Armadillo has been shortlisted for Flooring: Carpet / Rug Award in The International Design and Architecture Awards 2021.

The Ellipse Collection of rugs is a collaboration between Australian brand Armadillo and UK interior design studio House of Grey. It celebrates the shared ethos of design as a doorway to a better future, underpinned by a set of values based on sustainability and making conscious choices in the home. This aligned ethos advocates the ‘purchase well’ mindset – acquiring only what is needed and investing in natural, handcrafted objects of impeccable quality and beautiful longevity.

The philosophy behind the collection is one of designing spaces that nurture a gentler pace of life. The designers believe that by minimalising our home interiors, we make physical and mental space. Replacing visual distractions with subtle sensory experiences balances the overwhelming noise created by our overstimulated lives. This quiet approach to design reclaims the home so it feels calmer and clears the mind, which in turn steadies our day-to-day lives and guides us closer to the cadence of nature. From the raw and organic to the sensual and refined, the Ellipse Collection satisfies our craving for nature with organic forms, tones and textures. Each of the five rugs is pared back to its very essence, sculpted to encourage visual and tactile exploration as well as individual introspection.

The collection begins with Terra, an earthy everyday rug. Handcrafted from fine jute, it’s rustic to touch yet instantly comforting. Undone sophistication permeates the loose flat weave, elegantly finished with a long fringe that will become intertwined echoing nature’s perfect imperfections. Terra comes in two hues – raw Natural with a salvaged feel, and the beautifully erratic Moss reminiscent of the forest floor.

Palus takes us into new territory with an exaggerated weave of marled wool that is felted then twisted at varying weights. The uneven surface mirrors the gravelly terrain of mountains, with irregular textures that feel substantial yet soft. Palus features a visual pause in the form of an extra-wide turnover with a thin accent thread running across for subtle contrast, reminding us to make space for moments of quiet. Available in four hand-dyed colourways – Chalk, Anise, Fir and Obsidian – Palus speaks of measured balance.

Transporting us to the celestial, Etoile bridges the organic and considered. The Tibetan-knotted rug features a gradation of textures for a myriad of visual and tactile experiences. On one end asymmetrically curved edges frame a low-cut pile in indulgent wool, transitioning down into a serene loop pile that reveals its intricacies upon closer inspection. A durchen with a fine fringe acts as the rug’s coda, giving interiors and their inhabitants room to breathe. In polished Porcelain and charismatic Dusk, Etoile is an accolade to the finer details.

Umbra is illuminated from within, with breathtaking variations in tone and texture that mirror nature’s unbridled beauty. Crafted from incomparably soft undyed Afghan wool, the yarn’s natural striations mean each rug will be utterly singular. Hand-cut into the Tibetan-knotted pile is an abstract linework inspired by early cave paintings, reflecting our lasting impact on our landscape and our ingrained need to create. Umbra is custom made to order and available as a wall hanging.

Evoking the wonders of the cosmos, Perilune calms with its stillness. This Tibetan-knotted rug has a subtle sheen thanks to wool hand-spun with pure silk, becoming an intuitive canvas for a carving inspired by the crescent moon. Etched into the pile at different depths, the embossed shapes ripple across the rug’s negative spaces. Beautiful in its simplicity, Perilune speaks to the transient nature of our existence. In luminous undyed Quartz, it is custom only, including as a wall hanging.

Armadillo

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