Flooring

Mark McMenamin -- Interior Design, 2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Hello, Dotty

Part of the Wiltonian series from Saxony Carpet Company, Jump explodes in a whiteout grid of dots set against either a black or tan ground. All 12 patterns are woven on 12-foot looms to facilitate both rug and broadloom applications, both featuring a wool warp, a cotton weft, and jute backing. Custom colors are available for larger projects, either residential or commercial, and coordinating borders are offered for rugs. The leather-covered ottoman is by Dakota Jackson.

Saxony Carpet Company, 979 Third Avenue, Suite 932, New York, NY 10022; 212-755-7100; saxcarpet.com. circle 331 Dakota Jackson, 979 Third Avenue, Suite 407, New York, NY 10022; 212-838-9444; dakotajackson.com. circle 332

Lady Sings the Blues

When Pablo Picasso painted through his legendary blue period, the somber images bore witness to an artist who obviously had a right to sing the blues. Fast-forward to the present, as Kate Korten finds herself immersed in a blue mood of her own, working on the Pulse series for Design Origins, the custom-pattern hospitality division of Shaw Industries.

But put away your handkerchief—you'll find no melancholy dripping from Korten's palette. Instead, her designs land somewhere between reimagined primitive and crisp modern. Organic shapes intertwine, while the tonal exchange between multiple blues delivers an illusion of movement.

The full Pulse range consists of four rugs, four medallions, 22 fields, and 10 borders. All have nylon facing and polypropylene backing, and they're available as dye-injection prints or "computer yarn placement" tufted products. The latter not only utilize Shaw's Eco Solution Q fiber, with its 25 percent recycled content, but also come with a 10-year warranty that the carpet will retain at least 90 percent of its pile.

185 South Industrial Boulevard, Calhoun, GA 30701; 888-448-7878; designorigins.net. circle 333

Sicis

Create a retro decal effect with the modish glass tesserae of Petites Fleurs, a group of tiles that owe their luster to a combination of selenium and cadmium. Saffron, poppy, and peony are among the 15 colors that appear beneath the semigloss surface. Not just spunky floor candy, these tiles are equally suitable for interior and exterior walls. 470 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013; 877-839-8900; sicis.com circle 334

Patterson, Flynn & Martin

As the season turns temperate, a young preppy's fancy turns lightly to thoughts of boat or beach. Enter Big Brooke, a carpet line influenced by the natty patterns and fresh colors of casual collegiate clothing. The highly textured carpets are woven of New Zealand wool, offered in five colorways. 979 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022; 800-833-0667; pfmcarpet.com. circle 335

Bev Hisey

Exotic Moroccan is actually made in India—from New Zealand wool. These Rugmark-certified hand-tufted carpets are offered in three sizes (3 by 8, 6 by 9, and 8 by 10 feet) and standard colors (including yellow and blue), plus custom ones (limitless). Orders take between eight and 12 weeks. 1066 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1W8, Canada; 416-703-3418; bevhisey.com. circle 336

Teragren Fine Bamboo Flooring, Panels, & Veneer

Pity the put-upon waiter, too swamped to appreciate the beauty of the Synergy flooring at his feet. Offered in java as well as wheat and chestnut, this strand bamboo is finished with six coats of aluminum oxide mixed with polyurethane—designed to withstand high traffic, even if it's just in the living room. 12715 Miller Road NE, Suite 301, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110; 800-929-6333; teragren.com. circle 337

To Market

Fear of identity theft has made the shredder as ubiquitous as the toaster, which might explain the comforting appeal of randomly textured Discovery. Part of the Atmosphere series by Fiori Hendron, this recycled rubber flooring features an interlocking design that eliminates the need for adhesives. Nine colorways available. 3844 NW Eighth Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73107; 866-772-4772; tomkt.com. circle 338

InterfaceFlor Commercial

Josef and Anni Albers helped establish the reputation of Black Mountain College in Asheville, North Carolina, as an incubator of modern art and design. Honoring that tradition is Black Mountain, from the Pond II nylon carpet-tile series, which also seems to riff on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Piet Mondrian. The tufted cut-and-loop construction comes in four colors. P.O. Box 1503, LaGrange, GA 30241; 800-336-0225; interfaceflorcommercial.com. circle 339

