I've Designed a Rug Collection

Meet my three designs for Pelican House that launch today

So happy I can introduce you properly to my three rug designs for Pelican House today because they’re now offically live and out there ready to (hopefully!) make their way into people’s homes.

I started working on this project with Pelican House in the Spring of last year and it’s kind of surprised me how much I loved it. Of course I was excited by the idea of it when we first started discussing the project but I didn’t yet know I was going to vibe quite so hard with rugs as I did! I was really lucky to work very closely with India, Pelican House’s Creative Director throughout the process who is a bit of a magician and was able to take my ideas, hopes, dreams, rubbish descriptions and random sketches and turn them into a beautiful reality. It’s nerve-wracking too because you’re going off a small ‘pom’ of wool for colour references and hoping it turns out right on a 2 metre rug… whole new prcoess for me. But with lots of tweaking and Pelican House’s expert knowledge and undertanding of the craft we got there and I’m so happy with how they all turned out.

All the rugs are ethically handmade by incredibly skilled artisans in India and Nepal. Pelican House partner with Label Step, a non-profit organisation committed to fair trade and the wellbeing of weavers and workers in the handmade carpet industry, and and Good Weave, an organisation dedicated to ensuring no child labour, fair pay and safe working conditions.

You all know that cosy feeling of being truly at home and at ease is my ultimate stamp of a room/house/space I want to spend time in and of course a great rug is a key part in creating that softness and warmth. When thinking about inspiration, I wanted to hone in even more on that feeling and draw on the places that have that same ‘and breathe’ feeling I get when I get back home at the end of every day. Those three places, havens I know I can always escape to to feel like me again are the English Countryside, the Welsh Coastline and the Greek Islands so let me introduce you to the gang.

Nisi

‘Nisi’ translates to island in Greek and surprise surprise is inspired by an ultimate favourite place to run away to; the Greek Islands. I don’t need to bang on about my love for Greece or my certified Hellenophile status to you guys, you know it’s a big inspiration in pretty much everything I do in or design these days. From that first girls trip aged 18 to Zakynthos to getting married on Andros three years ago, those Greek islands hold a huge amount of memories and moments for me.

I’ve always loved Neoclassical patterns and architecture like the Greek key so that had to get in there and the little naive drawings of fish you come across on cobbled streets in local choras. Nisi is hand-tufted in 100% New Zealand wool so she feels really soft and plush under your feet and I wanted the colours to feel cosy, honeyed and warm in a space. Finn clearly approves as you can see.

Dunes

The sand dunes of North Wales were my home every summer growing up and if I need to find some peace or a dose of nostalgia, it’s still where I run to today. The lines of the sand dunes’ grasses and the markings made in the sand as the tide goes out inspired the striped border of this 100% jute rug while the centre takes it’s cues from traditional Welsh blankets. And the blue and chocolate brown combination? Well you all know I love that. Dunes is hard-wearing, surprisingly soft underfoot and the texture gives the colour a real depth and sotness I love.

Acres

Acres takes her cues from my very first haven of them all; the English countryside. I grew up on a farm in Shropshire so the British seasons and a patchwork of fields were the backbone of daily life. My dad still farms today and life is still very much governed by the weather and the time of year. I wanted Acres to reflect this cyclical nature of rural life as well as the hedgerows, patterns and flora and fauna, all the elements of the countryside I start craving when city life feels a bit much.

I took a lot of inspiration from tradtiional Swedish Kilims, Portuguese Arraiolos and traditional folk art when designing this and I’m amazed at how India at Pelican House brought it so life and nailed the motifs so perfectly. From my mum’s favourite swallows that would come back to nest in the barns every summer and our retired pony and donkey in the paddock, to the wheat growing in the fields, Acres is all about nostalgic summer memories and finding comfort in the familiar. A flat-weave rug, she’s beautifully handwoven from 100% New Zealand wool.

The rugs are available in several sizes but all of them can be made-to-order to any custom size to suit your space.

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I really hope you like them as much as me!

Lxxx