Harcourt is offering an exciting new rug design technique that allows you to design a rug with two or more colors that fade into one another.
The technique is called Ombre which comes from the Italian/French word for shadows.
Creating the Fade
When two colors meet head on, they make a stripe.
In the Ombre process Harcourt creates a spectrum using 6-7 variations of the light color and 11-12 variations of the dark color.
While the observer sees two colors fading into one another, the illusion is create using the variations of the light color and dark colors.
The design is rendered in a cad file to guide in the manufacturing process, but the weavers often adjust the application to enhance the transition. This makes each rug totally unique.
The Design and Manufacturing Process
The designer selects the size, shape, and "strong points" (the lightest color and the darkest color). More than two colors are possible.
Harcourt matches these to their pom box and produces a digital CAD rendering within 24 hours to show the transition flow.
Upon approval they weave 12" x 18" sample to represent the full color transition.
Once the designer approves the sample, the full rug is produced.
Harcourt offers two types of construction: hand-tufted or hand-knotted. These techniques allow for adjustments in the color transitions down to single strands of yarn.
The pile on the rugs is thick and plush. Not only does it feel great, but it also heightens the illusion by packing the hues closely. The material is usually wool. Silk can be added for a more luxurious look and feel.
Delivery of hand-tufted rugs is 8-12 weeks.
We have samples of the Ombre rugs in both our Tampa and Orlando showrooms. We happily invite you to check them out!