PEARLE HOTEL SHINES WITH OUR HAND AXMINSTER RUGS

The Creative Matters rug for the lobby of the Pearle Hotel & Spa.

During the summer, impeccably designed and crafted Creative Matters rugs were installed throughout the new Pearle Hotel & Spa in Burlington (just outside Toronto). It was a special project because it was the first time we used the hand Axminster method of production for all the rugs in a hotel.

Hand Axminster (HAX) is a newly-developed technique combining the woven Axminster and handtufted methods of production. “Mostly a machine-made construction, HAX allows us to add handtufted elements to create added texture and definition with raised - or lowered - loop and cut pile,” said Ana Cunningham, Partner who led the project. “It creates the appearance of a handmade rug but it has the structural durability for a hotel interior.”

A close-up photo of the presidential suite rug showing the integration of the warm gold handtufted elements.

Together with interior design firm Studio Munge we decided to use a shared palette of nine colours across the designs for the lobby, presidential suite and guest rooms. In addition to warm gold tones, ash, charcoal, sand, pearl and parchment provide intricate interplay. “For the lobby, the design’s intent was to capture the reflective quality of water during golden hour,” said Ana. “Dynamic in its oval inset, there is texture and movement in the rug while adding definition to the space in a unique way.”

The lobby rug is a focal point for guests entering the hotel.

“The nuanced watery effect in the lobby rug also takes its cues from a light fixture inspired by drops of water,” said Kayla Bortolotto the Senior Designer who created the designs. “Because we used a fine blended yarn technique for the woven Axminster that allows us to ply two yarns together, we could create softer designs with subtle tonal shifts.”

An example of the subtle tonal shifts we achieved with the blended yarn technique in the lobby rug.

The blended yarn technique was also responsible for the ombres visible throughout each design.

As well as complementing the overall aesthetic of the room and providing a little bit of art for the floor, the rug for the presidential suite captures the overlapping waves of the local shoreline. There was also beautiful continuity between the presidential suite rug and the guest room rug.

Creative Matters’s rug for the presidential suite also explored water at the time of day when sunlight softens.

“The intent of the design for the 28 lake view guest rooms was a more abstract, simplified interpretation of the lobby rug,” said Ana. “Handtufted elements in the warm gold colour were used as accents in 2 mm raised cut pile.”

The rug at the Pearle Hotel for the guest rooms.

We - and the client - were delighted with the effects we were able to create with HAX. This sets a new standard for Creative Matters and we look forward to exploring this method of production in future projects.

Photography: Simon Tanenbaum