Modern Geometric rugs 

In western design design trends, geometric rug compositions could be traced to the Arts and Crafts movement and twentieth century modernism. However when it comes to rugs, a broader global perspective is far more apt. Take a look at the woven arts of the nomadic weavers of Persia or North Africa, or the indigenous cultures of the americas: in each of these groups, textile traditions of vividly geometric motifs are as old as the stones.

The most fundamental of woven structures is the flatweave. The flatweave is produced in many cultures around the world, and lends itself to stripe motifs, a most basic geometric configuration in textiles. From stripes, an array of weaving innovations elaborate rich and varied possibilities. From stripes and checkerboards to chevrons and Eye-Dazzlers, it’s clear a diversity of global origins and affinities are relevant to rug motifs of all sorts.

In design, we may tend to think of geometric motifs as modern. But modernism as a twentieth century movement in art and culture, is rooted in older traditions. World cultures and their arts have enchanted the imagination of European audiences from the Silk Roads to the colonial eras to modern day internet culture. Cultural contact especially through commercial activities can lead to rich creative exchange which seeps into all aspects of life and design. So modern geometric rugs are artifacts of a remixing globalism that continues to flavor the most exciting and cutting edge design. 

At Mehraban we carry a wide assortment of vintage pieces, and also produce new original rugs, working with weavers in the major rug centers of the contemporary world, most notably Nepal and India. Our signature collections are our answers to design trends unfolding daily in Southern California and beyond. In addition to our in-house signature collections, we collaborate with leading Los Angeles designers and visionaries to create our designer collections. Let’s take a brief tour of modern geometric rugs in our designer collections.     

The collection of Los Angeles designer Michael Berman is replete with modern classics. Characterized by distinct color palettes, graded color shifts, and shaped contours, Berman’s modern geometric rugs suggest Los Angeles deco, golden era Hollywood secreted away behind the palms. Much like Southern California, the tonalities in Berman’s chromatic designs feature rich saturations and radiantly light-infused pastels: rose tones in the circular Luna, slate blues in the rectangular Plaza, bronze tones in the capsule-shaped Clarion.  

The Baci Collection is the second rug collection of Citizen Artist, the design duo Rafael Kalichstein and Joshua Rose. Baci is a homage to Italy by way of its architectural embellishments. Here motifs of stone inlay found on floors and walls alike inspire the modern geometric interpretations in Citizen Artist’s rugs. Diagonals rendered in luscious raw silk of Pavimento evokes the organic beauty of marble paneling. Republica’s mirrored angles are iconic shapes, a  neoclassical twist on the ever-classic chevron. Pazzo’s tiled squares evoke coffers and crests, a post-modern melange designed in bold bright, surprising rose, and a go-to neutral colorways.    

Straight Lines and Unexpected Curves is a collection of rugs by designer César Giraldo. Founded on a love of Art Deco and a geometry-as-muse concept, this collection distills trends of neo-modern formalism. Giraldo’s geometrics are a contemporary heraldic. In axial compositions and fearless color, they are redolent of future ceremony and pedigree. Named for cities of the world, these are statement pieces for the global era. The geometric shapes etched in the Sao Paulo rug bring to mind perspectival angles of the ultra-modern. Paris updates deco vibes for a new century. The Los Angeles rug brings to mind planar shapes of the mid-century modern architecture which defines this city's cultural heritage. Shanghai’s curved sectional in the manner of classic Chinese Nichols.

The abstract rounded shapes in Erinn Valenchich’s collection suggest geometric shapes weathered and eroded. This is a soft geometry in the stacked shapes of the Maize and Losa rugs, evoking nature and culture. We may imagine an ancient wall, foundational to a culture, now in ruin, yet retaining whispers of former glories. If these stones could speak…  These rug compositions offer an alternative to modern geometric design, hinting at geometric structure while defying its strictures.

The Claudia Afshar collection is perhaps definitive of contemporary modern geometry. Geometries of architecture are slimmed to essential form. In the Archi rug, rhythms of fluted molding are rendered in monochrome compositions of vertical stripes of alternating pile heights. In the slightly more complex Ripples rug two areas of vertical stripes meet. Their differing measures create a contrast of tempo. 

The Schema rug by Erica Islas is a design that evokes modern geometry in a twentieth century sense. Thin-line spiraling geometric configurations suggest International Style architectural space. Schema is intellectual, elegant, with a lightness and soupçon of whimsy. 

These are some examples of modern geometric rugs found in the Mehraban inventory. For those who may be interested in traditional geometric rugs, we invite you to explore vintage Persian kilims, Tuareg reed mats, or reach out to inquire about other geometric rug possibilities, modern or traditional, or any other ways we may assist you in your rug shopping. Our team is always happy to help.