Header: Courtesy of The Rug Company
David Rockwell, the well-known architect and founder of Rockwell Group, has once again teamed up with The Rug Company to release a new collection. Titled ‘Flow as Form’, this latest offering consists of three new hand-knotted rug designs that take their cues directly from water. Rockwell, who often uses storytelling in his work, wanted to capture the look and feel of water as it moves and changes. The designs aim to bring the calm, flowing energy of a current into a living space, creating a foundation that feels modern and lasting. The shapes in the patterns appear as if tides carved them out over a long period.
Unique textiles and age-old methods
What gives these rugs their special character is the detailed work that goes into them. Each rug is made entirely by hand by weavers in Nepal, who use age-old methods. The materials are a specific combination of wool and a silk-like fiber that comes from the bamboo plant. This bamboo silk gives the surface a subtle sheen. The weavers use a knotting technique that is chunkier than usual, which results in a rich and luxurious feel underfoot. A key detail of the collection is the use of varied pile heights. By making some parts of the rug higher than others, the designs gain a physical depth and a sculpted quality that you can see and touch, suggesting the movement of water. The color palette is kept intentionally soft and tonal, allowing the texture and form to be the main focus.
David Rockwell explained the thinking behind the new pieces.
“Throughout our creative collaboration with The Rug Company, we’ve explored an obsession with nature’s contrasts. These new rug designs continue in that vein, looking at all the forms that water can take – from placid and solid, to rippling and rushing.”
He views the patterns as “textile landscapes” and praises The Rug Company for its ability to make these ideas real through its detailed craftsmanship. The designs use painterly brushstrokes, curving lines, and soft shapes to show the organic rhythms you find in the natural world.
The ‘Flow as Form’ collection offers a way to introduce a sense of quiet activity into a room. The rugs are meant to anchor a space while adding a gentle, continuous energy. Each of the three new designs by David Rockwell is available in a variety of sizes directly from The Rug Company.
Photography courtesy of The Rug Company
