Four destination showrooms for rugs

There is no substitute for seeing handmade rugs in the flesh before you buy or commission a bespoke piece. With so much on offer, presenting a multitude of options in an orderly and stylish manner can be a real challenge. Here are four international showrooms, as featured in COVER 43 that make it easy to navigate...

There is no substitute for seeing handmade rugs in the flesh before you buy or commission a bespoke piece. With so much on offer, presenting a multitude of options in an orderly and stylish manner can be a real challenge. Here are four international showrooms, as featured in COVER 43 that make it easy to navigate the choices available with experienced staff who can assist in finding the right rug solution for your project or space.

FRONT, London: The flagship Mayfair gallery for handmade rugs stocks Jan Kath, Michaela Schleypen and Zoë Luyendijk. In March, a second London FRONT store opened at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour – a premier destination for ‘couture for the home’.

Iwan Maktabi, Dubai: The fourth Iwan Maktabi showroom, and the first outside of Lebanon, opened at the Dubai Mall this February with a show of Jan Kath designs. It offers a wide variety of quality rugs, from antique and traditional revival to contemporary designer pieces and custom-made works.

Driscoll Robbins, Seattle: The city has been home to Driscoll Robbins Fine Rugs since 1997. Earlier this year they relocated to a new larger showroom in the Georgetown district near the Seattle Design Center, so as to show their expanding range to better effect.

Woodnotes, Helsinki: The paper-yarn pioneers have teamed up with fellow Finnish company Nikari to open a temporary collaborative showroom at Yrjönkatu. The brands’ complementary aesthetics offer a new shopping experience with rotating displays over the summer and Helsinki Design Week events.