STEP BACK IN TIME: BECKFORD HOUSE’S PREWAR-INSPIRED RUG DESIGNS

Creative Matters’ designs in Beckford House’s staircase, stair hall, and cellar lounge
Photography by Bill Jacobson Studio

In 2021, Beckford House, located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, underwent an impressive renovation. Working directly with Studio Sofield, the New York based design firm responsible for the building’s new interior and facade, we designed eight custom floor coverings specifically tailored to the unique spaces of Beckford House.

Our talented team designed handknotted, handtufted and woven Axminster floor coverings to complement the residential building’s interior.

AN ODE TO NEW YORK’S ORNATE ERA 

Beckford House’s renovation blends Art Deco, neo-Georgian, and neo-Gothic styles, transporting you back to the prewar era but with contemporary amenities. The impressive building boasts a warm aesthetic, with hand-laid brick, textured limestone, ornate metalwork and decorative elements evoking New York City's pinnacle of high design. 

We crafted floor coverings for the staircase, stair hall, reception area, game room, party room, library and cellar lounge. Our team worked hand in hand with Studio Sofield to achieve a warm and inviting space where the rugs enhance the architecture and furnishings rather than simply blending in.

Ali McMurter, our Managing Partner who spearheaded the project, shares, “Studio Sofield provided hand sketches and floor plans. From there, we recommended colour palettes, production techniques and designs. Each element was thoughtfully selected to complement the architecture and interior design. We helped develop an art deco colour palette of golds, wines, champagnes and charcoals to add further warmth and sophistication to the space.”

Kayla Bortolotto, Senior Designer & Brand Manager, was one of the many team members involved in this extensive project. She added, “We wanted each design to correspond with one another while adding distinctive character to each room. The end result was a collection of floor coverings that relate to one another, yet inject a tailored touch to speak to each space's style.” 

STAIRCASE AND STAIR HALL RUGS

Creative Matters’ art deco-inspired staircase runner
Photography by Bill Jacobson Studio

We crafted a custom waterfall runner to embellish the building’s curved staircase. This design was purposefully created to enhance the stairs’ beautiful stonework, using a gradation and dot pattern design with a striking gold line travelling upwards. Constructed to be durable, this runner was handtufted in Thailand with New Zealand wool and Chinese silk, using a tight loop pile with tip-shearing and level cut pile accents. The shaped inset rug in the stair hall was constructed using the same methods as the staircase runner to ensure harmony.

“As the staircase varied in width, we had to create individual pieces for each stair. We began with a linear dot pattern along the entire gold band. However, the variation in stair sizes posed a challenge to incorporate dot motifs on every stair riser and would appear as an inconsistent pattern. To problem-solve, I created a miniature paper staircase that allowed us to assess the best solution for design intent on the staircase runner. Ultimately, we decided the more appealing design would see dots only on the tread, not the riser,” shares Kayla.

RECEPTION AREA

Creative Matters’ reception area rug
Photography by Bill Jacobson Studio

Our team designed and produced two rugs for the reception area, both encompassing a classic damask pattern to nod to the roaring twenties. The 100-knot designs were handknotted in Nepal with Tibetan wool and Chinese silk, one with light shades and the other dark, creating a stunning contrast effect.

Director of Design Development Anna Panosyan demonstrated her finesse in detailed design work by intricately crafting the damask pattern, inspired by an antique remnant piece from wall upholstery. This piece, possibly the original wall covering inside the room, was entrusted to her by Studio Sofiled, who sought to preserve the heritage of the space in their new design. Anna not only recreated the elements from the wall covering remnant but also meticulously reconstructed the remaining components, breathing new life into the historical motif.

GAME ROOM

Creative Matters’ game room rug
Photography by Bill Jacobson Studio

Studio Sofield’s design brief for the game room referenced a houndstooth pattern. After viewing the floor plans and design features, our designers sampled stippled blends and experimented with solid colours, using navy and royal blues to inject the feeling of fun. The woven Axminster design, produced in China, seamlessly ties in with the room’s cool grey design that designers Mengting Shen and Kat Pezzano worked on.

PARTY ROOM

A close-up of the party room rug

The party room rug features a geometric and linear line pattern, sharing the same art deco colour palette as the staircase. For this design we enhanced our traditional woven Axminster, incorporating shiny nylon accents to achieve a more opulent aesthetic. Using the dissolve technique, the shiny nylon was blended with the colours side by side to create a durable design complementing the ambiance of Beckford House's interior with its rich tones.

LIBRARY

Creative Matters’ custom Library rug design
Photography by Bill Jacobson Studio

The library design was made to mimic the intricate panelling and nailing on the room’s ceiling. Designer Mengting Shen added subtle dot work to the rug to mirror the ceiling’s detail and create a unified look. “The library rug was handknotted in Nepal using 100% wool. We used the abrash dyeing technique as this provides a wonderful variation in colour, adding a captivating dimension and injecting warmth,” shared Mengting.

CELLAR LOUNGE

A close-up of the cellar lounge rug

The cellar lounge rug, similar to the party room, was created using woven Axminster with captivating shiny nylon accents. This design also relates to the staircase and stair hall designs, with bold dot work dancing around the gold detailing. 

We are proud to have collaborated with Studio Sofield, one of our long-standing and trusted clients, on crafting these exquisite floor coverings for Beckford House and Tower. This complex design project showcases the wide range of expertise and versatility we offer our clients. 

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