The same designer who brought us the Cutting Table No. 1 has now released this special edition of 10 Ísbjürn / Ice Bear Rugs. Playing with the ubiquitous animal skin rug idea, there's part play and part serious commentary on luxury goods.

The Ísbjürn / Ice Bear is made from 15 Icelandic sheepskins cut up and sewn to resemble the old butchers diagrammatic posters that visually informed you of which part of the animal's carcass you were buying to eat. Similarly when you look inside a fur jacked and between the lining, the first thing you notice is this luxurious high priced garment is made up of hundreds of tiny scraps of skin sewn together. Though it looks like one pelt on the outside, a fur garment is made of scrap and waste. This here product plays with this exact idea of waste products sold as luxury products modules of death / component of flesh / diet of consumerism / objectification of life And of course branding the concept of like and animals into consumers resource, where the teddy bear appearance wipes it all away with the characterization and naive comical portrayal of a polar-bear rug, the decorative paragon of man over beast.

In an edition of 10.
3 meters, full size.

[posted by katie]

The Rug Company recently joined RugMark, the foundation dedicated to ending child labor in the handmade carpet industry. If you're not familiar with either you can follow a few links and find out that this is a very good thing, because a major player in the rug industry jumping on this particular boat signals a shift in industry standards of child-labor-free carpets.

The prices are a little higher, but the particular peace of mind of knowing that a rug is child-labor-free seems well worth saving up for...Plus, there's some pretty intriguing designs by some kind-of-quirky designers that The Rug Company has up their sleeve...I'm kind of in love with some of the stranger ones, too many to show them all, but here's a handful:

(shown left to right)
Swirl by Paul Smith
Carmelina by The Rug Company
Overleaf by Marni
Love Heart by Vivienne Westwood
Palette by Fiona Curran

$32.50- $230.00 per square foot, from a 3'x5' to a 18'x12' (this means anywhere between $485.00 to $49,680.00(!))

To learn more, visit RugMark Foundation

[posted by katie]

Update: Now on sale.

I'm really kind of in love with this piece by Tord Boontje, and the texture will really soften up a modern space.

"There are six distinct shapes of flower combinations, in three different tonalities, which creates an intriguing composition that's all about movement, texture and color. A witty approach to a floor covering, Boontje brings the experience of walking through a meadow into an interior space."

[posted by kris]

Bring a rural feel to your urban environment with this rug by Permafrost.

"Designed in Norway, manufactured in Sweden, wool from New Zealand and inspired by a common image of rural America, the John Deere tractor. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best."

Available in Grass (green) or Mud (brown).
63" diameter

[posted by katie]

Hmm. This could be an interesting option if you're fond of carpet tiles.

Look: Patterned tributes to the beloved Holstein. Dairy cow-sized spots in four colors on fields of white with subtle flecks. Touch: Plusher than a cowhide: a cut and loop combination gives it pleasant varied softness. Be Smart: Don't run with the herd: spot markings on Stampede are irregularly placed and tiles are designed to be installed randomly for a hide-inspired abstract artwork for your floor. The Details: 19.7" x 19.7". 100% Nylon face fiber. Made in the USA. FLOR recommends installing tiles in either the same direction or a parquet style.

All tiles are 19.7" x 19.7"
(For a 4'x6' rug, it'd cost you about $176.00.)

[posted by katie]

A cowhide dyed to look like a zebra seems a little wrong, but definitely not as wrong as an actual zebra hide (in my opinion). So if you've got to have the look, here's an option.

"Cheer up a bland living room with a splash of stripes! This dramatic zebra pattern has been dyed onto a top grain cow hide to give you a high style look that won't break the bank."

approx 7' x 5'

[posted by katie]

Not a bad price for a rug/mat with such strong graphic stripes...

"A fresh take on a summer classic, our awning stripe rug features offset yarn-dyed stripes that have the look of pieced construction. Hand woven on a sturdy cotton weft, it's richly colored and one of a kind."

Available in Cherry, Clementine, Black, Ink Blue and Green Apple.

2 x 3': $29.00
2.5 x 9': $69.00
3 x 5': $49.00
5 x 8': $109.00
8 x 10': $179.00

[posted by katie]

Some decent designs for a rather reasonable price...

(shown left to right, top to bottom)
Festival Nighttime, $398.00,Buy it here.
Festival Cellular, $398.00, Buy it here.
Festival Spring, $398.00, Buy it here.
Festival Blossom, $398.00, Buy it here.
Chelsea Dots, $592.00, Buy it here.
Swim Rug, $250.00, Buy it here.
Festival Flora, $398.00, Buy it here.
Festival Branches, $398.00, Buy it here.

(*The retailer doesn't state what these rugs are made of or where they come from, so please be sure to inquire before you purchase so you're not hit upside the head with a different quality than expected.)

[posted by katie]

Just found these cool hand-cut felt rugs via Design Sponge.

[posted by kris]

Urban Outfitters has a bunch of interesting (and affordable) rugs- perfect for adding a little bit of interest and texture to any room.

Most made from low profile cotton.

(shown left to right, top to bottom)
3x5 Peony Tree Printed Rug, $28.00
3x5 Silhouette Flower Printed Rug, $28.00
3X5 Inked Floral Printed Rug, $28.00
5X7 Zebra Printed Rug, $68.00
5X7 Paisley Printed Rug, $68.00
5X7 Zig Zag Printed Rug, $39.99

[posted by katie]