I have been obsessed with Australian flora and fauna on a whole new level since living overseas for eight years; and missed being ‘on country’ in a way that was surprising and, I realised, deep in my psyche. My reaction to being back on home ground was cellular - to the extent I was having dreamy visitations from my childhood spent playing in bushland in Tasmania.
Bird Of Pine rug by House Of Heras
Maybe this is why I’m so taken with this beautiful rug collection by House Of Heras, a boutique design studio led by Silvana Azzi Heras.
Silvana Azzi Heras of House Of Heras Image credit: Sam McAdam-Cooper
Silvana specialises in highly decorative designs which she applies to a variety of mediums including fabrics, crockery and wallpaper. [See her body of work here.] You may recognise her work and her signature style - she was Head Designer for Catherine Martin and Baz Luhrmann for 17 years, and her work on The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge has been abundantly awarded.
This collection, which is the second exclusive collaboration with Designer Rugs after the runaway success of the first, builds on Australian flora and fauna as seen through the lens of the Arts and Crafts movement.
This time, Silvana was inspired by Australia’s native bee population - their beauty, variety and vulnerability.
“We were looking at so many different types of bees and how intricate and beautiful each species was and I knew the bees needed to be the focus of my next range”, she said. “From there I started researching more exotic birds and flowers to see what else I could incorporate into these pieces.”
The Bees Knees rug by House Of Heras
While retaining the nod to the Arts and Crafts movement in the previous collection, these new designs have a deeper colour palette of teal green, burgundy and coral, inspired by 70’s nostalgia, and personal memories from the designer’s childhood.
These detailed and splendid designs - which may verge on kitsch for those with simpler tastes, were born of the desire to create interiors that are high end and opulent, yet give the simple comforting pleasure of being at home surrounded by wonderful things. Personally, I’m in awe of their beauty and vibrance, you’d just have to be very discerning about how you styled them in your home.
Bush Bouquet by House Of Heras
The rugs are available in custom colours, shapes and sizes. Designed here in Australia, hand tufted in 100% New Zealand wool with highlights of bamboo silk. You can inquire, order or buy them at Designer Rugs.
Designer Rugs is a 34-year old business with long-standing relationships with mills in China, India, Nepal and Thailand, where the rugs are hand tufted and loomed according to hundreds of years of artisanal wisdom and tradition. The rugs are ethically produced, and all mills compliant with labour laws. See the production process below.