M&M Design International

You might sense medieval underpinnings in mosaiclike Deer, an addition to the Designer rug collection by wall-covering expert Anya Larkin. The Himalayan wool design, hand-knotted in Nepal, is offered in two colorways: Fall as well as blue-violet Winter. Choose either stock or custom sizes. 226 Westbury Avenue, Carle Place, NY 11514; 877-876-8758; mandmgallery.com. circle 340

Emma Gardner Design

Jewels in Sand's mingling of Chinese silk and Tibetan wool evokes deco exotica. The hand-knotted rug comes in walnut brown in addition to custom options. P.O. Box 1807, Litchfield, CT 06759; 877-377-3144; emmagardnerdesign.com. circle 341

Fort Street Studio

In an electronic age, Scratchpad evokes simpler times. An enigmatic quality emanates from the distressed grays of this hand-knotted rug, constructed of wild silk, with a cotton warp and weft. The pattern comes in four standard sizes or custom dimensions. 578 Broadway, Suite 506, New York, NY 10012; 212-925-5383; fortstreetstudio.com. circle 342

Tai Ping Carpets

The Palm Springs collection's 18 patterns of hand-tufted carpets are positioned as an homage to the golden age of the Rat Pack—but the bold graphics seem more influenced by California's crafts tradition. Shown in the yellow range, the carpets incorporate silk, flax, and wool, some of it semi-worsted. 860 Broadway, New York, NY 10003; 212-979-2233; taipingcarpets.com. circle 344

Mannington Commercial

For an earthier, more robust spin on minimalism, consider Make Waves modular carpet coordinates in three patterns: the wavering lines of Wired, the random ripple effect of Gnarly, and the woven web of Twisted. All are manufactured from Ultron nylon with Infinity Modular backing. P.O. Box 12281, Calhoun, GA 30703; 706-629-7301; mannington.com. circle 343

Rugs by Robinson

Blocks of vibrant color are served freestyle in Synergy, a star of the Sahar collection by Haynes Robinson. The hand-knotted rugs incorporate hand-spun virgin wool, with dyes from Persian fruit and flowers. The series also contains complementary patterns. Apadana Fine Rugs, 539 East Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob, CT 06807; 203-422-0700; apadanainc.com. circle 345

Kim

Mark Zeff evokes city streets in Grid Mat. Made of hand-dyed silk or wool, the ground is needlepoint; the pattern comes in either needlepoint or hand-tufted constructions. Together, the two create 40 color combos. Sacco Carpet, 520 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10012; 212-226-4344; saccocarpet.com circle 346

Fortune

The word holistic aptly describes this company's strategy of using common colors across assorted carpet patterns of Ultron nylon in cut/uncut loop constructions. Sharp is available in nine colors, Riata, Vintage, and Space Guy in 13. P.O. Box 2287, Dalton, GA 30722; 706-279-3669; fortunecontract.com. circle 347

Artistic Tile

Dovetailing—or perhaps cow-tailing—with the resurgence of hair-on-hide upholstery, these large-format tiles from the Pampa Leather collection are magnetized for installation without adhesive, so they can be moved around at whim. Equally suitable for floors and walls. 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003; 877-528-5395; artistictile.com. circle 348

Beauvais Carpets

If it's all Greek to you, find the key in Weavers Guild handwoven carpets. The tone-on-tone wool patterns capitalize on classic geometrics, blending flat weave and knotted pile. Available in custom sizes and colors. 595 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022; 212-688-2265; beauvaiscarpets.com. circle 349

New Moon Rugs

John Kurtz's Nouvel celebrates multigenerational style. Handmade in Nepal of hand-spun Tibetan wool, the rug features a layered coloring technique that really makes the oversize geometric forms pop. Available in five standard sizes, plus custom options. 1701 North Lincoln Street, Wilmington, DE 19806; 302-654-0442; newmoonrugs.com. circle 350

Brueton

This furniture manufacturer lands flat on the floor—with a debut rug collection partially created by, yes, a furniture designer, Stanley Jay Friedman. The launch includes St. Tropez, a hand-tufted wool pattern with the feel of pen-and-ink, as well as custom rugs and carpet. 145-68 228th Street, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413; 800-221-6783; brueton.com. circle 351

