A PRIMER IN LUXURY (PART 1)
PART ONE of THREE PARTS
Read Part Two Here; Part Three Here
Jan David Winitz, President and Founder of Claremont Rug Company, Talks to Private Air/Luxury Homes Magazine About How to Build Luxury from the Ground Up with Art-level Antique Rugs
By Gina Samarotto
A world-renowned expert in Oriental rugs, Jan David Winitz is one of the industry’s most well respected ‘go to’ sources when it comes to exquisite, rare and infinitely coveted antique rugs. The President and Founder of Claremont Rug Company, Winitz sat down with us to discuss the finer points on how to choose the perfect rug to complement your home, lifestyle and personal style.
Adding a top-tier antique Oriental carpet to a modern environment, such as this circa 1860 Persian Ferahan Sarouk, can create a profoundly evocative atmosphere.
PALH: When most people think of antique Oriental rugs, they tend to envision styles are that are quintessentially traditional in feel. When their personal tastes run towards more modern, minimalistic design, how can they incorporate historically traditional elements into their contemporary space?
JDW: A surprisingly wide range of rug styles harmonize brilliantly with the clean, simple lines of modern architecture. Frankly, I haven’t yet met a décor that the appropriately selected antique rugs couldn’t enhance. My clients consistently find that the intricacy and color range of art-level Persian carpets and tribal rugs add a warmth and beauty to their contemporary homes and effectively unify the architecture, furnishings and art into a cohesive design aesthetic.
To enhance a modern decor, my favorites include geometric Oriental rugs with abstracted, highly stylized drawing. For instance, we recently furnished a large part of a massive cutting edge, steel and glass residence in Southern California with soaring ceilings and no traditional rooms. After a bit of exploration, the homeowners and I agreed on using 19th-century Caucasian tribal rugs and larger Persian Bakshaish and Serapi carpets. Their bold, spaciously placed graphic patterns mirrored the grand scale of the environment and effectively delineated space. This was particularly important because this home has few walls where one would normally hang paintings.
Many other clients enjoy the counterbalance of the elemental quality of modern architecture and the softer flowing lines and complexity of elegant, floral Persian rugs, with 19th-century Laver Kirmans being often chosen.
Left: An antique Persian Bakshaish geometric rug augments the artisanal character of this contemporary powder room. Right: A 19th-century floral Laver Kirman rug, custom-crafted piano, and glass art ceiling light widen the creative spirit of this LEED-certificated home. (Design: Sherry Williamson)
This stunning ultra-modern home with its symphony of surfaces includes a luxurious, understated antique Persian Tehran carpet, circa 1900, contributing a quiet refinement to the space.
PALH: What type of rug would you recommend for newly built homes?
JDW: Geographical location is as important an influencer as architectural style in choosing which antique rugs to use. For instance, in sun-drenched beachfront homes, whether in Florida or New Zealand, our clients often opt for Persian rugs with lighter tones in colors reminiscent of the sea-and-sand or tropical fruit. The earthy browns, golds and taupes seen in some Hadji Jallili Tabriz, and the exotic warmer hues and aquas of rare ivory-ground Sultanabads are perennial favorites in this application. Rugs featuring expanses of undyed camel hair have always been a personal favorite that many clients are now discovering.
In Northern homes with darker woods, I go to the opposite end of the spectrum and recommend rugs with deep rich blues, reds and jewel tones, such as sapphire, emerald and garnet. Antique Persian Ferahan Sarouks, Bijars and Serapis lend naturally to these applications.
A newly constructed, traditionally designed Canadian home employs an antique Persian geometric Serapi carpet that effectively balances the strength of the architecture.
Read Part 2:
“A Primer in Luxury”
In which Winitz speaks about furnishing traditional homes with antique rugs and how to use them to enhance art collections.
