Recently transplanted from Good Day New York to Good Day LA, anchor Julie Chang was anxious to get her much more spacious two bedroom condo up and running. Despite a limited budget, creative designer Hillary Thomas was able to work her magic and create a chic, eclectic, and glamorous LA haven. Julie brought two Merida rugs and several Roberto Dutesco prints from NYC, which Hillary used as inspiration for the apartment.

Hillary drew upon a variety of sources, from irresistible vintage pieces to Ikea style bargains and garage sale finds. Among the secondhand items used were the rope chandelier, dining table, TV console, and accent chairs. She also used several items from her own decor collection, including finials in the bedroom and barware.

Excitingly for us, Hillary used the two Celerie Kemble by Merida rugs that Julie brought as jumping off points for several rooms:

“The minute I saw Julie’s Merida rugs I knew they would serve as the inspiration for both her living room and bedroom. ‘Catalyst‘ has such a bold, striking pattern so I knew that I would use that as the statement piece and build the rest of the space around it. By mixing shades of gray and using different textures we created a stylish and glamorous atmosphere that wasn’t too fussy. As for the Master Bedroom, ‘Tremor‘ really inspired the color palette and gave it a sexy yet peaceful aesthetic.”

Catalyst in Blue Stone

Tremor in Fickle

She painted the bedroom with Benjamin Moore Elephant grey, which Julie describes as, “not quite purple, not quite grey, its just perfect, and it matches my Merida rug.”

Its always exciting to see how designers use their talents to achieve a unique look. We can’t think of a more inspiring use of our products than as a jumping off point for a project, and are grateful for the opportunity to serve as inspiration for Hillary!

To purchase Catalyst and Tremor, log in to our customer center or call 800-345-2200.

All images by Hillary Thomas.

By Pauline King (Business Development Advisor for California Market)

Januarys are usually a bitterly cold time in New England filled with days of reflection on the past year as well as resolutions for the year to come.   So I jumped on the advice of an industry friend who told me to pack my bags in January to get inspired in Paris!  There was no better way to start 2013 than spending time abroad with designer clients and the fabulous ladies of Merida, Catherine Connolly (C.E.O.) and Roxanne Hanna (Director of Business Development) on a trip to Maison & Objet.

As a newcomer to Europe’s largest design exhibition, I was quick to learn why the city of love is the choice venue.  To start, the monuments, architecture and parks were serene blanketed in January snow. High fashion boutiques lured us in with gorgeous window displays and unbelievable January sales.  Brasseries on the streets of St. Germaine offered the best in French cuisine and a cozy place to sit and people watch.

It was educational and inspiring to step out of my day-to-day world of textile manufacturing and take in upcoming trends in everything home décor.  Spending our nights mingling with our favorite designer clients at Deco Off’s fabulous array of parties was just icing on the cake!

The exhibition was of a size and scale beyond what I had ever seen to date, so we strategically planned our day in the exhibit halls to make time for our “must sees.”  I witnessed so much creativity, beauty and innovation during my days there that my mind was racing with ideas to bring to our Merida design team.  When I returned, I knew I had to share the eye-catching trends that we noticed from the show!

Missoni was a stand out with their unique chevrons and a bold mix of floral and color. Love!

We had a great time with wonderful designer Tim Campbell in Paris, and got a few of his thoughts on inspirational Maison trends:

“The most memorable trend I noticed at Maison this year, in contrast to years past, was the use of color and specifically color blocking. This trend repeats itself in the fashion world but less often in interiors. This year we saw color blocking in furniture, accessories and textiles. I have to say, I loved it.

Color is an interesting barometer of the social climate. If that is true, I’d guess we are all feeling more chipper this year than in years past. I’m not sure where this leads but it is good to see a fresh take on color in interiors. You can bet you’ll see some color blocking in one or two of our upcoming projects.”

More bold florals. I can envision this trend in a custom wool rug (I always have rugs on the brain!)

Designers were fearless with the mixing of color, pattern, and accessories.

During our trip we also met up with the lovely Jean Larette and Ellis Hepburn. I caught up with Jean and asked about her key Maison & Objet trends:

“I thought the Maison show was definitely inspirational. I agree the trend is towards hand-crafted and imperfect. I found the use of raw wood planks with metal was particularly appealing. Loved the updated mid century feel with hand stitched leather details. My favorite vendors were the PH Collection out of Belgium, Monpas of Spain, and Elitis is doing amazing wallpaper. Croc with a hand stitched detail…gorgeous. And the amazing SDA out of France with the wall of teak injected with resin. Stunning.”

With the show focused on the influence of nature on design, the SDA Booth was refreshing with beautiful teak injected with resin.

More teak & resin.

We at Merida have always prided ourselves in the story of our products - so we were enthralled to see manufacturers using visuals of looms to do the same!

Let’s hope Maison & Objet in Paris becomes a yearly tradition!

What trends inspire you this year?

As the temperature here in Boston is approaching single digits we are looking for ways to stay warm. One obvious way is layering wool rugs on floors. But wool doesn’t just keep you warm…

Humans have used wool for over 10,000 years for its thermo regulating properties, comfort, durability, and moisture control. Wool’s density and fiber structure are essential in reducing heating and cooling energy requirements. On a cold day, wool rugs will prevent heat from rising and will keep the room warm and cozy, whereas on a hot day it will trap the cold air indoors, keeping the room cool and comfortable. Wool can also absorb over 40% of its weight in moisture before it starts feeling wet. This can be very useful in areas of high air moisture content.

Chain Link from Made in Massachusetts Collection

Wool is naturally flame resistant as it smolders instead of burning, which makes it very popular for floor insulation in residential and commercial spaces. This fiber is also very durable and resistant to staining, so you can be sure that if properly cared for, your wool rug will last a long time.

Craze - Ice Storm from Celerie Kemble by Merida Collection

All these features are just added benefits to wool’s most popular quality – look and feel. Wool is a very soft and highly versatile fiber and can be dyed in any shade of color. However, some people are attracted to wool’s natural un-dyed state, and are opting for an organic look as seen in our products Basket Weave, Ribbed Stripe, and Tight Loop.

Waffle Weave from Made in Massachusetts Collection

Explore Merida Wool Rugs

Made in Massachusetts Collection – customization options available
Celerie Kemble by Merida
Tufted Collection – customization options available
Sweater Collection
Viewpoint Collection – customization options available

TO ORDER MERIDA WOOL RUGS CALL (800) 345-2200 OR
LOGIN TO MERIDA CUSTOMER CENTER

Periodically on Open Studio we like to take time to appreciate the Merida craftsmen’s work. Connection and consultation between our workshop and designers takes place every day. We are lucky enough to see the creative and beautiful techniques that the Merida Workshop is developing on a regular basis. Last summer we wrote about the rug team’s initiative in taking on challenges and coming up with creative solutions to design problems. Sometimes doing the seemingly simple task exceptionally well is just as impressive. Take a look at a few of our latest refinements in seaming techniques:

Catalyst from The Celerie Kemble by Merida Collection

Plough from the Celerie Kemble by Merida Collection

Tonga, Sisal

Ribbed Stripe, Woven Wool

Heron Stripe, Sisal

Check back for more behind-the-scenes and product development from Merida!

Want more information? Drop us a line: info@meridameridian.com or (800) 345-2200