You know the feeling you get when something takes you back to a happy memory with a rush of warm nostalgia? This was the inspiration behind the new Bargello rug, which feels like a favourite old song on the radio.
It’s inspiring to work with bold designers like Tiffany Duggan from Studio Duggan. Studio Duggan is setting a new pace in design in the UK, with audacious ideas and bespoke pattern and colour work to create unique pieces. As the creative team at Coral + Hive, we were delighted when Tiffany gave us the opportunity to work on a bespoke rug collaboration for Studio Duggan’s shop, Trove.
So began a creative process that was the definition of slow and considered design, with many iterations between designers and weavers to finally produce a personal love piece ~ the beautiful Bargello rug.
The Inspiration
The creative conversation centred around the Bargello pattern; a modified, vertical zigzag flame stitch, which originated from beautiful 17th century chairs in the Bargello palace in Florence. It was a popular pattern for tapestries, bags and upholstery in the sixties and seventies. The designs are colourful, using many hues of one colour to produce intricate shading effects.
The Creation
The design was brought to life with the colour, fibre and pattern selection. We designed a contemporary pattern including thirteen of Tiffany’s favourite hues, and she made an inspired choice to weave the rug in natural jute. The juxtaposition of humble fibre with modern pattern design really paid off in a truly unique and elevated end product. It also highlighted the talented craftsmanship of the Indian weavers, as the intricate pattern was particularly challenging to hand weave using jute. The result of this considered creativity is an exquisite hand knotted carpet that is a celebration of old and new, tradition and modernity, pattern and colour… of past memories that make us smile.
Make it yours
The Bargello rug is available to purchase through Trove online.
The creatives
“This project is something that I will always remember, it was such a creative career highlight for me. What made it wonderful was the sense of playfulness in the process. Walking into Tiffany’s space feels like reconnecting with a young, joyful self, and I really had this sense throughout the project. It was a wonder to select thirteen colours for this intricate piece – we all lit up when I opened up my magical box of colour sample poms, such fun! I think the Bargello rug captures that happiness, in the most gorgeous and stylish way.” ~ Jeannine Birch, Founder & Creative Director, Coral + Hive
“I have always adored flame stitch fabrics and thought the pattern would translate so well to rugs and carpets – yet I had never come across this. We were working with Coral + Hive on another project and I was so impressed with their handwoven jute, mohair and karakul wool rugs. Everything they do has a very organic, natural feel and I thought this would be the perfect way to represent a modern flame stitch. Silk was too literal a translation and so we chose jute for a more relaxed look – the juxtaposition of the glamour of the Bargello pattern with the chunky usability of jute is a perfect match. Coral + Hive totally understood the vision and worked painstakingly with us to perfect the designs. The Bargello is a very complicated design which took a substantial amount of time to design and weave – I’m so thrilled to finally be launching it! It is the embodiment of the Trove aesthetic.” ~ Tiffany Duggan, Studio Duggan and Trove
“The vision for this piece was phenomenal. Tiffany’s unstoppable desire to create something unique shines through in this striking rug.” ~ Erica Bartholomae, Pattern designer