Dilana Rugs

In the early to mid-80s, Dawe brought his unique vision to life with stunning black-on-white compositions featuring intricate reliefs and textures. Over the years, his rug designs evolved alongside his sculpting practice, incorporating beautiful birds, fish, and eels compositions. This featured rug showcases the Paradise Duck, a testament to Dawe's artistic journey.

Read more about this rug in the link 🔗
http://dilana.co.nz/searching-for-paradise-paradise-ducks-bing-dawe

“Bundespost” exemplifies Driver’s ability
to elevate the everyday. This piece, constructed from discarded materials into a paper collage and later translated into a rug, showcases his years of experience with textile materials. Driver knew how wool yarn would manipulate colours, and the tuft direction in the rug played a crucial role in giving it the depth and movement he sought.
“Bundespost” invites viewers to reconsider the significance of everyday objects.
Read more about this rug in the link 🔗 in our bio

“Bundespost" exemplifies Driver's ability
to elevate the everyday. This piece, constructed from discarded materials into a paper collage and later translated into a rug, showcases his years of experience with textile materials. Driver knew how wool yarn would manipulate colours, and the tuft direction in the rug played a crucial role in giving it the depth and movement he sought.
"Bundespost" invites viewers to reconsider the significance of everyday objects.
Read more about this rug here

http://dilana.co.nz/bundespost/dondriver

When the Lights Go on Again by Avis Higgs
Designed on V-E Day in May 1945, this final edition rug captures the joyous spirit of victory. While waiting to join the celebrations at Sydney's waterfront, Avis sketched 'When The Lights Go On Again,' inspired by Vera Lynn’s popular song.
Read more about this rug in the link 🔗 http://dilana.co.nz/when-the-lights-go-on-again

Keyhole #1 by

Keyhole #1 is the last rug in the first edition of the series made at Dilana’s Christchurch workshop.
Read more about this rug in the link 🔗 on the bio.

060 by Andrew Mcleaod
Read about this rug in the 🔗 in our bio

SIGNIFICANT TREE

Riduan Tomkins

Figures and Fibers: The Quiet Power of a Significant Tree
To read more about this rug please click here


http://dilana.co.nz/significant-tree-riduan-tomkins

Rug #2
Night fishing - Lake Waihora designed by Bing Dawe
A composition of brown trout
To read more about the rug, click here
http://dilana.co.nz/night-fishing-lake-waihor-bing-dawe

From all here at dilana we wish you a fantastic holiday break and wonderful New Year! Wherever you are on this beautiful planet and whoever you are with, we hope you are happy and safe. We’ll be closed from the 21st of December and back on the 15th of January.

Rug designed by Tim Main

New post up on our blog! How to style rugs in your home - part #1

Dilana Rugs From decorating a space to defining a zone, a rug is the ultimate style tool. It is an important building block for creating a cohesive space. It can anchor a room and easily infuse it with personality and taste.

We are back ! Today in Why Wool #3 we are sharing some facts about the amazing sheep 🐑 You will also learn which breeds' wool is most commonly used for rug and carpet production.

Spring has sprung, and we hope the cold, grey days are behind us. A vibrant rug from our Artists Collection is just the right thing to freshen up your space & celebrate the change of season.

Rugs pictured, in order:
~Māori Motif D88 by Avis Higgs
~Pohutukawa I by Tim Main
~Clematis by Tim Main
~Ko Te Aroha Anō by Reuben Paterson
~Archimedes Garden (8 modules) by Chiara Corbelletto
~Stones of Escape by Sarah Anderson (❕view this rug at Florilegium - an exhibition by ~Sarah Anderson & Megan Huffadine, opening on the 29th October at 4.00pm, at Chamber Gallery Rangiora)

Continuing the story of Bing Dawe's intriguing "Stone Pickers" series of tufted rugs )made with dilana in 1993) -

All the rugs included in this series were made as separate pieces, however, the clever compositions of each piece allow for the rugs to be arranged in a form of a long runner, where "up" and "down" don't matter anymore - and we can appreciate the story the artist is putting before us.

The common motifs of South Canterbury bring the artist's Fabulous Races to a more familiar context, and we are left to ponder on themes of belonging and the unknown.

