unique to both the architecture of the home and the personality of the people who live there.
We are so delighted with the result you can now find it within our rug collection! See this Sonia and Sonya Rug colourway, with matching soft velvet cushions in Sets of 3 and Sets of 5.
View this Sonia and Sonya Rug
Whether adapting one of our existing designs or creating an entirely new composition, every bespoke rug begins with understanding the space, the people and the details that make a home unique.
If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke size or colour rug, or simply need help choosing the perfect design from our collection for you home, please contact us here or email enquiry@sonyawinner.com to speak with Sonya and her design team.
