Whoa. I saw this last week, but it wasn't until I saw the full scale did I actually realize why it might cost more than a used car. Really something.

Exploring the relationship between familiar objects and extremes of scale, Rotterdam-based designer Christien Meindertsma has taken the classic hand-knit aran sweater and magnified it, creating something entirely new and unexpected: a floor covering. The Flocks Aran Rug is hand-knit from the wool of 18 merino sheep. Eschewing the ease that a simple knit and purl stitch would have offered, Meindertsma instead took her inspiration from aran sweaters, which are characterized by cabling and complex textures. Like her Flocks Pouf, the result is an arresting centerpiece, which adds an element of organic warmth to any room. This work of art can also be displayed as a wall hanging. Each rug comes with a Flocks tag, identifying the sheep whose wool was used to create the rug.

H 7'6" W 5'7"
$6,000.00, Buy it here.
(Limited Availability)

To visit Meindertsma's Flocks site, click here.

[posted by katie]

This Grey Skies Rug offers an airy reference without straying from the basic black/white/grey scheme which gives you a fair amount of freedom when it comes to completely changing your décor.

These wool rugs offer rich style in thick 100% handtufted New Zealand wool. New Zealand wool is the best available due to its high lanolin content. Choose one whether you're accessorizing an office, a contemporary home or bringing warmth into a more traditional setting. Beautifully textured contemporary patterns accomplished by unique weave. Special hand carving and combination cut and loop pile is very unusual craftmanship. The surfaces are soft and thick, making these rugs indulgently luxurious and sophisticated.

Available sizes: 55 x 79, 67 x 94, 79 x 79, 98 x 98,
$1,930.00 - $4,285.00, Buy it here.

[posted by katie]

The rich colors of this rug capture autumn perfectly.

These wool rugs offer rich style in thick 100% handtufted New Zealand wool. New Zealand wool is the best available due to its high lanolin content. Choose one whether you're accessorizing an office, a contemporary home or bringing warmth into a more traditional setting.

Material: 100% New Zealand Wool. Some rugs are 70% wool and 30% silver viscose which gives a shimmering effect.

55 x 79: $2,100.00 67 x 94: $3,100.00

79 x 79: $3,050.00 98 x 98: $4,785.00

$2,100.00 - $4,785.00, Buy it here.

[posted by katie]

We've posted this rug before (it's one of my absolute favorites), but it's worth a mention that you can get 10% off the regular price up until October 14th.

The Manuscrit Rug (2003) by Joaquim Ruiz Millet is part of Nani Marquina's newest line of floor coverings. Manuscrit Rug a romantic poem that Millet - a writer, gallery director, exhibitions curator and designer - wrote in his native Catalan. The handwriting is his own, reproduced from an original page of a novel he's writing, a work of fiction about power relationships imbued with highly charged eroticism. It represents the idea of a work of art on the floor, a bold rug with, literally, a great story. Hand made and hand tufted, Manuscrit has a knot count is 4,320 knots/sq. ft. Made in India.

W 116" D 78.5" H 1
$3,300.00 reg., Now: $2,970.00

Semiannual Sale valid October 2-14, 2008

[posted by katie]

Sometimes a simple graphic rug is all you need to tie a room together.

"Stylish and whimsical circles make this rug a sure eye catcher. Carved mini shags make up this machine woven rugs in high quality poly."

Colors Used: Flecked throughout black and cream.
Made in Belgium

4'x6': $250.00
5'x8': $500.00
7'x10': $750.00
8'x11': $1000.00
Buy it here.

[posted by katie]

I love how thick this carpet is.

make flooring fun with the innovative, interactive puzzle carpet by satyendra pakhale. the pieces interlock with each other in numerous ways and each set comes with 7 puzzle pieces. buy several sets and cover the floor! the puzzle carpet comes in 3 natural patterns: water, sand, and grass.

Each piece is 14" x 14" and .6" thick

[posted by kris]

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]