Why In Design: Techniques Behind the popular Over Dye Rug Trend, and a Special Thank You to Apadana Rugs for a rug donation to Design On A Dime
Nest by Tamara is crazy for Overdyed Rugs!
Overdyed rugs seem to be on every designer's mind lately, and they are showing up in bright and unusual colors, muted and faded tones, grey, charcoal and even black, and work well in both modern and classic homes. We want to thank Apadana Fine Rugs for donating an on-trend Overdyed Rug to our room design at charity event and sale, Housingwork's Design On A Dime. The gala will take place on April 23 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC where over 60 designers have been hand-picked to decorate 12x10 rooms all set up side-by-side for one stunning view then sale. We will create a Designer's Atelier showing two artists creating tabletop and home wares. Many of the furniture pieces we chose are utilitarian, and the rug needs to be the "star of the space" showing something old and new.
Apadana Rugs offers a wide arrange of rugs in genres, colors and sizes, and many of their rugs are superb enough to become family heirlooms. We are particularly interested in these collections of overdyed rugs which infuse a modern palette to a vintage rug, bringing something new to the design table. The bright unexpected colors are refreshing, as are the faded and neutral tones. I am a big fan of the charcoal grey ones! Each one has a unique appeal and somehow elevates the craftsmanship of these rugs to an even higher level.
I interviewed Mike Alidadi of Apandana Rugs and he explained the technique in making over dyed rugs.
"A finely hand-knotted vintage or antique rug is selected. Most over-dyed carpets were originally made in Turkey, Persia, or Pakistan. These rugs being decades old typically have uneven wear to the pile and, as each rug is a unique one-of-a-kind piece, they will most probably have different pile lengths and knots to begin with. Shearing the rugs to a shorter pile length allows greater consistently and compliments the distressed look the dying process brings about. Sometimes there will be variation in the pattern of shearing, which allows the fibers to absorb the dyes slightly differently to allow for greater texture and contrast.
At this point the rug is brought outside to fade in the sun. Bleaching agents are used to expedite the process. The main field colors will turn to neutrals; generally, ivory, grey, light brown, and the design will solidify into darker, crisper lines. Once thoroughly faded, the rug is then brought to be soaked in a vat filled with the appropriate colored dye. Sometimes portions of the rug are soaked one at a time to create a multicolor overdye. Once completed, the rug is then laundered for the dye to properly set".
Mike Alidadi
I named our donated rug Grey Gardens!
The name suggests a quality gem with a little patina. This is a vintage hand-knotted overdyed rug with a floral medallion in the center. The floral design is dyed thin brown, and distressed and dyed with grey, blue/black field. This is a one-of-a-kind handmade piece with a crisp, textured finish.
Sized at 7'11"x11'
last year - Design On A Dime 2014
With Elle Decor magazine as the media sponsor and television personalities Lara Spencer and Nate Berkus co-chairing the event, and over 4,000 design-industry friends and professionals showing up for this annual gala, Design On A Dime is one of NYC's most festive and well attended design industry philanthropic galas.
Stop back here on the blog during the ICFF show in New York City from May 16-19, and we will showcase Apadana's new rug collections.
About Apadana Fine Rugs:
specializing in exquisite hand-knotted antique area rugs, Apadana has two Connecticut locations where they serve designers, architects and clients all over the country. For three decades and through three generations, the Alidadi family have been in the rug business, beginning in Iran. Brothers Mohsen and Mike started the business here in the United States in the 1980s in New York City, and now years later they are proud that custom made rugs are one if their specialties.
two locations:
Apadana Fine Rugs,
539 Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob, CT 06807 (203)422-0700
Apadana, Inc,
31-35 S. Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06854 (203)299-1760
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara
XO Tamara
