Robert Motherwell and MidCentury Modern Expressionist Art
July 25, 2024
Our Top 10 Scandinavian Kilims: All-Time Favorites from the First-Ever Program by Rug & Kilim
July 26, 2024Scandinavian design seamlessly merges functionality and aesthetics, creating a universal appeal that permeates art, design, and the fashion industry.
Copenhagen Fashion Week and Stockholm Design Week are a clear demonstration of this belief, leading the way in sustainable and intentional designs in the fashion and design industries. These events also bring Swedish design to the attention of interior designers, artists, and design professionals everywhere.
According to the Swedish Design Museum, which was established online in 2017, this unique style is rooted in the value of equality. For Scandinavians, design and creativity hold great significance socially, culturally, and aesthetically, reflecting their progressive values and dedication to an inclusive society. The influence of Scandinavian design extends beyond the region, playing a key role in shaping distinct design and art movements globally.
The Scandinavian term “hygge,” centered on creating spaces and lifestyles that favor serenity and comfort, took the design world by storm. This trend manifested through best-selling books in The New York Times, and an array of home decor products, all focusing on bringing this concept into daily life. While this term may not dominate a typical designer dialogue today, its enduring influence on interiors, antique rugs, vintage rugs among other area rugs, and design, remains indisputable.
An interior space mirrors a preferred lifestyle, and what better representation of a calm personality than a Scandinavian aesthetic that has been evolving everyday over the past 100 years. Every designer adds a part of their unique aesthetic to Swedish sensibilities but it still stands on its principles of functional and comfortable aesthetics that Swedish modernism of the 20th century stood on.
Our take on Swedish rugs, kilims and flatweaves, for example, include adapting their geometric patterns to large contemporary rug sizes, new textures, a wider range of colors and a more refined, yet comfortable fashion that still speaks to their intentions. Our flatweave’s more durable, weighted body is also a hallmark of the collection, made for high-traffic and heavy-furniture spaces.
This, alongside several elements detailed here, represent R&K Principal Jahanshah Nazmiyal’s hope to honor this mid-century modern aesthetic. His Scandinavian Collection is a contribution to that style, and a renaissance for its designs with more comfortable, current techniques.
Our collection’s “Marta Stripe” design, inspired by renowned Swedish weaver Marta Maas-Fjetterstrom, won “Best Traditional Design” award at the 2016 Carpet Design Awards at Domotex. Jahanshah Nazmiyal claims these as “the best flatweaves in the history of mankind,” emphasizing their thickness, reversibility, and comfort, and calling Scandinavian rugs as “a new language in design”.
Along with our vision, we bring to you our most favorite designers who styled iconic spaces, adding a part of their own to their designs, yet honoring the timeless Scandinavian tradition.
- Studio B. Rose Lane X Rug & Kilim
No one knows how to add a vibrant colorway in a modern space yet keep comfort at the nucleus, better than the award winning designer Betsy Wentz, founder of Studio B Interior Design. The project ‘Rose Lane’ was no exception. As the author of ‘Design Happy’ she also adds this prestigious project in her book, this being a modern space that homeowners would absolutely love, given the vibrant color palette, functionality, artworks and a clandestine affair with our Scandinavian style custom flat weave rug.
Our geometric Scandinavian rug featured in the project is a modern feat of stripes and geometric patterns in the cool hues of blue and beige, adding further personality to the room by complementing usage of different shades of blue used throughout the space.
- Story Street Studio – Charlotte, NC X Rug & Kilim
Featured in the Luxe Southeast Magazine May 2023 issue, as the home defined by color and personality narrating a comfortable and personal story, Story Street Studio added our bold geometric Swedish flat weave rug in a color palette of blue and brown, transforming every corner into an inviting space. We are built on a foundation of our client relationships and trust, and find every reason to honor them. This emotion was brought to life by our Editor, Violet Gene Sciandra, who had the privilege of overseeing this prestigious project from the very beginning to the end and also forging a connection for life.
- Carrier & Company X Rug & Kilim
Mentioned as one of the most livable spaces, with unique and soft colors adding an air of luxury to this home, in the latest monograph titled ‘Defining Chic’ published by Carrier & Company. Featured on the Luxe Magazine Cover issue, this prestigious Hampton project houses two of our rugs with simple geometric patterns and cool colors, making the space much more modern and comfortable.
The first two pictures feature our unique Scandinavian style custom kilim rug exudes phenomenal textural beauty—complementing its unique blue and white geometric pattern for a soothing sense of movement. The third picture showcases our second featured Scandinavian style custom rug which perfectly complements the aura of the naturally lit space.
- Nina Farmer Interiors X Rug & Kilim
Nina Farmer Interiors has created a masterpiece within the boundaries of a personal office in a Boston home, a project celebrated in her book ‘Timeless by Design’. The room exudes warmth, largely attributed to the interplay of blue hues and carefully curated lighting. The design strikes a harmonious balance, ensuring that the striking artwork remains the focal point, while the overall structure provides a canvas for creativity.
