Rugs: inviting textures

The Madhya rug by Designers Guild is available through Alison Bethell-Collins Interior Design in Avda. del Mediterráneo, San Pedro de Alcántara (www.alisonbethellcollins.com), Cortidea on the Mijas Road and in Urb. Marbella Real (www.cortidea.es), Acoola in Pol. Ind. San Pedro de Alcántara (www.acoola.eu) and Arte del Lusso in San Pedro de Alcántara (www.artedellusso.es).

WELCOME TO RUGS

Now we are officially into the winter months, some warmth underfoot is always comforting – instantly adding cosiness and welcoming you into a living space. If you have adopted a minimalist décor style, a simple rug can soften the starkness, making the room feel more inviting and homely. If patterns are not your thing, there are many beautiful textural rugs that offer softness and ambience, without breaking up the room’s colour scheme with a bold print. Alternatively, if your room is crying out for a focal point, a rug could do just the job, drawing the eye and pulling elements of the room together to balance their composition. Apart from the aesthetic qualities that rugs offer, they also provide acoustic benefits, alleviating echoes and reducing the noise of footsteps – particularly useful if there are people in a room below. Investing in good quality more than pays off when it comes to rugs, as they can take a lot of battering – depending on where they are placed. So, choose a rug made from high-quality materials and it will last for years to come. Here are some ideas…

The Archetype collection by Jaipur Rugs is made from wool and viscose, can be fully-customisable and is available for purchase worldwide. Archetype was created in collaboration with Abin Chaudhuri, the main architect from the highly-regarded Kolkata-based Abin Design Studio. The design draws inspiration from architecture that originates in different periods in time, from ancient, vintage and Brutalist to modern-day (www.jaipurrugs.com).

Left The Wow collection by Alfombras KP can be manufactured as a carpet or as a made-to-measure rug. It uses a level cut loop tufting, giving it a combination of twist (plush) and loop fibres. Alfombras KP is available from Alison Bethell-Collins Interior Design in Avda. del Mediterráneo, San Pedro de Alcántara (www.alisonbethellcollins.com).

Below The Icon collection by JAB Flooring comes in various earthy colours. Made from 100 per cent polyamide, Icon adds a sophisticated elegance to any living space. JAB is available from Arte del Lusso in San Pedro de Alcántara (www.artedellusso.es), Alison Bethell-Collins Interior Design in Avenida del Mediterráneo, San Pedro de Alcántara (www.alisonbethellcollins.com), and Acoola in Polígono Industrial San Pedro de Alcántara (www.acoola.eu).

Gan’s new Crochet Trio The Mix collection was designed by Clara von Zweigbergk to feature a creative graphic design in crochet. There are three other variations to this collection of singular oval-shaped crocheted rugs or, as shown here, with all three woven together. Gan is available through Siesta Interior Design in C. Plaza in Nueva Andalucía (www.siestainteriordesign.com) and Acoola in Pol. Ind. San Pedro de Alcántara (www.acoola.eu).

The Edit plastic rug from the sustainably-focused Swedish carpet company Pappelina, shown here in their brick colour version, comes in a wide variety of sizes and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Pappelina is available from the Avoi showroom in La Mairena, or you can buy online at www.avoi.eu.

At Milan Fashion Week, cctapis and P.A.M. (the Australian streetwear clothing brand Perks & Mini) collaborated to create the new Floordrobe collection blurring the boundaries between fashion and home décor. The playful collection features a strong graphic aesthetic, celebrating guilty pleasures via the act of undressing and furnishing your home through disorder. The collection comprises five handtufted rugs produced by Indian artisans (www.cc-tapis.com).

WHERE STUNNING AVANT-GARDE DESIGN MEETS ANDALUCIAN STYLE

Villa San Diego is a newly built house in a privileged Sotogrande location that offers superb views to the Strait of Gibraltar. It features a classic Andalucian architectural style highlighted by wide, white walls with glass panes that frame the sea views and enhance their beauty. According to architect Alejandro Giménez, the owners live in northern Europe and wanted a summer house to enjoy the area’s natural light and traditional architecture. They had full confidence in his work as they had references from other houses he had done in the area. The design was conceived on the actual plot, sculpted in stages with the sea, light, garden and landscape as key reference points. “For villas,” says Alejandro, “we always work with the aim of achieving a clear relationship between the exterior and interior spaces. Focusing on this aspect, we play with the volumes that connect the outdoors to the indoors, as well as the large windows that link terraces, gardens and patios with the inside areas of the house. We make a special effort to highlight the views by introducing southern Spain’s natural light into all spaces of the house.” With its high, sloping ceilings, the villa’s spacious living room takes full advantage of the light and traditional Andalucian architecture which, with its thick walls and cross ventilation, ensures a pleasant temperature during the summer months. At the heart of the house is the swimming pool. Part-pool and part-fountain, it is linked to the house by a shared wall and a cascading curtain of water that can also be viewed from inside the home. The lighting is indirect and gradual, and set up to enhance the architecture rather than for pure technical purposes. To that end, the lights are embedded into the walls, with their origins hidden from view.

Three natural materials have been combined, wood, clay and whitewashed walls, all with the intention of creating diverse contrasts and harmoniously bringing together the traditional and the modern. “It’s a matter of resolving everything with this simple palette of colours,” explains Alejandro. Some of the furniture (the same wood as the carpentry) has been made–to-measure, while other items such as the fireplace have been designed using the same Silestone as the kitchen. The textures of the interior walls have been created by a manual scratching method, notes Alejandro, “in a simulation of popular architecture”. Also, lime has been applied both to the walls and the inside of the pool to give the water a special colour.

Alejandro Giménez Architects Calle Antero 37, Estepona Tel. (+34) 652 591 405 estudio@alejandrogimenez.net www.alejandrogimenez.net