The "Stone Pickers" series, created by Bing Dawe and Dilana in 1993, is a memorable collaboration that cannot be fully appreciated without knowledge of its origins -

In 1990, Dawe embarked on a creative exploration that gave birth to the "Fabulous Races," a collection of bronze and steel sculptures inspired by mediaeval Central European imagery. Notably, "Reintroduction of Fabulous Races," (made with backsmith Noel Gregg), graced Cathedral Square, Christchurch in July 1990, designed to spark imagination in both children and adults.

This artistic journey evolved into "Scenes From a Smaller World" and the tufted wool "Stone Pickers" series in 1993, transporting the Fabulous Races to the scenic context of South Canterbury, New Zealand. The Stone Pickers series in its entirety forms a sequence of six rugs that form a unique runner, where there's no fixed top or bottom. Throughout these compositions, recurring motifs include lucerne flowers, stones, fabulous beings, and nods to the Waitaki River and South Canterbury.

Notably, the creatures now reflect their environment, as seen in "Fabulous Beast," where the man-headed ox, cynocephalus, is transformed into a sheep with a farmer's head, symbolising rural New Zealand. In a later addition to the series, Dawe introduced the brown trout, and his piece "Scenes from a Smaller World" speaks uniquely to fishing enthusiasts with the phrase "and the moving window opens briefly to his world."

In the presence of Dawe's fabulous creatures, we're reminded of the significance of accepting the unknown and nurturing curiosity.

MORE IS MORE ! 🦚 Maximalist interiors, in stark contrast to minimalism, enthusiastically embrace vibrant colours, intricate patterns, and layering to create spaces that exude extravagance. 🦚

Similar to fashion, interior decoration is meant to be an exhilarating experience. It provides a platform for self-expression without the constraints of traditional design principles. But, maximalism is more than simply cluttering a room with objects; it requires a deliberate and curated approach, much like any other interior design trend. 🦚

When it comes to home decor, maximalism is essentially another term for a practice that has existed for centuries: the art of showcasing the objects we cherish. 🦚

Here’s a few starting points for building a maximalist haven in your home:
🔸 Bold colours
🔸 Patterned wallpaper
🔸 Contrasting motifs
🔸 Ornate accents, like chandeliers
🔸 Layered fabrics
🔸 Statement pieces - like a dilana rug

We picked out a few rugs from our artists collection that encapsulate the idea of maximalism - a bold, more-is-more attitude. Whether it’s Simon Ogden’s layering of patterns and finishes, Phillip Trusttum’s playful motifs, or Reuben Patterson’s use of glittering threads, our maximalist rugs are sure to make a lasting impression.

Rugs pictured:
🔹 9 Graces no. 2 by Simon Ogden
🔹 Fold Up Doll by Phillip Trusttum
🔹 Kaitareti Rose by Simon Ogden
🔹 Hampton by Gavin Chilcott
🔹 Ikarangi and In My Midnight Garden by Reuben Paterson

🧶 Pt. #2 of our Why Wool series. 🧶 Slide through to learn what exactly gives wool its unique properties.

A rug journey - The Darryn George collection at Wellington Airport & The Rydges Hotel - featuring a 28m long runner, and a set of vibrant foyer rugs. Have you noticed them at the airport?

The words “Haere Mai” mean to welcome, while the recurring word “Hikoi” embodies the journey taken with confident strides. At the Rydges Hotel, the colour palette changes, indicating arrival at the destination. And after your stay, the “Haere” rug that first welcomed you will now wish you “Haere Ra” - good-bye, farewell.

Feeling the winter blues or just done with the cold? Cozy up with a woollen rug that will brighten any space on a grey day.
Rugs pictured:
1) Pacific Blanc, Sudi Dargipour,
2) Spirals & Koru, Avis Higgs,
3) Climate Change, Sudi Dargipour
4) Pacific Stories II, dilana in-house

🧶 Today we are sharing some of the reasons why wool should be your choice when it comes to textiles, especially rugs.
Part #1 of our WHY WOOL series.

Another collaboration between dilana and New Zealand artist Bridget Bidwill - this time in the form of a 100cm x 300cm hand-tufted runner.

We used the abrash dye method to carry through the artist's palette and painting technique into a textile.

The result is a beautiful runner in grounded natural colours to suit a variety of spaces. Made with 100% New Zealand wool.