This room is a testament to the evolution of ideas and growth, both for the space itself and the collaborative effort of Nina Farmer Interiors, resulting in an enriched environment that seamlessly marries symmetry with intriguing asymmetry. The 1stDibs Top 50 designer partnered with us for the iconic Scandinavian Marta Stripes rug for which our Principal, Jahanshah Nazmiyal was also awarded the ‘Best Traditional Design’ award in 2016.
- Studio 251 Lakefront Cabin, Vermont X Rug & Kilim
Studio 251 has delivered a remarkable lakeside cabin project exemplifying a sense of calm and sophistication. The warm wood tones, coupled with an impressive array of sculptures, art pieces, and even a telescope, create a space that balances aesthetic appeal with intellectual curiosity. This project stands as a testament to the seamless blend of warm and cool tones, resulting in a thoroughly modern yet inviting atmosphere.
The living and dining areas, each graced by its own unique Scandinavian rug, adds purpose and character to every corner. The Swedish geometric kilim rug featured in the first picture is from the inventive “Nu” texture in Rug & Kilim’s award-winning Scandinavian flat weave collection. The second Scandinavian kilim rug featured in the living area with a boucle-like texture of blended yarns, is also from the inventive “Nu” texture.
- Studio B Pennsylvania Retreat X Rug & Kilim
Betsy Wentz of Studio B showcases her exceptional design acumen in this Ohio getaway project, originally featured in a 2022 House Beautiful article and later honored in her book, ‘Design Happy’. The design exudes modernity while embracing a blissful rustic charm, a blend that epitomizes Wentz’s unique style. Notably, our Scandinavian geometric kilim rug serves as a unifying element with its universal movement and impeccable symmetry, seamlessly harmonizing with the spaces of dining area, couch, coffee table and other present spaces.
It’s a testament to Wentz’s mastery of color that she effortlessly incorporates vibrant hues, creating an atmosphere that is both lively and inviting.
- Story Street Studio – Bozeman, Montana X Rug & Kilim
This spectacular project, featuring our modern Swedish flat weave geometric rug meticulously tailored around the fireplace, was prominently showcased in the 2023 Big Sky Home Issue, highlighting its unique significance in the Bozeman, Montana area. The designed space seamlessly marries warm mustard and brown tones with the inviting allure of rich wood colors, creating a harmonious union with the natural surroundings. The furniture’s organic presence further enhances the luxurious ambiance, characterized by an abundance of rounded surfaces. Geometric elements, both in decor and on the walls, breathe life into the space.
The transition from wall to floor is a masterclass in natural flow, while a striking pink couch takes center stage emphasizing the fusion of comfort and style. Meanwhile, the fireplace image, a second focal point, underscores the design’s ability to create an inviting and personal environment.
- Carrier & Company – Connecticut Retreat X Rug & Kilim
Carrier & Company’s Connecticut home project, as featured in Architectural Digest and their latest monograph ‘Defining Chic’, stands out as a striking testament to bold design. This design features the smart and confident use of the blue palette, creating a space that exudes both comfort and audacious style. The harmonious interplay of light and dark shades within the blue spectrum achieves a remarkable balance, resulting in a room that is both inviting and visually comfortable.
The deliberate incorporation of multiple patterns, from the mild striations in furniture to our solid Scandinavian geometric kilim rug, showcases a keen eye for detail. Every inch of this space is thoughtfully adorned with mindful patterns, contributing to an overall ambiance of plush comfort. This project serves as a sterling example of how boldness and comfort can work in tandem, resulting in a space that is irresistibly cozy.
- Phoebe Howard X Rug & Kilim
Phoebe Howard’s 2023 project stands as a defining moment in the design world, bringing forth the green trend forecasted for the year 2023. Howard’s legendary talent is showcased in this masterful display of biophilic design, where nature seamlessly merges with the interior space. Through astute use of matching wallpaper, our Swedish kilim rug with geometric patterns in green, beige-brown and blue, and the surrounding natural environment, a profound connection between inside and outside worlds is forged, evoking a sense of spiritual resonance.
This fresh infusion of green throughout the space is a mindful tribute to nature’s roots. The result is a harmonious blend of tradition and new traditionalism, bearing Howard’s signature style that champions the beauty and vitality of the natural world.
- Marshall Watson Interiors X Rug & Kilim
The most important things in life are not things, but the people we share it with. This is not just a core belief of Scandinavians, but also the major sentiment behind this project. This project was designed in honor of our Principal Jahanshah Nazmiyal’s long standing friendship with Marshall Watson. This unique texture introduced by our Principal who devoted his life to Scandinavian designs, was named in honor of our colleague as Watson Yarns’, which he also focussed upon in one of his weekly traditions of ‘Mondays with Marshall’.
This Scandinavian rug is the first major representation of this mid-century modern style in handwoven silk, and a luxurious contemporary look. This particular construction takes dye in a whole new way, and offers a stunning metallic sheen to the colors.
Explore our Scandinavian Collection (over 1000 SKUs) here >>
