The Quilt Translated For The Floor

Last year, ABC Carpet & Home translated a few dozen Gee’s Bend quilts into area rugs. To capture the vibe of the Gee’s Bend quilts, the rugs are woven by a Turkish collective using scraps of old textiles and kilims. And the weavers were given only one Gee’s Bend book for reference. The result is stunning. All at once, they are rich, modern, basic, complex. After seeing them, I began pondering the Quilt as Rug. Too often, the quilt is associated with country decor — and not in a good way.  However, there are many examples of new area rugs in which standard quilt patterns could easily have formed the structure for the patterns. Here are a handful of beautiful rugs that appear to have been influenced by the American quilt as well as a handful of the magnificent Gee’s Bend floorcoverings photos.

Introduced in May 2007, these are just two of the rugs are based on the original piecework created by the quilters of Gee’s Bend, a small, rural community in Alabama.  

The original quilts were designed and stitched by the descendents of former slaves as a means of warmth. They were discovered by art historian William Arnett and are now considered some of the best examples of modern art today. These rugs faithfully translate the Gee’s Bend masterpieces.

Buche wool flatweave by Madeline Weinrib is the interiors media “it girl” 

Gorgeous Vite (left) and Su-Hide from the Mansour Modern’s Hide Collection  { I LOVE ogee patterns and have always wanted a rug just like Su-Hide! }

Handmade 100% wool Chant (left) and Icon designed by Lulu DK for Elson Company

Fez flatweave rug, 100% cotton, The Conran Shop { I think this rug would be stronger without the red bands in the borders }

Small cowhide patchworks, Yurdan  { At about 24", it's a bit small for a rug, but several could be pieced by any carpet installer or upholsterer to make a fantastic floorcovering }

Flatweave wool Blue Note (left) and Mandala from the Denim Collection, Madeline Weinrib

Mondo from the Hide Collection by Mansour Modern

West (left) and Breeze from Denim Collection by Madeline Weinrib

Diamond Stripes (left) and Roman Bricks handmade and carved wool rugs by Sara Schneidman 

Swedish company Pappelina uses traditional 1950s shuttle looms to weave their stellar plastic rugs. 

Vera (left) and Vera One plastic rugs by Pappelina woven in PVC and polyester, available at Chicago's Stockholm Objects