The Art Of Modern Art Rugs

We don’t think twice about hanging art on walls but would you buy art to walk all over? A guide to contemporary & modern art rugs…

Never thought I’d be writing about rugs on MoMa but the Rothko like rug in my living room will soon be off to the rug resting place in the sky and the hunt’s begun for a successor.

So put your slippers on, don that dressing gown and get ready for a magic carpet ride through the enchanting, beguiling world of art inspired and hand-made artist designed rugs.

Sonya Winner – Artist Inspired Rugs

Sonya Winner probably didn’t stay within the lines of colouring books as a pre rug designing child. Borders were there to be crossed and get creative with.

Using the cut out circles of Matisse and the colour fields of Rothko as starting points Sonya creates vibrant and playful rugs of layered colours and textures.

Check out the Sonya Winner Contemporary Rug Book to view the complete range in vibrant colour.

Get free shipping with our Sonya Winner coupon code: MOMA-FS

Buy Sonya Winner Rugs at SonyaWinner.com

Art Rugs at the Royal Academy

Probably not the first place you’d think of for buying a new rug but when it comes to buying products from British artists the Royal Academy Shop’s up there with the best.

The also have some creative rug making collaborations and art inspired rugs with artists such as Gary Hume, William Scott, Jennifer Durrant and Sandra Blow.

These Royal Academy art rugs have been made in collaboration with who else but rug designer Christopher Farr, the British maestro of rug making.

Buy Rugs at The Royal Academy

Zaida – Abstract Art Rugs

Almost bought the Klee inspired red rug shown here a few years ago but missed the moment and my old rug prevailed. Nonetheless Zaida’s created some mighty fine hand-made modern art themed designs from Klee to Klimt.

Zaida’s rugs are made in Kashmir by craftsmen who work from their own homes. They set their own rates so receive a fair wage for the work they do.

Buy Zaida Rugs at Etsy

Christopher Farr – Artist Collaborations

You can’t really research art themed rugs without coming across Christopher Mann. The London based designer has been collaborating with artists on contemporary rug designs since 1988.

See Farr’s beautiful blending of art and textiles in his Josef Albers series.

A true master of his craft Farr faithfully interprets and translates an artist’s work into beautifully vivid rug designs.

The Christopher Farr website doesn’t have an online store but you can buy a selection at the Conran Shop and Royal Academy Shop.

Buy Christopher Farr Rugs at The Conran Shop

Node Fairtrade Rugs

Welcome to the inspiring world of Node. A non-profit social business that aims to “make as much impact for fair trade as we can”. Node works with some of the worlds best designers and illustrators then converts their images into hand-made fair trade rugs.

The video below captures the fun and feel good spirit around Node and what they’re doing.

Here’s some example designs from the 18 limited edition art rugs available to buy online.

You might know one of the co-founders, Chris Haughton, from his children’s books A Bit Lost and Oh No George. The designer and author has been involved with fair trade for years and wanted to combine his designs with a social business. In 2012 Haughton co-founded Node with Akshay Sthapit in Nepal (where it’s still based today).

If you’d rather create your own fair trade rug (or choose your own artwork) then Node lets you do that too. Just head over to the Design Your Own Rug section for everything you need to know from supplying artwork to Photoshop and PDF templates for artists to create their own designs from scratch. You can also just send an image you’d love to see made into a rug and the skilled workers at Node will do the rest.

Buy Node Rugs at Made By Node

Bauhaus Rugs

Led by German textile artist Gunta Stölzl, the Bauhaus school’s weaving workshop was a hub of activity using traditional craft techniques and industrial methods. These Bauhaus inspired rugs continue that legacy with patterns based on designs by Anni Albers, Josef Albers, Gertrud Arndt and Gunta Stölz.

These Bauhaus rugs have a simplicity of line, shape and colour typical of the movement and will provide a striking centrepiece to any room.

Buy Bauhaus Rugs at Bauhaus Movement

Ptolemy Mann Rugs

Ptolemy Mann is an artist, designer and colour consultant with a Master’s degree in Constructed Textiles from the Royal College of Art. Pretty much the perfect CV to make art themed rugs. Ptolemy sells her work via her online store Gelim.

The colourful geometric shapes inspired by Paul Klee fit beautifully into hand-knotted pile rugs. The architect Frank Lloyd Wright provides structural inspiration for a circular pile rug in various sizes. Check out the full range of art rugs at the link below.

Buy Ptolemy Mann Rugs at Gelim

Amara Modern & Contemporary Rugs

As a happy owner of two Scion Mr Fox towels I better not go overboard by getting a fox rug too. The Scion rugs are just a tiny sample of Amara’s collection of over 650 art inspired designer rugs.

While Amara’s range doesn’t include any artist collaborations there’s some obvious references to modern art in their rugs. Browse their range and you won’t have to go far before you see Mondrian style designs, Bridget Riley stripes or the bold brushstrokes of Robert Motherwell.

Buy Rugs at Amara

That’s all I could fit in for now but do also check out some fantastic artist rugs at the Nazmiyal Collection, bold collaborations on contemporary art rugs at Joseph Carini Carpets and a nice range of creatively designed rugs at Heal’s.

Congrats on finishing this buyer’s guide to buying modern art rugs, hope you find one you like!

p.s. I ended up going for this rug by Brink & Campman and I love it!

Back to top