Durkan Hospitality

Lowly leaves take on an abstract life of their own in DuraFlex. Backed by Duralon, the 6-foot releasable carpet aims to deliver the flexibility of modular tile without forsaking the advantages of broadloom. The carpet surface's Ultron Renew nylon contains at least 50 percent postindustrial content. 405 Virgil Drive, Dalton, GA 30721; 800-241-4580; durkan.com. circle 352

Claudia Mills Weaver

Clever combinations of bold and pastel colors distinguish these Handwoven Rugs by Claudia Mills. Some designs are pure cotton, while others incorporate leather strips. Speaking of the latter: Take a look at her Handwoven Patent Leather series, too. 5 Brewer Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130; 617-524-5326; claudiamills.com. circle 353

Crossville

A study in asymmetry that nonetheless finds balance, Buenos Aires Mood porcelain tiles come in three textures, all suitable for both commercial and residential applications. The five colorways are white-on-white Polo, camel-colored La Boca, gray-beige Pampa, chocolate, taupe, and ivory Recoleta, and, naturally, gold-red Tango. P.O. Box 1168, Crossville, TN 38557; 800-221-9093; crossvilleinc.com. circle 354

Asha Carpets

If you're looking for Big Cotton Balls, don't check the medicine cabinet—these are best kept on the floor. The hand-knotted white-on-natural carpet from the Elements collection blends hand-spun and machine-spun wool with silk, which contributes an eye-catching sheen. 94-98 Nassau Avenue, Suite 360, Brooklyn, NY 11222; 914-645-1262; ashacarpets.com. circle 355

Donghia

Utilizing Sunbrella solution-dyed acrylic for maximum performance in the elements, Eden, from the Oasis series of indoor-outdoor textiles, is 47 inches wide with a 24-inch horizontal repeat and a 25-inch vertical repeat. Choose one of 13 colors. 256 Washington Street, Mount Vernon, NY 10553; 800-366-4442; donghia.com. circle 356

Odegard

Natural imagery and soft-focus tones add up to tranquillity in Paul Mathieu's Oak Leaves II runner of Himalayan wool: hand-carded, hand-spun, hand-knotted. Select from several colorways, including Elm, and from standard and custom sizes. 200 Lexington Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016; 212-545-0069; odegardinc.com. circle 358

Warp & Weft

Fans of preserved flowers, painstakingly pressed in old books, will be fascinated by Sarika-Vermillion. This handwoven rug from the Lhasa collection depicts lilies, dahlias, and spider mums in vibrant vegetable-dyed Himalayan wool. Here, vermilion and golden sand create a stunning interplay. 145 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016; 212-481-4949; warpandweft.com. circle 357

F.J. Hakimian

Like patio tiles faded from years of sun, this addition to the Custom Carpet collection is dominated by variegated greens. Helix-Celadon boasts a Swedish pile and flat-weave construction, with wool woven on a cotton foundation. The design is made to measure. 136 East 57th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022; 212-371-6900; fjhakimian.com. circle 360

Michaelian & Kohlberg

Despite its name, abstract Siam taps into the Western tradition of patchwork quilts. The rug is part of Teddy Sumner's American Primitive collection, comprising 15 hand-spun patterns that feature hand-carded wool and natural dyes. Available in both standard and custom sizes. 225 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022; 212-431-9009; michaelian.com. circle 359

Van Der Hurd Studio

Asian simplicity and an updated naturalism join forces in Twigs, with its pale salmon ground. The wool carpet is manufactured in India and offered in two constructions: all cut pile and a combination of cut pile and flat weave. 260 Fifth Avenue, Suite 11, New York, NY 10001; 212-213-6541; vanderhurdstudio.com. circle 362

Marazzi Group

Forest Impressions porcelain tiles take their tonal cues from leaves, ferns, and lichen. Dappling and speckling lend a natural feel to Forest Green, paired with a steel border. Other color options are Forest Beige and Forest Noce. 359 Clay Road, Sunnyvale, TX 75182; 972-232-3801; marazzitile.com. circle 361