This summer has been defined by a number of major sporting events, seeing the triumph of underdog players and teams along with some controversy. Although the somewhat crowded World Cup may have overshadowed the Wimbledon Championships, tennis has long been one of the defining sports of summer. His distinctive visual language has long extended beyond the pitch. Swedish brand Nordic KnotsThe latest rug collection brings this recognizable geometry indoors, transforming grass and clay courts into graphic floor coverings.
Photo courtesy of Nordic Knots
Expertly captured within the lavishly decorated rooms of the imposing South East London mansion Eltham Palace, The Grand Open rug collection is close to the most average homeowner. The brightly colored carpet brings the specially demarcated outdoor space inside — it’s visually simple, but not overwhelmed by unnecessary or artificial details.
However, the contrast between the green and white geometric lines of the grass of this visually-represented playing surface and its medieval art deco setting is striking. The carpet also comes in a blue clay court variant. While the coating of this design is simple, the elaborate decoration of the interior is much more complex. Designed by Eltham Palace architect Rolf Engströmer (who is also Swedish), the historic intarsia woodwork suggests the highest level of craftsmanship, a quality that is also inherent in The Grand Open carpet offering.
Photo courtesy of Nordic Knots
Where one could sense the sophistication is in the 100% New Zealand wool, hand and cut makeup of the design. Subtle changes of texture and tonal tone in the 14mm thick carpet reproduce the nuances one might find in a closely mowed field of grass or a meticulously brushed clay surface. Of course, Nordic Knots have doubled down on the full narrative of this limited edition, producing an even more limited series of branded tennis rackets and balls.
In recent years, the carpet has become a popular medium for re-evaluation. the form lends itself to painting and illustration. Art taken off the wall, the typology has been used to hold a huge variety of images, not only spatially referential, but also wholly imaginary and trompe l’oeils.
Photo courtesy of Nordic Knots
In terms of sports-related designs, one of these recently released collections focuses on the versatile depiction of the swimming pool: a well-defined environment perhaps as ambitious as the tennis court but still broadly feasible in certain contexts: for example public parks.
Now one can furnish their home with tennis courts and swimming pools without having to fork over the exorbitant bill to build and then maintain them.
