All-Star Floor Show
Temple Fine Rugs’ bespoke creations sit between a modern and traditional aesthetic for functional art that stands the test of time.
In partnership with TEMPLE FINE RUGS • Story ELIZABETH CLARKE
Artists have long sought inspiration from their contemporaries and with creative collaborations commonplace for many brands, designers and makers can often work better together.
Chris Hoyne, Sandy Brennan and their in-house designer Rachel Ozolins of Temple Fine Rugs are known for their unique approach to rug design through artisanal craftsmanship and creative alchemy. They design bespoke rugs for some of Perth's most beautiful homes and work closely with leading local interior designers, including Christian Lyon and artist Sheree Dornan.
"We spent time with Sheree in her studio, where she gave us the freedom to explore her works and photograph different parts of her paintings so we could create a library of her artwork," explains Rachel. “When Christian briefed us on his next interior project, we had plenty to inspire us and we knew it would be a fantastic opportunity to incorporate some of these art pieces."
A floor rug is an essential element of every space, yet it is often an afterthought. “Finding the right rug is much more than simply deciding on style and size,” agrees Chris. “It is also about provenance, materiality, design and artisanal technique.”
Creating spectacular bespoke floor rugs is all in a day’s work for the creative team at Temple Fine Rugs, either as part of their collections or as a response to a brief from a client or designer. Highly trained design professionals Chris, Sandy and Rachel work together to develop new concepts. Using sections of artwork to create a design, they re-colour and scale up to create an abstract textural piece. Painstakingly executed with a digital program, specifics such as colours and knots are sent to their international producers so that a prototype can be created. Once the design is approved, the colours, techniques and materials are broken down.
“For prototypes, we sometimes nail it in the first sample but other times have to resample until we get it right and then it goes to production, which can take up to six months,” says Chris. “Technical complexities, such as quantity of colours, twills and percentage of silk, affect the price, so when we are designing we keep budget in mind as that informs how complex the rug will be.”
For Rachel, a trained graphic designer, painting inspires her work. “My mother is a painter and I have always been surrounded by art,” she says. “I guess you could say I have a painterly aesthetic. It’s amazing to see your work transformed into a textile, but the anticipation can be daunting.”
It can also be intimidating for the client, who must visualise the rug's appearance before receiving it. “A rug is a substantial investment and we are asking a lot of clients to imagine what it will look like,” Rachel says. “Rug making is a long and thorough process, and we provide accurate design visuals and samples to help them visualise the end product. The process can be a nine-month gestation waiting for the rug, and then we roll it out.”
Chris says communicating with producers in developing countries such as India, Nepal, Morocco, Turkey and Pakistan is equally challenging. “We provide excruciatingly detailed instructions for our producers who are dealing with language issues and various business challenges, and of course there is also the tyranny of distance,” he says. “It’s a faith business.”
Temple Fine Rugs has not only developed strong relationships with its own producers but also submits designs to Italian rug brand Battilossi and US rug brand Sahar. “They are two big international rug brands, and because we have been working with them for so long we have forged strong and respectful relationships,” says Chris. “Now they open up their workshops for us to adapt their designs and produce our own. It’s a huge privilege.”
For Sheree, a renowned West Australian multi- disciplinary artist, contributing to such a complex process is “joy”. “It’s inspiring working with Temple Fine Rugs and seeing my art take a completely different shape,” she says.
Known for her astute skill in layering texture, tones and a considered palette, Sheree’s works are serene and harmonious, interspersed with strong contrasts and elements alluding to nature. “The landscape is my inspiration,” she says. “I start with a colour palette and just paint; it’s purely instinctive.” Working mostly on paper, Sheree uses a combination of watercolours, acrylics and metallics and says her work evolves as she paints. “I work very loosely – unlike rug design, which is incredibly precise!” she laughs.
Because a rug is created differently from a painting, many artworks are too complex to transform directly into a design, so Rachel converts them technically. "It's like translating the French language to English,” says Chris. "There is a technical aspect to translating a piece of art into a woven textile. If the painting features colours that wash into each other, we must determine what weaving techniques are needed to achieve that effect. We never want the rug to become a mechanical, stiff version of the art because it can easily become contrived. The trick is in the translation – there must be subtlety, freedom and flow.”
Translating Sheree’s work into a floor rug for a specific space is exciting, says Sandy, especially working alongside a prolific talent such as Christian Lyon. “Christian was involved in the entire process and, at the first meeting, presented mood boards showing architectural pieces of furniture that were modern, vintage, or very brutalist in style,” she says. “In response, we presented him with Sheree’s strongest works. It was a hugely inspiring process.”
For Christian, a floor rug sets the tenor for his work. “My projects often demand custom design to achieve the right proportions, palette and texture,” he says. “A rug is the foundation of a room and sets its language. Temple Fine Rugs is very responsive and Rachel is brilliant at translating a brief, such as choosing the palette and fibres to express what we want.”
For Harbour, some of Sheree’s abstract works on paper served as inspiration. Taking specific sections of the art, Temple Fine Rugs recoloured them, scaled them up, and added a striking scratchy overlay. Several different rugs were created from the same artwork using different colour palettes.
“One version we did in natural tones with a hint of rubbed-back gold, making it perfect as a moody bedroom design,” says Sandy. “It has high energy yet is soft enough to be a backdrop for furniture. It’s a work of art.”
Midnight, inspired by a soft seascape created by Sheree using an ink wash and bamboo stick, was translated by Temple Fine Rugs. It was hand-knotted by Tibetan weavers in Nepal into a 4 x 4 metre masterpiece using Highland Tibetan wool. “Sometimes it is hard to see the original painting, but if you look deep enough into the rug you recognise it,” says Sheree, identifying an abstract seahorse near the top corner.
Christian’s vision for the client's bedroom proved inspirational for Spinnaker, where a section of Sheree’s abstract work was repeated various times to form one design; Christian was definite about how he wanted Sheree’s work translated, where colour should be placed, and how the bed would sit on the design.
“When designing a floor rug, it’s crucial to consider each interior element,” he says. “We worked out where the rug sits and how the furniture sits, and then the design was adapted around the furniture placement.”
Equally important is the space’s purpose and orientation. “How will the client travel through this space, and where is the most foot traffic?” he asks. “How the light falls is important too as some give a lot of sheen and others absorb light, making the space feel cosy.”
For Chris, bringing together creative and artisanal talent who work seamlessly as a team is critical for an extraordinary outcome. “In a collaboration, all parts are equal and, when combined, create something greater than the sum of us,” he says. “This project was about Christian, Sheree, our team and the craftsmen doing the weaving, dyeing, spinning and finishing. We couldn’t have achieved such a wonderful result without them all. Collaboration is key to a great creative outcome.”
Left to Right: Sheree Dornan, Chris Hoyne, Sandy Brennan, Christian Lyon and Rachel Ozolins pictured at editeur with the Channel rug, by Temple Fine Rugs.
Temple Fine Rugs
343 Railway Road, Shenton Park
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