Here’s a close-up from Bo Hamsa, a new carpet company from Germany featured in an exhibition by Cover magazine last week in Milan. The fringe is a playful illusion woven into the carpet itself.

Christie’s is having a large decorative arts auction in New York this week, with 71 carpets ready for the gavel. Among them is this French Art Deco carpet (shown cropped above). At or near its centenary mark, the piece still looks convincingly “contemporary” but now has historical gravitas as well. For the size and price estimate, who can compete with that?

Cover magazine (for which I’m a proud contributing writer) has a glorious new issue that’s chock full of the latest and most forward-leaning carpet designs of the season. Among the highlights is Jan Kath’s new collection titled “From Russia With Love”. Dominated by acerbically saturated colors and cloying floral patterns, the line presents a mix of tradition, kitsch and grunge glam, all made in Tibetan wool and silk. Initial encounters with these carpets may produce a strong sense of aversion, followed by curiosity and unexpected appreciation.

With a product line populated by owls, elephants and birds – among other creatures – Ferm Living’s emphasis is on fun, especially for children and their design-conscious parents. For adults (and serious children!) they have a great assortment of strong graphic patterns for pillows and bedding. Their wares are best displayed in their print catalog.

Via Notes To A Further Excuse.

Lisa Fontanarosa, who represents Adam & Viktoria along with other exceptional artisans, describes the textile company this way:

Inspired by the secret gardens of children’s fairy tales, the Swedish duo Adam & Viktoria create textiles, decorative cushions, cubes, screens, and tables that dare to be different. Pre-Raphaelite colors: ruby roses, peacock blues, and brilliant jades combined with fruit and floral motifs pleasingly plucked from vintage wallpapers and Oriental rugs, turn them into painterly works that transcend time.

Definitely.

Via C Magazine.

The work of textile designer Zina de Plagny (1914-2000) lives on in licensing to the fashion and interior design industry (e.g.  fashion Nina Ricci and Surface View). For tokens of her cheery aesthetic visit the e-boutique of her estate; here you’ll find the scarf pictured above.

Via Design Wonderland.

Kinnasand, a well-established Scandinavian textile company, is doing interesting things with laser cutting and seaming — as shown with their Hikari fabric above. (Go to “textiles”, then “specials” for more examples.) It’s all about structure, draping and concept — enough to inspire passing thoughts of aspirational minimalism.

It only takes a quick read through Linda Topic’s website to know her work is driven by an almost scientific curiosity about the materials she works with. As a result, what might otherwise be presented (merely) as “decoration” takes on the aura of “specimen” instead. Above, one of her felt blankets.

Here’s a great textile design company straight from one of my favorite blogs, The Style Files. Saana ja Olli is a Finnish company with a penchant for contemporary twists on traditional patterns and old fashioned looks.

Couleur Nature designs and produces both “Provencal-inspired” table linens and Indian inspired bedding. (They also sell traditional kanthas handmade in India, as pictured above.)

Via Elle Decor.