This new rug release from Floor Story is causing a cosmic eclipse

Kangan Arora and Floor Story have designed ten otherworldly illusions of form and tone – the ‘Cosmic Check’ and ‘Falling Shadows’ rug collections

Harlequin rug from Floor Story
The Harlequin rug, by Floor Story x Kangan Arora.
(Image credit: Floor Story)

Contrasting tones and attention-stealing forms mark the most recent collaboration between rug design studio Floor Story and India-born, London-based textile designer Kangan Arora. Two new collections, ‘Cosmic Check’ and Falling Shadows’, have been released by the studio, the graphic, colourful rugs all hand-knotted, woven or tufted. 

The release coincides with Floor Story’s first standalone showroom and studio opening in Hackney. The new spaces were revealed during London Design Festival 2022 and are intended to play host to a range of events, workshops and collaborations – planting the seed for a wave of floor-based design staples.

Striped, circular blue and pink graphic rug, with chair and side table

‘Eclipse’ rug. 

(Image credit: Floor Story)

The brand prides itself on the collaborative nature of its rug designs, and has a wide offering, largely due to the array of creatives it has worked with since the company’s conception in 2009.

Founder Simon Goff and Kangan Arora have been working together for 15 years. This time round, Arora describes her intention for the rugs to be more confident than previous collections, for them to be ‘rugs that are the starting point of the room rather than the other way round’. 

Patterned rug in contemporary home

‘Harlequin Runner’.

(Image credit: Floor Story)

Whether it’s the eye-twitching contrasts of colour in the ‘Yantra’ rug, or the mind-bending optical illusions of the ‘Chakra’ rug, the pieces engage the mind and, with diverse colour schemes and tones from bright yellows to creams, complement a variety of spaces with ease. 

The rugs are conceptually based on ancient Indian cosmic art, with influences from Japanese artist Sanzo Wada’s 1930s dictionary of colour combinations. The result is striking floor coverings in immensely pleasing colour pairings and perspective-challenging designs.

Round, patterned, multicoloured rug in contemporary home interior

‘Chakra’ rug. 

(Image credit: Floor Story)

INFORMATION

floorstory.co.uk

kanganarora.com

Martha Elliott is the Junior Digital News Editor at Wallpaper*. After graduating from university she worked in arts-based behavioural therapy, then embarked on a career in journalism, joining Wallpaper* at the start of 2022. She reports on art, design and architecture, as well as covering regular news stories across all channels.