Collection: Eastern European Collection

The Eastern European Collection — Geometry in Memory

Eastern European rugmaking reflects the meeting point of mountain, meadow, and migration — where Slavic, Balkan, and Carpathian crafts converge in a shared language of pattern and purpose. In remote highland villages, families wove floor coverings not for display, but for life: to warm wooden floors through long winters, to mark festivals, to pass down from one generation to the next.

These textiles speak softly yet powerfully — of endurance, belonging, and quiet beauty. Their geometry is honest and human, shaped by the rhythm of village looms and the instinctive artistry of those who wove them. Today, their bold medallions, stylized florals, and weather-softened hues feel at once rustic and timeless, bringing a grounded sense of place to modern interiors.

Indigenous History: Rugmaking in Eastern Europe emerged from deep folk traditions rather than courtly luxury. Across the Carpathians, Balkans, and steppes, weaving was a household craft — women worked looms beside hearth fires, translating regional embroidery motifs into wool and warp. The designs carried meaning: diamonds for fertility, trees of life for protection, borders as symbolic thresholds between worlds. Centuries of trade and migration layered these styles — Ottoman kilim influences entered the Balkans; Habsburg workshops adapted local weaves for export. Yet the heart of the craft remained domestic, community-driven, and deeply spiritual. Even under regimes that sought to erase folk culture, weaving endured — a quiet preservation of heritage through pattern.

The Eastern European Collection celebrates this resilience: the artistry of everyday makers whose hands kept culture alive through thread and time.

How It’s Made

Materials: Hand-spun wool from local mountain sheep, prized for warmth and durability.

Dyeing: Natural plant-based dyes such as walnut, madder, and onion skin, creating earthy reds, golds, and browns that mellow beautifully with age.

Techniques: Flatweave and low-pile knotting, often combining tapestry and slit-weave structures for strength and subtle texture.

Motifs: Geometric medallions, stylized florals, border bands, and repeating diamonds derived from regional embroidery.

Durability: Exceptionally high — designed for daily use in rural homes, easily repaired and passed down for generations.

Authenticity: Each piece retains the hallmarks of handmaking — slight asymmetry, irregular lines, and organic variation that reveal the human story behind the loom.