I do not own this book. I know, I need to, but I don't. Bloggers refer to it a lot. One thing that has always intrigued me about this book is the cover. And that rug.
Bunny Williams, Point of View
I'm naturally drawn to the graphic white and brown, and I've always had a bit of a weakness for the diamond pattern.
Ad, Doris Leslie Blau.
Plus, after all the seagrass and sisal, don't these look cozy? Soft and plush, without being goofy like flotaki?
But I didn't know what they were or from where they came. Enter the wonder of the internet.
These rugs are Moroccan and are created by the Beni Ouarain, a coalition of semi-nomadic tribes hailing from the Mid-Atlas mountains. They tend an ancient breed of small sheep and use their wool to produce these carpets.
This image, and the one above, are Michael Smith for Cindy Crawford in Elle Decor, March, 2006. Note that in the bottom picture, he has layered two different rugs.
The patterns are unique and rarely have a border; those rugs with a border are generally the result of outside influences.