Flooring

Edited by Alexa Yablonski -- Interior Design, 7/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Design With Street Cred

One typical day, shuttling between tony Manhattan furniture galleries on behalf of private clients, designer Andrew Cinnamon chanced to pause amid all the sidewalk jockeying, taking voyeuristic delight in the hustle and bustle in which he usually played a part. "I became fascinated with street behavior—how people stop and gather or become obstacles to one another," he says. It was this energy that led to Negotiation, his first collection of 100-knot Nepalese wool rugs for Elson & Company.

Cinnamon's design research involved obsessively photographing everyday slips, trips, and collisions at intersections where man-made and natural elements, such as curbs and puddles, force people to adjust their course. "Prime examples of topographical disruption" ranged from the East Village, where he was "seduced by the grit" of gutters filled with party detritus, to the steps of Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building in midtown. A trained sculptor and architect, Cinnamon then surreptitiously made midnight latex casts of particularly interesting elements, intending to use them as the basis of rug patterns. "It's really a romance about ownership of the street," he explains of his choice of medium, which transforms something hard and unobtainable into a plush, ownable object for the indoors.

The weavers that Elson & Company employs near Kathmandu are, of course, key players in ensuring the rigorous craftsmanship of the hand-knotted rugs. The gentle dynamism between modern vision and old-world techniques is a guiding principle for the collection. "I've taken 21st-century situations and translated them, using another tradition, to make something new," says Cinnamon. For example, the off-center "T" that distinguishes 12/A varies in pile height to mimic the way water moves and pools at the corner of 12th Street and Avenue A. Such subtle shifts are exceedingly difficult to achieve, requiring the weavers to change rods multiple times each row, but the resulting sculpturality is remarkable in look and concept. 67 Murray Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10007; 800-944-2858; www.elsoncompany.com. circle 339

Look and Listen

Situated between the Palace of Westminster and Scotland Yard, Portcullis House—aka the New Parliamentary Building—was sure to attract notice simply by virtue of a prime London location. Designed by the award-winning Michael Hopkins and Partners, the structure's elegant and contextually appropriate facades, with sandstone columns and bronze air ducts, invite admiration. So does the interior of the building, which houses additional offices for members of parliament. Of special note, tapestries hung in a number of rooms soften the look and acoustical conditions of concrete panels and the other hard, contemporary materials that predominate. The artfully woven textiles hover just an inch from the wall, creating an air pocket that absorbs sound. Several of the commissioned designers, including Kate Blee and Allegra Hicks, joined forces with renowned rug maker Christopher Farr to produce their pieces. Blee's work hangs in a particularly acoustically sensitive location, a select-committee room, used to hear and weigh evidence. Tapestries by Hicks appear in the cafeteria and the members' dining room, helping to silence the din but not—we suppose—opposing political views. Christopher Farr, 748 North La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90069; 310-967-0064; www.cfarr.co.uk. circle 340

The Bright Stuff

The five introductions to Dune's rug collection have tons of pop appeal. Although the designs vary significantly, all embrace powerful pattern and vibrant color. The distinctive chicken scratch of Wires derives from designer Christopher Deam's attempts to draw a straight line—over and over again. The resulting strokes undulate, overlap, and ultimately entrance us. Slugs by Michael Solis features interlocking atomlike elements that vibrate in shades of red and orange. Dune founder and president Richard Shemtov got into the act with Invaders, based on the '80s video game. Rugs by Ross Menuez and Nick Dine are also available. 88 Franklin Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-925-6171; www.dune-ny.com. circle 341

New Nomads

The latest carpets by Azy Schecter were inspired by pattern details found in nomadic flat-weaves. These elements, however, have been altered, enlarged, and translated into hand-tufted New Zealand wool rugs whose dimensionality derives from a cut-and-loop construction. We especially like Spades, based on the border of a tribal rug, and Circles, with its charmingly irregular doughnut shapes. 477 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217; 718-222-8087. circle 342

 

 

 

 

 

 

C&A Floorcoverings

C&A Floorcoverings: The Cycle collection offers environmentally intelligent carpet tiles fabricated with BASF's Savant HRC nylon, which has a 50 percent minimum recycled content. The line consists of two coordinating nondirectional designs, Cadence (shown) and Sequence. 311 Smith Industrial Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30722; 706-259-9711. circle 343

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lees

Lees: A smart selection new to the Abaca tile collection, the Groove is constructed with long space-dyed yarn, and the resulting tone-on-tone striations add dimension. Custom alternatives to the 24-inch modular squares are available. 3330 West Friendly Avenue, P.O. Box 26027, Greensboro, NC 27420; 336-379-2000; www.leescarpets.com. circle 344