Introducing: Pacific Stories III

This hand-knotted piece is the newest addition to dilana’s in-house rug collection “Pacific Stories”. Designs in this collection celebrate traditional Pacific & Māori artforms such as raranga/weaving and tukutuku. These rugs are all woven in wool using hand-knotting techniques that perfectly capture the detailed patterns present.

“Pacific Stories III” is specifically inspired by the art of harakeke weaving, but the familiar forms are here modernised through a more contrasted palette and a dynamic but symmetrical composition. The almost digital look of the design is softened through the integrity of the hand-knotted medium and the soft tonal variations of natural fibres in the pile nap.

SPECIFICATIONS:
artist | dilana in-house (Lidija Raletic)
title | Pacific Stories lll
dimensions | 140cm x 200cm
on request | 200cm x 290 cm
construction | hand knotted
pile | 100% wool

Have you read our latest blog post detailing the making of this amazing hand-knotted rug? "Top End Mangroves" by Marina Strocchi

Follow the link in our bio to learn more about this process

SPOTLIGHT ON: Marina Strocchi, an unconventional artist. She creates tapestry-like paintings that blend figurative and abstract elements.

Inspired by travel, she captures the harsh Australian light against landscape forms with intense colours and unique perspectives.

Translating her art into hand-knotted rugs posed challenges, but through tie-dye techniques, her delicate brushwork and subtle colour shifts are expressed in textile.

Read more about the rug making process on our blog - link in bio!

Project realised with &

Kahawai - production reel

Challenging design norms can result in visually striking pieces, as seen in Andrew McLoad's 009 rug. In rug design, contrasting floating and edge shapes may not create harmony, but McLoad innovatively uses colour density for balance, allowing his rug to fit various interior styles. Each colour in the rug interacts visually with its environment, showcasing the design's adaptability and versatility.

Pictured: artist Andrew McLeod signing the limited edition dilana rug

Where textile design and abstract art meet: Another bold design by Andrew McLeod

''144'' rug
2.1m x 1.45m
Limited edition of 10
hand-tufted in 100% New Zealand wool

This piece carries on the theme of individuality found in McLeod's work & in his collaboration with Dilana, where aesthetic rules can be broken - the surprising composition and colour choices divide the piece in two, relativising the other elements present in the work. The viewer is invited to observe and contemplate the art piece in their own way, while the art piece itself allows for further experimentation with personal interior design surrounding it. The potent colours and defined shapes perfectly accentuate already colourful & bold design choices, transforming any room into a unique artistic experience.

Andrew McLeod is an acclaimed New Zealand figurative and abstract artist. His work often combines strong iconography with eclectic influences varying from the likes of Henry Fuseli and the symbolists, to the crisp, reductive geometry of modernism.

More about the vision behind Andrew McLeod's Dilana rug collection on our blog.
Here is a link

http://dilana.co.nz/blog/2023/6/1/where-abstract-art-meets-textile-design-andrew-mcleods-unconventional-rugs-or-rethinking-interior-design-a-case-for-andrew-mcleods-060-rug

SPOTLIGHT ON: "060" by artist Andrew McLeod 🟥 🟥

This is an unusual rug at first glance and its boldness might not be to everyone's liking. However, that is precisely what it stands for - individual style. It rebels against the conventional contemporary interior design, specifically against the commodified, curated, Pinterest inspired copy-paste interior design.

So we invite you to appreciate this rug's unique & bold beauty, and to be open to breaking some aesthetic rules for the sake of personal expression.

Blog post about Andrew McLeod's work coming to our website next week. Stay tuned.

"VEGETABLE" by Richard Killeen
2.2m x 1m, hand-tufted in 100% NZ wool

Animal Mineral Vegetable 2023 series
Limited edition of 10

Available in-store and online.
Link in bio.

"MINERAL" by Richard Killeen
2.2m x 1m, hand-tufted in 100% NZ wool

Animal Mineral Vegetable 2023 series
Limited edition of 10

Available in-store and online.
Link in bio.

"ANIMAL" by Richard Killeen
2.2m x 1m, hand-tufted in 100% NZ wool

Animal Mineral Vegetable 2023 series
Limited edition of 10

Available in-store and online.
Link in bio.