About Luke Irwin | Williams Sonoma

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About Luke Irwin

London-based designer Luke Irwin specializes in the design and manufacture of hand-knotted rugs. Irwin counts everyone from the British royal family to the Obamas (who were gifted a rug by the Republic of Ireland), and members of U2 and The Rolling Stones among his clientele.

Irwin began his career in both the theater and
antiques world but, after a chance meeting with
the son of a Tibetan weaver at a family luncheon,
he set up his first rug design business in 2003.
Today, Irwin's designs are hand knotted using
traditional methods by artisans who specialize in this
ancient art form. Much of the inspiration for his
collections tends to be rooted in history –
everything from antique textiles and poetry to
crop circles and unearthed mosaic tiling.

“I have followed the career of Luke Irwin and his beautiful product for many years, and
I have been lucky enough to own his rugs in my own home and to commission them for
many clients,” says award-winning interior designer Nina Campbell. “How lucky are
we all that the beautiful and more affordable Luke Irwin collection will now be available
at Williams Sonoma?”

Luke Irwin’s Design Inspiration

MOSAIC

His latest collection “Mosaic,” was
inspired by an ancient Roman villa
mosaic tiling that was discovered
underneath his own home in Wiltshire,
England. In February 2015, while laying
electricity cables underneath his home,
Irwin struck a cold, flat surface.

There, about 18 inches beneath the
ground, lay an untouched Roman
mosaic – a striking pattern, unseen for
some 1,500 years, of vivid oranges,
creams and greys. The mosaic was
incredibly well preserved and, while
archeologists worked to learn more
about the historic site,

Irwin translated the design and
feeling into a line of signature rugs
that “will always make you think,
hopefully on a bigger level, about
our place in time and history, and
of all of these things that have
gone before,” says Irwin.

SHOP LUKE IRWIN'S RUGS >

IKAT

The dyeing and weaving technique
known as ikat has made its way all
around the world from Indonesia to
Japan to England, where Irwin
revamped the style to make waves
in a contemporary and vibrant
age of design.

Although Irwin has several stunning
collections, his ikats are essentially
responsible for his fame. They are the
most well-known collection Irwin has
launched and the ikat is still one of the
designs synonymous with his name.

SHOP LUKE IRWIN'S RUGS >

HOW TO CHOOSE THE
PERFECT RUG
FOR EVERY ROOM
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