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fortune Contract

Fortune Contract: Three of the company's latest carpets are Survey, Criss Cross, and Retrospect. The latter updates '70s shag, rendering it in Solutia Ultron nylon and 17 colors. P.O. Box 2287, Dalton, GA 30722; 800-359-4508. circle 345

 

 

 

 

 

Bentley Prince Street

Bentley Prince Street: Herringbone seems very, well, staid—unless designer Suzanne Tick gets hold of it. For High Society, she took the traditional pattern and enlarged its scale to make a statement. We also love the sinkability of this deeply textured rug, which happens to look great paired with Au Courant, a solid with a subtly sparkling fleck. 14641 East Don Julian Road, City of Industry, CA 91746; 800-423-4709; www.bentleyprincestreet.com. circle 346

Max Impact

Max is a new program developed by Milliken Carpet specifically for the hospitality market. Quick-ship options abound for more than 250 of the most popular patterns, recently updated in a fashionable color palette. Designs from the company catalog are delivered within 7 to 14 days; color changes can be made at a minimum cost, with delivery in 14 to 21 days. Of course, custom options are also offered. Another Max perk: no minimum orders, which is ideal for hotels renovating on a floor-by-floor or room-by-room basis. Wink, Orbit, and Zoom can all be executed on a cut- or loop-pile base. 201 Lukken Industrial Drive West, LaGrange, GA 30240; 877-369-1502; www.millikencarpet.com. circle 347

 

 

 

Random Acts of Carpet

Embracing the art of chance, Shaw Contract has collaborated with the LauckGroup on a radical rethinking of a routine flooring option. The new Dressed2Kill collection comprises carpet tiles in six patterns and one coordinating texture. Patterned elements varying in size and shape make each piece seem unique, and the tiles are boxed at random. Because no two shipments are exactly the same, designers and architects are sure to produce inventive combinations. Says LauckGroup principal Brigitte Preston, "It's about creating emotion—not just another pattern or line of colors." 616 East Walnut Avenue, Dalton, GA 30722; www.shawcontract.com. circle 348

Rug Art

Rug Art: Silk yarn adds a slight shimmer to designer Vidal Sasson's newest pattern, Marseilles. 2600 Netherland Avenue, Suite 1822, Bronx, NY 10463; 718-432-8100; www.rug-art.net. circle 349

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endless Knot Rug Company

Endless Knot Rug Company: New to the company's traditional collection, Bijar in almond is a hand-knotted Tibetan and New Zealand Highland wool rug. It comes in standard sizes, from 5 by 7 feet through 10 by 14 feet, as well as in custom dimensions and colors. 105 H Street, Petaluma, CA 94952; 800-910-3000; www.endlessknotrugs.com. circle 350

 

 

 

Tufenkian Tibetan Carpets

Tufenkian Tibetan Carpets: The Variations collection from Barbara Barry includes Melody in citrine, featuring a 100-knot wool-and-silk construction and a delicately scripted border. 902 Broadway, New York, NY 10010; 212-475-2475; www.tufenkiancarpets.com. circle 351

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Weissman

Joan Weissman: An understated pattern of calligraphic marks and muted, undyed Tibetan yarn make Pen & Ink at once elegant and earthy. 3710 Silver SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108; 505-265-0144. circle 352

 

 

 

 

Utopian Dream

The Utopia collection by Angela Adams is not for those who believe that rugs should disappear quietly underfoot. Lovers of nature—and psycho-tropics—are sure to crave selections from this totally tripped-out line of hand-tufted New Zealand wool rugs. According to Adams: "Utopia is about creating a beautiful place, finding comfort and peace in a warm breeze, the sounds of birds, and the smell of moss in a lush forest. The experience of being there." The eight organic patterns look particularly punchy in acidic hues, while earthy palettes are pleasantly serene. 273 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101; 800-255-9454; www.angelaadams.com. circle 353

 

 

 

Bonar Floors

Bonar Floors: Vinyl flooring from the Polyflor Expona Art & Design collection replicates the look of wood, stone, or metal. 365 Walt Sanders Memorial Drive, Newnan, GA 30265; 800-852-8292. circle 354

Chilewich

Chilewich: Three sharp geometric patterns—dots, dashes, and squares—in five muted metallics have joined the Plynyl collection of flooring fabricated from woven vinyl bonded to cushioned polyurethane. 7 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016; 212-679-9204. circle 355

