Introducing our hand-knotted wool & silk rug, Solace
Our newest rug Solace is Wendy’s most reflective and contemplative piece yet, and we are delighted to share the story of how she came to be.
A glorious hand-knotted heirloom rug, made from a 100% wool base with hand-carved details in silk, Solace is a simple, stunning combination of four colours – gold, black, violet and warm white. A wonderful addition to our neutral rug collection, Solace combines her minimal colour palette with a striking, detailed design, inspired by intricate embroidery.
Despite the design’s complex detail, this is a rug to calm the senses and soothe the soul; Solace will draw you in, give you room to breathe, to contemplate, think and revitalise. Gold has long been a favourite as a neutral in Wendy’s designs – a colour that sits well amongst others and still manages to stand out, adding elegance and a luxurious look to complex designs that are still easy to place within the home.
Solace is a simple, stunning combination of four colours – gold, black, violet and warm white.
Solace feels calm, even though there is lots going on in her intricate design. Cranes, which symbolise longevity, good fortune, devotion, integrity and balance, soar freely above gentle wisps of foliage and elegant orchids, representing thoughtfulness, refinement, beauty, charm and love. The elements of nature combine to live harmoniously. A warm neutral wool base sits beautifully with gold.
The gold border grounds the design without containing it, gives a nod to Art Deco style and adds an element of sophistication. Gold has the impact of black and white, but feels softer, a little warmer and easier to live with. Gold also always looks glamorous and feels uplifting, mood boosting.
Solace was very much inspired by the need for contemplation, and creates a sense of calm in any room
‘Solace was very much inspired by the need for contemplation,’ Wendy confirms, ‘creating a calming and peaceful ambience for internal reflection. I did feel the need to create such a piece - more meditative - quite possibly as a response to the pandemic. I loved the idea of simple luxury with the light wool base and the gold silk details.
‘Solace was always going to be a neutral rug, a subtle, quiet luxury designed to be an heirloom piece,’ Wendy explains.
‘The starting point was beautiful embroidery I had come across. I wanted to try and achieve the essence of this with the silk gold floral details,’ she adds. ‘It always felt like a contemplative design. I feel the cranes in flight could be a means of opening our gaze to a wider vista, opening our minds to more-meaningful design.’
Each crane has a sprinkling of violet on its head, a detail highlighted in lustrous silk. Violet is the colour of imagination and spirituality and lends itself to a piece inspired by the need for contemplation.
‘Violet is a reflective colour,’ Wendy says, ‘a colour that allows and encourages us to get in touch with our more profound thoughts.
The golden border grounds the design without containing it, gives a nod to Art Deco style
‘I see Solace settling nicely into a lounge or bedroom. I could easily see her creating a calm, meditative space alongside our Eternal Toile and Mandela wall décor. For a more glamorous, Art Deco feel, she would work beautifully with Phoenix Black.
‘Solace is very much the result of thinking we need to be more conscious of what we are creating. These heirloom rugs are made by incredibly talented artisans, in a process that can take six months. I feel it is important that every piece I design tells a story and creates a feeling of longevity that can be enjoyed by generations to come.’
Solace sits perfectly in a lounge space, with our Mandela wallpaper
