Amy Kent Bespoke Rugs

Customised, beautifully made rugs that don’t cost the earth: that was the idea behind Amy Kent’s decision to set up her own rug company in 2005. Her first collection was inspired by nature, from photographs taken at the Chelsea Flower Show and in her own garden (one of the most popular designs today is based on an image of a copper beech tree that grows next to her house). Since then she has taken inspiration from all kinds of everyday shapes: cobbles on a street in Berlin, window panes in Kathmandu and the geometric pattern on the floor of her local church.

Design concept in place, Amy booked a flight to India and travelled around Varanasi meeting carpet-making companies until she found a husband and wife team that she’s been working with ever since. From the dyeing and washing of the wool and silk yarns to the knotting, trimming and finishing of the rugs, the entire making process is done by hand using celebrated, age-old techniques. Each made-to-order rug is a work of art,

quite literally in some cases, as Amy is interested in exploring the crossover between the art world and interiors industry.

In the past few years Amy has developed an Art on Rugs collection, collaborating with various artists, including her sister, Lucy Kent. Last year at Decorex she exhibited a collection of four rugs based on abstract paintings by artist Marcus Hodge’s Gateway to India series, and since then has also worked with Jane Bristowe on a range of rugs based on her animal linocuts. This September she is returning to Decorex to launch an exciting series of intricate and vivid new designs with photographer and designer Eddie Wrey, taken from his graphic fabric prints. She also continues to develop her own rug designs, including several patterns derived from drawings she did while in Sri Lanka in 2018.

Much of Amy’s time is spent visiting interior designers and private clients at home around London and the Home Counties, helping them choose not only the rug design that suits their surroundings by seeing the collection in situ, but also the colours and size (two of the biggest regrets people have, says Amy, are not going big enough and not being brave enough in terms of colour or design). All the designs can be adapted, whether a client is after a square rug, round rug or runner. Following the site visit, Amy sends a computer mock-up of the design in the colours chosen and a CGI of how the bespoke rug would look in the actual space.

‘We have worked with Amy for over ten years now and are continually impressed by her impeccable service and attention to detail,’ says Romanos Brihi of Studio Vero, one of the many interior design companies that sources Amy’s rugs for clients. By personally working on each project she ensures that clients end up with a completely unique piece that perfectly complements the rest of their home interior.