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Premium Wood Floors

Premium Wood Floors: This company's custom work includes elaborate decorative borders and medallions—but we're equally wowed by simple parquets such as Framed Block in red oak and Brazilian cherry. 121 31st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232; 888-369-3141; www.premiumfloors.com. circle 356

 

 

 

 

Artistic Tile

Artistic Tile: The Dimensional Metal collection's handcrafted tiles add sparkle to any room. The 13 available finishes include nickel satin and 14-karat gold. 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003; 212-727-9331; www.artistictile.com. circle 357

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going Global

For spring 2002, Odegard presented three collections inspired by very different sources. The rugs in Kyoto, which bears the influence of Japanese textiles, range from delicate and lovely to bright and lively. In the latter category, Simdu features patterned snippets translated from antique obis, kimonos, and futon covers. Bold Stripe is part of the Miami collection, infused with the colors and vibrancy of the Sunshine State's most stylish city. The third line, Cultural Narratives, offers subtly patterned rugs in a more muted palette. Created in collaboration with the Museum of International Folk Art in New Mexico, the collection elegantly assimilates elements from the museum's archival textiles. 200 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1206, New York, NY 10016; 212-545-0069; www.odegardinc.com. circle 358

Off the Wall

Known for wall coverings, Anya Larkin recently turned her attention to flooring. Instead of "updating something traditional or simply plunking an abstract expressionist painting on the floor," the designer says, she teamed up with M&M Design International to create a startlingly fresh collection of hand-knotted rugs in Tibetan wool and silk. Each pattern has an idiosyncratic narrative that's full of flair and whimsy. Although many of the designs were inspired by Japanese textiles and paintings, Larkin chose unusual motifs. Among our favorites are charming Rabbits, drawn from an antique kimono, and Stars, which she describes as a "dreamy midnight ride down the river." 226 Westbury Avenue, Carle Place, NY 11514; 516-876-8989. circle 359

Monterey Carpets

Monterey Carpets: Abstracts and Synchronize, introductions to the company's Techno collection of modular carpet tiles, are both multilevel loop patterns. They're constructed of DuPont XTI continuous-filament nylon. 3030 South Susan Street, Santa Ana, CA 92704; 800-678-4640; www.montereycarpets.com. circle 360

J&J Commercial

J&J Commercial: Specifically intended for senior housing and health-care settings, Living Solutions comprises six well researched flooring products. To develop them, the company examined the healing properties of colors and patterns that are easy on the eyes of the elderly. The carpets are also antimicrobial, anti-static, easy to clean, and available in 10 color families. P.O. Box 1287, Dalton, GA 30722; 800-241-4586; www.jjcommercial.com. circle 361

G.T. Design

G.T. Design: The Coconutrug Extra collection includes Passatoie runners displaying an incredible depth of color, thanks to yarns in two interlacing pure pigments. 1227 Calle Cerrito, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 805-682-4661; www.coconutrug.com. circle 362

Blue Ridge Commercial Carpet

Blue Ridge Commercial Carpet: The Nostalgia series includes three patterned loop carpet tiles constructed from 100-percent BASF solution-dyed Zeftron 2000 nylon. Playground is a large-scale organic; Shooting Stars is linear; and Summer Nights has a subdued ribbed texture. Available in 12 colorways. 1546 Progress Road, Ellijay, GA 30540; 800-241-5945; www.blueridgecarpet.com. circle 363

 

 

 

Interface Flooring Systems

Interface Flooring Systems: The company's latest random carpet tile addition is Frequency. We're particularly impressed by the saturated colors and the unusual, organic-geometric pattern. P.O. Box 1503, Orchard Hill Road, LaGrange, GA 30241; 706-882-1891; www.interfaceflooring.com. circle 364

 

 

 

Nanimarquina

Nanimarquina: The Sixties collection comprises three patterns, including a geometric gem, style B (shown). 4-6 Carrer Esglesia, 3er D, 08024 Barcelona, Spain; 34-932-376-465; www.nanimarquina.com. circle 365

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flawed Designs

Flawed Designs: We're wild for the cool color combinations and hip patterns, such as Quarters (shown), from this London manufacturer of woolen rugs. Podz Limited, Unit A4, 8-9 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU, U.K.; 44-20-7684-4808. circle 366

 

 

Nu

Nu: This sunburst kilim is just one of several stunning creations from Turkish designer Belkis Balpinar, Nu's current featured artist. 165 South Crescent Heights Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048; 323-655-5938; www.nucollection.com. circle 367