Trend : Unusual Shaped Rugs

CC Tapis Showroom, Milan Design Week
Photography ©AndreaBortolucci

Rugs have an extremely long and interesting history, as I discovered when I decided to share this post. They date back as far as ancient Egypt where they were made by hand on a loom. There are even references to rugs in the bible.

Nowadays, you can find rugs in most modern homes and they have become particularly popular in the last decade or so as homeowners have increasingly opted to rip up their carpets in favour of hard flooring such as wood, laminate, vinyl and tiles.

Buying a rug used to be a fairly simple task, with the main deciding factors being whether you wanted something plain or patterned, deep pile or something relatively flat. The choice today is nowhere near as straightforward.

In recent years, rugs have become more like a statement piece of artwork and are often displayed in settings that are more akin to a gallery than a simple shop. They often depict a complex narrative that can only be deciphered by taking a glimpse into the thought process of the designer.

CC Tapis Showroom, Milan Design Week
Photography ©AndreaBortolucci

These statement pieces have been getting more and more ambitious over the past few years as we have seen designers experimenting with increasingly innovative techniques.

It was around the time of Milan Design Week that I spotted a distinct trend for unusual shaped rugs. It would appear that rugs don’t just come in standard rectangle or circular shapes anymore. The standout rugs that have caught my attention are a lot more abstract in shape. And whilst they are still designed to be used on the floor, many of them would look equally at home hung up on the wall just like a piece of artwork.

The following selection of unusual shaped rugs is from the new collection by Italian rug manufacturer CC Tapis. The company was founded by Nelcya Chamszadeh and Fabrizio Cantoni in France who have been producing hand-knotted rugs in Nepal for over 18 years. In 2011 CC Tapis moved to Milan where the company is now based. These rugs were all on display in their showroom during Milan Design Week last month.

CC Tapis unusual shaped rug 1 — Ultimate Bliss Rug Designed by Mae Engelgeer

CC Tapis Unusual Shaped rug — Ultimate Bliss Rug Designed by Mae Engelgeer

The next selection of unusual shaped rugs that I would like to highlight is by Kasthall, a Swedish company, designing and producing rugs & textile flooring for the global interior design community. Designed by Lara Bohinc, internationally acclaimed British designer and founder of London based Bohinc Studio, the collection, From the Sun to the Moon, features rugs and wall hangings inspired by the serenity of Japanese rock gardens.

Kasthall West of the Sun rug by Lara Bohinc - unusual shaped rugs

West of the Sun – Rose

West of the Sun – Earth

Kasthall wall hanging by Lara Bohinc — North Pole – Earth

Next up, I spotted some really interesting rugs over on Rug Society. If you aren’t already aware of this company you should go check them out. There are lots of very statement, arty rugs available that won’t go unnoticed. The two I picked out for this post are Lucy and Mermaid.

You can always count on Made.com (affiliate) to come up with something trendy that won’t break the bank. Both these rugs are really eye-catching and I particularly like the colours used here.

Balico hand-tufted rug made.com - unusual shaped rug — Topaz rug

Broste Copenhagen is another brand dabbling in unusual shaped rugs. Broste is one of Scandinavia’s leading interior brands and the signature Nordic design style shines through in these new rugs.

And finally, there is this offering from AYTM in the form of the Flores rug. Designed by the Danish artist, Signe Kejlbo, Flores is in the shape of a delicate flower. It is created from different fabrics such as velvet, knitted cotton and thick soft wool, which give it a unique 3D look.