Ayka Design - Silhouette Gold


Congratulations to Ayka Design shortlisted for Flooring – Carpet/Rug Design Award in The International Design & Architecture Awards 2017

design et al are delighted to announce that Ayka Design have been shortlisted for Flooring – Carpet/Rug Award in The Product Design Categories within The International Design and Architecture Awards 2017

Designer and Creative Director of Ayka Design, Karen Michelle Evans created Silhouette Gold, inspired by her love of nature, from childhood memories of the forest and lakes in and around Wales. The powerful imagery has always stayed vivid; landscape of towering trees soaring above with their branches reaching the sky, whilst one remains below.

Ayka Design - Silhouette Gold

Like familiar friends, they each have their own stories to tell, as one listens to the wind talking to them. Bold strong black branches are softened with a rich colourful canvas of Gold. Textures interlock in subtle shades of silks echoing patterns crossing over them by the clouds. Perspectives are changed as the distant views become more alive, raised in silks in the foreground, harmonising with the low pile height of the trees. This creates the look of an ancient tapestry which somehow evokes the memory of the past in a modern striking design. Inspired by nature and its various patterns, Silhouette Gold was designed to combine the strong graphic sculptural forms of the branches with a soft textural background. Persian wool was used for the branches set against two silk patterns which were combined to give a third dimension to the design. The overall effect was to create two different aspects to the design so that each could be seen as one canvas, or alternatively, when the light is reflected on its surface, the silks would be highlighted allowing the patterns to take over the design.

Ayka Design - Silhouette Gold

To emphasise this design, the wool was reduced to zero pile height, while the silk threads were kept longer. The design is successful because of its unusual textures and also the balance of its boldness and softness works extremely well together creating harmony in the overall look. While the black bold pattern has an impact at first glance the design has more depth upon viewing it further, as the eyes are drawn to the silk patterns across the canvas. The design reflects nature in a unique style that is still harmonious in any interior. The designer’s favourite aspect of this design is its unusual textures and the finished effect of an antique tapestry bring a fresh look to the design. This is something new on the market and the strong concept of the tree silhouettes is quite distinctive when combined with the patterns. It creates an impact and softness at the same time.

Silhouette Gold - Ayka Design

The size of the Silhouette Gold rug measures 9 by 12 feet with a Persian weave in a 12 x 12 knot. The Persian weave has been constructed with 60% Persian wool, 20% silk and 20% cotton. The chrome double dipped dying on the wool has been hand spun and hand carded. Both wool and silk are woven together. To create the different layers, the wool was oxidised to a pile height of zero mm and silk oxidised to 0.5 mm. Ageing the wool to look like an older tapestry with a modern twist of modern design with a hidden small background pattern that starts off as a full motif but breaks as it blends with the branches of the tree. The design is woven in Persian knot to a high quality of 110 knots only using the highest quality of Persian Wool and hand spun silks. Being aware of the earth and our own responsibility to its environment we carefully work to use the finest natural wool and silk fibre. Silk is 100% sustainable and a renewable natural resource that is recycled into the yarns. The technique of double dipping the hand spun yarns enhances the colour variations on the yarn before weaving. Dip-dyed yarns give gradations in colour that can range from subtle colourways to a stronger boldness as it intensifies.

AYKA DESIGN