Silver Kaleidoscope rug by David Rockwell.

Hummingbird Ivory wallhanging by Alexander McQueen.

Key Shadow rug by Suzanne Sharp.

Carnival rug by Paul Smith.

Silhouette rug by Jaime Hayon.

Sentinel rug by Giles Deacon.

Houndstooth rug by Emily Todhunter.

Vases rug by Jaime Hayon.

Moses Ice rug by Suzanne Sharp.

Lavaliere rug by Giles Deacon.

Skull rug by Alexander McQueen.

We are ardent fans of the Torch as it was designed by our friends Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. It is made from aluminium alloy and has 8,000 laser cut circular perforations, one to represent each torchbearer.

It seems we’re not alone in our admiration; the Torch received one of the creative industry’s highest accolades, winning the Design Museum’s Design of the Year award for 2012.

The bright colours and geometric patterns of this collection are offset by the simple beauty of the location.

Asan Jade hand woven cotton dhurrie.

A selection of hand woven Udaipur dhurries and Amli crewel work cushions.

Haveli Chevron Blue hand woven cotton dhurrie.

Jali Ivory hand woven cotton dhurrie.

Rif Dark hand knotted Tibetan wool rug.

Bamboo Ikat Charcoal rug and Toubkal Pale crewel work cushion.

The rest of the images can be seen in our Studio Colleciton catalogue, contact us to register for your copy.

From the dilapidated grandeur of a crumbling palazzo to the magnificent proportions of a colonial mansion, each location was picked for its inherent beauty and ambience, offset by the sublime summer light.

A bird looks on with a mocking eye as it takes 5 people to unload the enormous Damascus Grey.

The uninterrupted clear blue sky and sandy dunes have inspired the team, and they persevere deeper into the desert to create the final shot.

Before catching the plane home, a quick trip to the nearby bazaar to discover the local craftsmen and their wares.

Look out for the final shots in the Studio Collection brochure, out soon…

And so they journeyed to a distant desert for the shoot, allowing the bright colours, simple geometric patterns and soft textures of the rugs to shine against the modestly beautiful backdrop.

Exploring the location, a myriad of arched corridors, secret courtyards, quiet corners and shaded alcoves.

Creating a beautiful shot involves painstaking attention to detail and a lot of hard work.

The Beetley collection by London company Sé.

The Crystal Bala hollow table is a new twist for the Sé Bala collection.

The Crate Collection by Garth Roberts for Antique Mirror.

As well as instigating a new hub for design and living called MOST in the breathtaking Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia , Tom Dixon‘s energy never waivers and he managed to design an enchanting labyrinth of lights, with a Gelato stop mid-way for weary design pilgrims.

His new Etch Light Web Copper bobbed ethereally in a white room.

Fin lights by Tom Dixon in a hall of mirrors.

As if that weren’t enough, has also launched a line of accessories called Eclectic by Tom Dixon , featuring everyday objects like these beautiful bashed copper bowls.

New on the scene is New Zealand design company Resident.

Their Oud Lamp by Nat Cheshire is particularly striking.

Wallpaper* Magazine launched its third Handmade exhibition at the Brioni headquarters, celebrating craftsmanship with lovingly made collaborations by some of the world’s best designers.

A Louis Vuitton tent at Wallpaper* Handmade.

Sew Your Own stationery by Michael Nash + Sion and Fedrigioni.

A ‘live’ painting by Dutch artists Gijs Fielding and Job Wouters that was painted during the show.

Chocolate by Marou and Rice Creative.

Wrapping and printed notebooks by Postalco.

Here are some of our design highlights from the 2012 Salone del Mobile.

Paris concept store Merci has packed its suitcases and set up a temporary space in Zona Tortona filled with new products and vintage pieces.

Continuing the French theme, a collective of leading designers calling themselves France Design display some of the new up and coming designers graduating from the country. Here is Ich&Kar‘s fresco that wrapped around the room like a cabinet of curiosities of graphics and design.

Jaime Hayon created a typically exuberant Hayon world in Lambrate.

A golden penguin, the latest addition to his zoo, surveys the installation

One of Hayon’s sketches.

Zaha Hadid and Citco created an etherial secret garden consisting of humble woven huts that housed glistening crystal palaces.

London firm Established & Son’s new Dame lights by Luca Nichetto.

Modular design by Camille Flammarion at Paradise, an exhibition of recent graduates by London’s Royal College of Art.

More precious objects by Ya-Wen Chou at the RCA.

This December there was no snow. Apparently, Russia will become the vegetable patch for the world. As Siberia warms and its snow evaporates and in England we grow mangos and everywhere south of us is a colossal beach, that place you don’t want to be sent to will become wonderfully temperate and pleasant. And when you hear that someone is being packed off to Siberia you’ll think ‘lucky bugger.’

I was in Moscow with Trino (from McQueen) for a party to showcase the Alexander McQueen rug collection. I’m often somewhere for a party. It’s not a terrible job. After four years of talking, designing, dyeing, weaving and sampling (and then dyeing, weaving and sampling all over again until we got something we collectively agreed was extraordinary), the collection of six rugs and four cushions is finally ready to be purchased by those who understand that these are truly the finest, most tactile and handsome rugs to be found anywhere in the world.

Our party was hosted by The British Ambassador, Tim Barrow, and the Minister for Economic Affairs, Caroline Wilson, at the Ambassador’s residence; a magnificent house which faces the Kremlin across the Moscow River. A certain Pavel Kharitonenko built it in the 1890’s after he had made a fortune from the sugar beet industry in the Ukraine. The building and its contents were nationalised after the 1917 Russian Revolution, before becoming the British Embassy in 1930. After years of ‘making do’ (a very British attribute) it was clearly no longer possible to ‘make do’ and from 2006 to 2010 the Foreign Office restored the building and its historic interiors, bringing back to life its gothic style and re-utilising furniture, which for decades had been forgotten in the attic. They did a jolly good job.

The Embassy staff made us proud to be British and the party was an unmitigated success with a fabulous guest list that included prominent artists, designers and those who strive for the enlightenment of the mind.

Christopher Sharp

Christopher Sharp with Alexandra Vertinskaya

Pavel Kaplevich

They stayed on the island for seven years, expanded their family and set up a shop selling oriental rugs. Eventually they sold up and moved to London in 1997 to establish The Rug Company, with their unique idea of bringing together the ancient craft of rug making with innovative contemporary design.

14 years and 18 shops later, the Sharps have returned to Suzanne’s homeland to open The Rug Company’s long-awaited showroom in Malta.

Christopher and Suzanne Sharp are photographed by a magazine, intrigued by the company’s Maltese heritage.

Though busy setting up the shop, they managed to fit in some time to wander the old streets of Malta.

That Tuscan hotel would have undoubtedly been exquisite, but we have Malta to thank for twisting fate.

The Rug Company
Area F
Blue Harbour Business Centre
Ta’ Xbiex
Malta