FRONT London’s new 200sqm showroom in Mayfair showcases the work of two innovative rug designers who challenge convention and develop amazing new techniques: Jan Kath, known for his distressed and aged designs based on historic patterns, and Michaela Schleypen, whose work is inspired by nature.

Rich and bright motifs of traditional Siberian shawls have been transformed by Jan Kath’s signature style into modern rugs. This is one from his ‘From Russia with love’ collection.

Michaela Schleypen’s ‘Wood Heart’ rug looks like a cross-section of a 100-year-old oak tree. It’s available in two different finishes: pure wool which is suitable for in the home, or a moisture-resistant fibre which is perfect for a bathroom or outside. It can also be made  in bright contemporary colours.

‘Antik Russian Denim’ rug by Michaela Schleypen. The inspiration for this came from the ornamentation on the upholstery of an old armchair found in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

The bold lines and dots of sea urchins inspired this hand-tufted rug by Michaela Schleypen. The magnified markings create a 3D effect.

Inspired by the vivid colours in images from the Hubble telescope, Jan Kath wanted to create hand-knotted rugs that were replicas of high-resolution photographs of space. It has taken him more than 15 years – and with only a small group of specialist weavers – to realise his vision. The impression of gas clouds, asteroid nebulae and depth is created with a palette of up to 60 colours – a technical achievement in rug design. In each design there are more than 150-200 knots per square inch, ensuring rugs will last for generations.

Jan Kath has won many awards for his ‘ Erased Classics’ rug collection, where classical Italian wall drape patterns and traditional Oriental ornamental rug designs feature the patina of a hundred years of loving care through his development of distressed effects. His rugs are created from materials of the highest quality, such as Tibetan highland wool, finest Chinese silk, cashmere, and nettle fibres. All rugs are hand made by highly skilled weavers in Nepal, using a traditional high density knotting technique – from 100 to 450 knots per square inch. No two rugs are the same, as clients can choose the size, material and colour spectrum of the heirloom rug that will last for generations!

Michaela Schleypen is also an innovator and the creator of many original techniques and materials. She was the first to start rug sculpting, taking rug design to another level. She has even developed her own original colour scale enabling her to create rugs with a unique variety of shades. All her rugs are handmade using a dense tufting technique with New Zealand wool and Chinese silk as well as bold and surprising materials, such as lustre cotton, neon threads and denim and moisture-resistant fibres.

Visit Front London at 20 Bruton Place, London, W1J 6LY. T 020-74950740