a Bespoke Rug for a Brooklyn Townhouse

Every design project begins with a few key ideas: visual references, materials, feelings. In the case of this custom rug, it began with the need for oversized 12’ x 12’ dimensions, subdued earthy colors, and the desire to add some visual texture and softness to the room.

We looked at a few rug designs, and were drawn to examples that used a soft pattern and a density shift across the surface, creating movement and interest without looking overly busy. However nothing felt quite right for the space, so we decided to take it a step further and designed something entirely custom.

This was for a primary bedroom, so feel mattered. The rug needed to be plush, warm, and comforting underfoot. Something that wouldn’t just sit in the space but shape it texturally, tonally, and visually.

The Design Process

We started with a series of hand sketches exploring ideas of rhythm, softness, and pattern. We’re sharing several of those early drawings here, to give a glimpse into how the design took form. Inspired by the modular language of Josef Hoffmann and the textile experiments of Anni Albers, we developed a motif that felt both graphic and irregular, deliberate yet open. We looked to Moroccan motifs for reference, grounding the design in the rug’s place of origin. The square pattern kept resurfacing because of it’s timelessness, symmetry, and easy to adapt to scale. We ultimately decided on an option that had a checkerboard pattern that was denser at opposite ends and looser in the middle. We chose an octagon shape to soften the overall geometry.

Color and Context

The next step was to decide on the specifics of the fibers, colors and pile height. The client wanted this bedroom rug to be a plush as possible, so we specified the highest available pile height possible. We looked at samples from our manufacturer to decide on some possible color combinations. Color mock-ups helped the clients visualize the way small tonal changes would impact the pattern and the mood.

The rug’s palette evolved alongside the room. While the original plan was a black and white scheme, the final room design, with its limewashed walls in an ashy green-grey, called for something softer. We landed on Jade and Oat, a muted green and gentle beige. The combination felt calm, tonal, and quietly grounded. It complemented the room without overpowering it.

Made by Hand

To bring this idea to life, we collaborated with Salam Hello, a rug company that works directly with women weavers in rural Morocco. Their expertise and range of styles, weave types, pile heights, and colors allowed us to translate inspiration into something deeply personal and functional. The rug, sized at a generous 12' x 12', was woven by hand by women in a Moroccan village, using 100% wool dyed with traditional techniques.

Each knot was tied with care, the thick pile creating a texture that feels both luxurious and grounded. Photos from the weaving process taken onsite in Morocco document the making of the rug from start to finish. They show the pattern slowly emerging from the loom, the interplay of color, the human hand behind every step.

Custom rug in process at the weaving studio in Morocco

Why Custom Matters

This rug is more than a finishing detail. It’s a product of collaboration. It carries a sense of place, a lineage of design, and a personal point of view. Designing custom pieces is one of our favorite parts of the process. It’s where inspiration becomes tangible, where a reference becomes a reality and where a room begins to feel like home.

Watch this space for the finished rug in its forever home.

Completed rug at the warehouse in Morocco

If you're dreaming up a space that calls for something one-of-a-kind whether a custom rug, a handmade piece of furniture, or something else entirely, we’d love to help shape it with you. Just reach out.