I used to take weaving classes from a Swedish woman named Maj-Britt out of a studio in Berkeley, California. Maj-Britt would drink fruit-flavored teas all day long, wear a uniform of black leggings and clogs, and weave the most vibrant geometric rugs I had ever seen. She taught me classic Swedish overshot patterns and raved about midcentury designers like Anna Thommesen, Adga Österberg, and Finn Juhl. At the time, I was too interested in monochrome to fully appreciate her work, but looking back, I wish I had bought one of Maj-Britt’s weavings.
Here are our picks for modern area rugs with graphic designs that channel the great Scandinavian weavers of the 1960s and ’70s.
Above: Reminiscent of the geometric Anna Thommesen rug seen in the Finn Juhl house at top, the Ennis Indigo dhurrie rug shown here is from modern company Oyyo (read more about them in our post Flying Carpets Designed by Nomads). It’s made with vegetable-dyed organic cotton and is €2,590 for the 6.6-by-9.8-foot size at Oyyo in Sweden. Above: The Stripe Rug Large is designed by Milan-based fashion designer Arthur Arbesser in New Zealand wool and comes in five different color palettes (shown in Roseate); $1,399 for the 8-by-9.8-foot size at Hem. Above: Based in Kent, England, designer Margo Selby specializes in patterned textiles. Her Marine Rug is made of pure knotted silk and wool in a colorful geometric design; £3,200 for the four-by-six size at Furnish in the UK. Above: The &Tradition Another Rug AP3 is woven with traditional kilim technique and designed in yellow, red, green, or blue by All the Way to Paris. The rug is $700 for the 5.5-by-8-foot size at Ambiente Direct. It’s also available at Connox or Yoox. Above: The Arkat Retro Graphic Lime Rug is a modern interpretation of traditional Swedish weaving patterns designed by Gunilla Lagerhielm Ullberg. It’s available in 10 different patterns with a range of color combinations that can be custom selected through Kasthall, where it’s available in sizes up to 20 feet wide. Contact Kasthall for ordering information. Above: The Scholten & Baijings-designed Colour Carpet for Hay comes in three pattern and color variations (shown here is No.1); $825 for the 5.5-by-8-foot size at Danish Design Store. Above: The Point Carpet is designed by Sandra Adrian Asplund in natural-dyed wool and is available in Bitter Blue, Grey Blue, Greige, Greens (shown), and Whites; 13,500 SEK for the 6.5-by-10-foot size at Asplund. Above: The Circle Rug was designed in the 1960s by Finn Juhl and is still available today. It’s available in four different colors and is $2,950 CAD for the six-by-eight size at Mjölk in Toronto. Above: The flat-woven Agnes Rug is inspired by the paintings of Agnes Martin. Shown in peach, it’s also available in blue and in gray; $2,950 for the 8-by-10-foot size at Minna. Above: The Brita Sweden Flower Rug, shown in Flower Sun, is woven from soft plastic for indoor or outdoor use. Sizes run from the smallest doormat to the 5.5-by-8 size for 4,985 SEK at Brita Sweden. It’s also available at Huset Shop in the US. Above: Another design from Oyyo, the Östra dhurrie rug is €2,590 for the 6.6-by-9.8-foot size at Oyyo. Shopping for rugs? See our posts for more ideas:
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