OUR VERSATILITY EXCELS AT MUIR HOTEL

The design for the handtufted rug in the living room of the presidential suite evokes rippling waves and has an ocean tones colour palette.

In 2019, renowned interior design firm Studio Munge invited us to join them on a quest to create “a distinct sense of place” for a new hotel in Halifax in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast.  Situated in the centre of downtown on the waterfront, Muir offers elevated hospitality and service inspired by the spirit, culture and natural beauty of Nova Scotia.

“We are always delighted to work with Studio Munge and their inspiring visions,” said Partner Ana Cunningham who managed this project. “This time they particularly selected Creative Matters for our versatility, our desire to innovate and our access to so many different styles and constructions.” Installed in late 2021, our seven rug designs for Muir responded to an aesthetic that is modern and contemporary yet inspired by east coast materiality and sensibility. “A perfect example of this is the braided rug we developed for use in the presidential suite and guestrooms,” said Ana.

The Creative Matters braided rug used throughout the hotel’s suites and guestrooms.

The braided rugs’ good looks include a curved corner detail.

Braided Rug

We wanted to honour Nova Scotia’s tradition of handcrafted rugs, where in this case, strips of cotton were handwoven into colourful rugs. For Muir’s 119 rugs in three different sizes, artisans hand-braided cotton fabric in a specific formation and stitched the rows together. The palette was inspired by the ocean, sand and sky.

Up close with the beautiful braided design.

Handwoven Felted Yarn Rug for the Lobby Lounge

Because Studio Munge specified the need for texture in the lobby lounge, we created a rug made with felted wool. (The wool is washed and rolled out over and over again so the fibres mesh together.). The design consists of various repeating looped styles with stripes of muted green, pink and yellow to coordinate with the surrounding furniture finishes. “This reminds me of a cable knit sweater, adding to the cozy comfort of the space,” said Ana. “We used a combination of felted yarn weaving techniques to give the rug a variety of texture.”

Texture was the main goal for the cozy lobby lounge rug.

Up close with the elegant simplicity of the lobby lounge rug.

Handtufted Rug With Felted Yarn for the Lobby Reception

For the lobby reception, Studio Munge supplied us with the inspiration of a checked design. We studied it and had samples made in various scales until we found the perfect balance. The design is very intentional from the way the corner elements were handled to accommodate the curves, to the careful balance of contrasting neutrals and hints of colour. The design mimics a basketweave, again a nod to the local craft community.

Inset rug at the lobby reception, tailor-made for an impeccable fit.

Woven Axminster Corridor Runner

The corridor carpet consists of 80% wool and 20% nylon, using a mix of solid and blended tones, a perfect choice for this type of installation.

The corridor layout for the woven Axminster runner.

“The design focused on simple geometry and went through quite a development phase before we settled on the dark field tone and light neutrals.” It was inset into the corridors sitting next to a wood floor border.

Flatwoven Dhurrie With Fringe for the Restaurant Lounge

“We wanted the rug for the restaurant lounge to appear as if it was a tapestry with surprising elements such as the added fringe within the rug’s field,” said Ana. Seen below during the finishing process, the dhurrie was woven by hand. The adding of the fringe was a delicate process as it had to be fed through the existing weave of the dhurrie.

Handtufted and Machine-tufted for the Speakeasy

For this rug (four tones, heathered throughout) for the speakeasy, Studio Munge provided some imagery relating to the cobblestone streets found in the historic neighbourhoods of Halifax. “Spacing of the pattern was considered along with texture as seen in the high and low cut pile between the pattern and field. To offer a cost-effective approach, the outfill was machine-made broadloom dyed to match the colours used in the handmade patterned insets,” said Ana. The rich, dark palette of the space enables the eye to carry seamlessly from the ceiling to the floor. This really sets the stage for the delicate gold screens and the vibrant forest green chairs.

Artisans worked in three different countries to handcraft our creations for the Muir project - it really gave us an opportunity to showcase what a range of styles and constructions we can confidently design and execute.