Rugs

Out of Africa

Tembea – to walk or wander – shows the procession of a caravan through a salt desert

The continent’s landscapes provided inspiration

Markus Benz, Walter Knoll ceo and his friend Helmut Scheufele, an artist and textile designer, travelled to Morocco, Namibia, Senegal and Botswana for the inspiration behind the latest additions to the company’s Legends of Carpets rug collection.

Scheufele started work in his studio painting abstract pictures inspired by their common impressions. Later these pictures were translated into rugs designs, which are hand-dyed and knotted in Nepal, using a mixture of wool, silk and nettle.

Each design was given a name in Swahili, to reflect the origins of this extraordinary collection. Visit: www.walterknoll.de

Designs in the collection are also available as Badawi pillows Kimya – silence- uses the colours of the night sky in the desert

Jioni – twilight in Swahili – is inspired by the colours of the sky The 100% silk Akiki – agate – represents inner balance and strength and uniquely reflects the light

Senegal’s Retba salt lake is the inspiration for Ajabu – miracle