Rugs & Nugs with Revival
Revival Rug’s Creative Director Lauren and Nugget’s Content Manager Allie connected over the two companies' focus on creativity, intentional design, and unique colors. Read on for Lauren’s advice on pairing Revival rugs with Nuggets, as well as her thoughts on 2022 trends and what to look for in a quality rug.
What’s the history of Revival Rugs?
We were founded in 2017 with a focus on vintage Turkish rugs. The Turkish rug industry is massive, with lots of amazing pieces just lying around. There isn’t really anything like that in the American market, everything here ends up being quite expensive or not that well-made. We believe that you should be able to get a one-of-a-kind rug for a decent price. So we started sourcing handwoven rugs in Turkey and restoring them.
What is your role at the company?
I’m a Creative Director and have my hands in a lot of different pots. I basically help tell stories, both with words and pictures. I direct photoshoots, help figure out product naming, and position how we talk about a product to customers. I love my colleagues and, when it is possible, traveling. Revival is one of the best workplaces I’ve ever been in and everyone is smart, funny, and kind, which makes all the difference.
How is your business model different from other rug companies?
Since I started at the company two years ago, we’ve expanded into vintage Moroccan rugs. Now we’re making our own product in India as well, informed by traditional techniques. I think the coolest thing about it is that it’s international; everyone sells stuff from all over but we’re different in that we have teams on the ground, locals who live there and have a deeper understanding of the market. It also means we can get to know craftspeople and suppliers better and have a more nuanced relationship with them. All this can translate to more interesting products and better deals for customers.
We’re living in an age where there’s no end of things to buy, so we have a pretty rigorous checklist when we’re designing things. Not only do we want beautiful and affordable products, but there needs to be a reason for designing it in the first place. We strive to be intentional with the things that we put on the market. And with all of our products, the construction of it matters. The reason we could even sell vintage rugs in the first place is because they were so well made that they withstood the test of time. Inspired by that, we try to ask: what materials is it made of? Can you pass it on to your kids? We want to offer things for everyone, focusing on longevity.
You’ve also launched your own line of Revival-made rugs. Where do you draw inspiration from?
Our design team finds inspiration everywhere! The items we design are meant to be mixed with vintage, so that’s always at the top of mind as we’re creating it. The team gets inspiration from two dimensional art and design; Christina [the head of design] often pulls paintings and sculptures as references. Our senior designer was trained in Milan; when I see her work, I think of the Milanese design scene.
What are some of your favorite Nugget-Revival pairings?
I know about Nugget because our founder and CEO has two Nuggets! He and his wife have amazing taste, they co-founded the company together and have two small kids now. We were on a Zoom call and I saw the Nuggets in the background and was like, excuse me, what is that dream couch? They stack their Nuggets in Saturn atop our ombre rug in Noon and it looks stunning.
I think the Mayberry is very of-the-moment and would look amazing with our Presse rug or a vintage Turkish piece.
And from our new collection, Beep Beep, honestly all of these would look so good with the Rodeo Nugget, especially Stop or Fast.
What advice do you have for those selecting a rug for a playroom? Or common space?
You want to find a balance between durability and aesthetics. You don’t want to buy something you’ll throw away in two years because the kids have different tastes, or it’s been worn out. Get something that you like and can withstand a lot of foot traffic. Also, it’s all about taking your time. If you put a room or space together really fast, it won’t be as layered or pleasant. Like you, your home is ever-evolving.
On one hand, it’s subjective – whatever you like, you like – but for well made, look for hand knotted or hand woven because that just means it’s a little more secure. Heritage materials like cotton, wool, and jute are also more durable. Lanolin in wool will help repel dust, dirt, moisture. There’s a reason why it’s been used for so long, it’s nearly the best rug material you can use. That said, all rug materials have different pros and cons; wool on cotton is also great! We also have a line of washable cotton rugs, made out of organic cotton, and you can throw them in the washing machine.
Looking ahead to 2022, what trends do you see on the horizon?
I think we’re going to see more of the 70’s or 80’s-esque modular, low to the ground seating. I’m having some floor pillows made, a very Nugget vibe, really.
When I think about trends, it’s those things that surprised me that I can’t stop thinking about. For 2022, that has been the 80’s vibe from Eric Rohmer’s Full Moon in Paris, also Terence Conran’s classic house books.
I also deeply love the sort of done-undone and well-traveled feel that we've been seeing in interiors (and fashion) for the past couple of years. It’s casual, grounded, but very elegant. On Instagram, for me, this is embodied in Alex Tieghi-Walker's UK-LA vibes (his best stuff is in Stories, which further enunciates the low-key elegance, very "trying-not-trying"), Laila Gohar's sculptural simplicity, Su Wu's curation, Bailey Hunter's silk psychedelia, and Minjae Kim's chairs.