You may remember that back in March we attended the Wool Floor Show London in association with Campaign for Wool. As well as an insightful trend talk with designer, Jessica Light we were also given an introduction to some of the best in the world of wool flooring, with some brands creating exciting new carpets and rugs.
Long-standing flooring favourite, Roger Oates, is one brand showcasing how to use colour through flooring. The new collection from Roger Oates is a refreshing change from the usual cream and beige flooring you may be used to. Instead, vibrant clashes of colour have been used to create exciting patterns. Those who are bold with their interiors may use this to cover a whole room however we think it looks fantastic used as a stair runner.
The Eastern collection is influenced by – guess what – the East and takes inspiration from the pastel shades in cherry blossom season, volcanic landscapes, rich jade greens and the explosions of colour of Japanese lanterns and the cities they float away from.
Colour isn’t always the most important thing. Pattern can dramatically transform a scheme too. Stripes and chevrons have been a popular choice lately, showing how floorcovering brands are taking inspiration direct from the catwalk and fashion houses such as Missoni.
However, how about coming away from simply stripes and verticals and looking at alternative, bolder geometrics. Axminster Carpets‘ wonderful Kensington carpet range uses subtle colours, yet the print gives a city townhouse/Manhattan Upper East Side feel.
Barefoot Taj is a patterned carpet from Alternative Flooring. Taking inspiration from the Taj Mahal’s Mughal architecture, the flooring offers a unified, yet exotic feel.
Remember also how pattern on the floor can completely change the scale of a room. A hallway or staircase for example will tend to feature stripes to elongate the space and lead the eye down through the home or upwards.
If however you’re looking for a completely uniformed flooring, Brintons has collaborated with Timorous Beasties on a collection featuring delicate florals and insect motifs.
Yet amongst all the pattern and colour there is one element which truly is the most important. Texture. Flooring is going to get the most wear of the whole home, especially those rooms which receive a lot of traffic so it’s key to have a carpet which feels soft underfoot. Wool is of course the perfect material and it’s wonderful to see how these brands are using wool in such innovative ways. Flock Living really caught our attention. This floorcoverings brand mix wool with other natural fibres such as sisal and coir to create innovative carpets. By using plaiting and weaving techniques they produce tactile and textural floorings.
Innovative flooring from some fabulous brands. Three things to consider when thinking of flooring, the colour, the pattern, but most importantly, the texture. After all, you’ll be walking all over it so make sure it feels as good as it looks.
David & Mark x
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