The story of an EDELGRUND rug · Happy Interior Blog
Sometimes a rug in our home might be just a detail in home decor, a warm and soft layer on our floor, something we chose because of its look or its feel solely. When you opt for a handmade rug, then you also think of all the work and passion woven into the rug that will embellish your home. But how much do we actually know about how our rug at home was made? A few years ago, I was lucky to meet Maryam, the founder of EDELGRUND, a Germany based rug company with Persian roots. She introduced me to the incredible world of handmade Persian rugs and – silently – I had put an EDELGRUND rug on my wish list. And now my wish came true!
When Maryam and I talked about rugs, I also learned that EDELGRUND also makes custom orders. And there was an idea born – my hallway in the Berlin apartment is quite long and my old rug was simply too short (albeit cute too). I wanted a long runner with some visual drama – kinda like you open the door to the apartment and there’s a statement right in front of you – an amazing rug!
When I went through EDELGRUND’s product portfolio, I got stuck on the amazing Alasht collection with its graphic patterns and striking combinations. I opted for a monochromatic design to highlight the length of the hallway and make a real visual statement. I was more than amazed to learn that EDELGRUND produces rugs made of 100% natural wool, hand spun and woven, dyed with local vegetable dyes – all in the mountains of Iran. I was totally up for this ‘design adventure’.
Little did I know how much work and passion goes into making this rug! Since it was a custom order, Maryam sent me some amazing images and videos of the process of making my rug. From the yarn-to-spool process to weaving the rug on traditional looms, and stitching the pieces together, I was fascinated to see the craftsmanship and the people who worked with passion and love on this rug – something that I believe is woven into its woolen threads to bring happiness and prosperity to the home.
Weaving a rug on a loom might be obvious, but did you know that the woven rugs get burned afterwards? This process burns off the surplus ‘hair’ on top of the rug and no damage is caused because real wool rugs are totally flame resistent. I was like WOW when I saw the video! Then the rug gets brushed and washed, before it dries and gets rolled up for transport. And this is exactly how I received the rug – from the mountains of Iran to an apartment in Berlin! What an adventure, isn’t it!?
Now I am beyond happy with the look of my hallway featuring this amazing, handmade EDELGRUND rug and small details such as the Lina Bo Bardi ‘Frei Egidio’ chair, the handmade vase by Brazilian designer Domingos Tótora, and the Cruz-Diez art piece on the wall. Now let the holiday season begin!
This blog post has been brought to you in collaboration with EDELGRUND. As always all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who support this blog!
Photography/videos by EDELGRUND and Igor Josifovic-Kemper
