Twilight Zone

-- Interior Design, 10/31/2009 12:00:00 AM

The gentle play of the rising and fading sun on water was just one of the inspirations for two new carpets from Fort Street Studio. Glimmering Dawn recalls just that—a bright body of water struck by the sun's new light. Glimmering Twilight is the inverse, evoking a darkening pool over which white and golden light twinkles as it fades.

Husband-and-wife team Brad Davis and Janis Provisor developed the wild-silk-and-gold-yarn designs from three different watercolors. Working with a higher knot count of 120 to 150 knots per line helped generate subtle color transitions that the studio had not previously achieved. For the gold yarn, Fort Street looked to the luxury of imperial times: The pair used the same manufacturer responsible for providing the precious thread used to recreate 18th-century carpets for the renovation of the Qianlong emperor's private quarters in China's Forbidden City. It's a fitting homage to this country's artisans, as these carpets mark a 10-year collaboration between the couple and the master weavers and craftsmen of Fort Street's workshop in Central China.

 

The hand-knotted pieces are available in two standard sizes: 8 by 10 feet and 9 by 12 feet. Custom sizes are also available. 212-925-5383; fortstreetstudio.com. circle 678