Carlisle, which distributes Carrfields Primary Wool’s range of New Zealand wool carpets and rugs in North America under the Just Shorn brand, invited designers from the California Bay Area to submit their designs for rugs that could be crafted from NZ wool.
CP Wool group chief executive Colin McKenzie,said the results were “stunning”.
“The winning design can easily be described as a work of art for floors. We’re immensely proud that our New Zealand-grown yarn will be used to craft such a beautiful piece. All the submissions were stunning, and the competition was a great success when you consider the profile it gives New Zealand wool as a premium option for soft flooring among US interior designers.”
Designers were invited to submit an original design that could be crafted in a 6’ x 9’ size in a cut, loop or combination of textures. Participants were given a selection of 30 colours to create their one-of-a-kind design. A panel of judges voted on the designs, which were displayed in Carlisle’s San Francisco showroom.
The winner, James Hunter of the Wiseman Group, created Michelangelo: a smoky-brown pattern in a cut texture with loop accents.
It will be featured in an upcoming issue of California Home + Design magazine as well as on Carlisle’s website. The rug will also be added to Carlisle’s retail collection and will grace the floors of upscale homes across North America.
The Just Shorn range is available at six showrooms across the US following a formal launch in May.
Carlisle, which is well known across North America for its luxury wide plank timber flooring, recognised the potential for New Zealand wool carpet as a complementary product among its customer base, McKenzie said.
“Americans have been slow adopters of wool carpet in their homes to date. It made sense for Carlisle, which supplies the high end of the market, to offer a premium, natural soft flooring option alongside their wood product. So far the response has been great and Carlisle is now working with interior designers to put Just Shorn carpets into the homes of customers.”
CP Wool, which is spun by NZ Yarn, gives these manufacturers an innovative product to work with, resulting in a superior end product, McKenzie said.
“We are providing yarns that showcase the beautiful unique characteristics of wool, that designers and customers love and that our competitors find difficult, if not impossible, to replicate.”
