Over the past year we’ve been working on a very exciting collection of custom handwoven rugs with our friend, Joanna Williams of Kneeland and Co. I won’t blab on too much about it (because the photos really do all the magic), except to say that this project was such fun and we all could not be more thrilled to finally share it with you!
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Kate
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Joanna and Kate at the launch party at Joanna's studio in Los Angeles.
Kneeland Co., a Los Angeles based vintage textile library, was founded in 2010 by Joanna Williams as a way of sharing her discoveries, inspirations, and ideas. Kate Temple Reynolds, of Temple Studio, met Joanna back in 2017 and was an immediate fan girl of Joanna’s extensive collection as well as her magnetic personality and vast knowledge of historic patterns and motifs.
A behind the scenes look at color selection for the VANORA and Akhet Sunset rugs.
The two companies have now collaborated on a collection of rugs that we hope will bring your design projects the same amount of joy that it gave us to create. Consisting of five designs in various color ways, these rugs are hand crafted by our artisan weaving partners in Nepal and India. Each rug is made custom to your specifications and unique color requests are possible.
Through this collaboration Kate and Joanna aim to share a bit of the great sense of adventure that resides within the Kneeland name.
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The Temple Studio team (l-r): Kate along with Temple's Catt Cropper, and co-founder Amarlies Gonzalez.
A view of the delicious and lovely drinks and party during the April 17th launch celebration at Joanna's studio in LA.
Left: Kate and Joanna with Paige Cleveland of Rule of Three;
Right: Beatrice Valenzuela getting a quick photo with the Akhet and Vanora rugs
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Often used to describe an experimental technique in an artistic field - New Wave - was exactly the goal with this rug. The wavy stripes and more structured lines along with New Wave's goth color inspiration create a harmonious balance between fluidity and structure.
Akhet Rugs in Skylight and Sunset
The name "Akhet" meaning "horizon" in Egyptian, is a nod to the powerful imagery of the sun god Ra passing through the horizon at sunset.
Futurismo Rugs in Sonic Brick and Sonic Black
Designed to be noisy in a cool way, Futurismo reflects the same spirit of unconventionality that is at the heart of Italian noise music.
Vanora Multi Rug (left)
Tartan and plaid have been a symbol of Scottish heritage for centuries, originating from the weaving of cloth for kilts and clothing. Vanora takes its name from this rich history, while adding a fresh twist through its charming woven color palette.
Claude 1921 Multi Brown Rug (right)
Named for a vintage French textile book that Joanna won at auction. The book originated from a textile mill in France and is filled with designs from the 1920's, each exuding elegance and sophistication with a touch of whimsy.
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