- Written By: ALICIA KUNKEL
When designing a space, the world of design options swirl around you; paint colors, hardware, lighting, to wallpaper or not to wallpaper. The list goes on and on, but whatever you choose the carpet will always be your anchor point. The place your eyes glide across as you survey a room, much like the bass in music, the carpet sets a rhythmic heartbeat to the environment it lives in.
Joe Carini, founder of Carini Carpets, has a deep understanding of how critical a carpet is in the design process and how it is so intimately intertwined into your life story. Coming home, slipping off your shoes and strolling to your sofa, the moment your toes touch the silk carpet fibers you immediately feel a sense of softness in your body, rounding off the harshness of the outside world. This is where random after school dance parties take place. This is where your baby learns to crawl. And, this is where life happens.
“I always want my carpets to feel alive, as if they have a soul. I work to get that animating principle in them.”
– Joe Carini
That is why each carpet made by Carini has a profound attention to detail. Hand made in the Himalayas from small batch, organic dyes, sourced from exotic floras, these carpets have a deep intentionality to them.
“I am materials driven, so I am always interested in using rarefied and exotic materials to make handmade carpets that I would want to use in my home.”
– Joe Carini
The history of the ancient carpet makers, the traditions of their cultures, have been kept and honored by Carini himself; working closely with a dye master whose family have been making dyes for generations and the weavers in the mountains who meticulously weave and knot each fiber for months until a unique masterpiece has been created.
“I am in a constant state of reinvention while staying authentic to my roots in ancient Tibetan carpet weaving techniques.”
– Joe Carini
So many interior designers turn to Carini because of his immense attention to detail, his ability to create one-of-a-kind carpets and how he understands power of color and movement in each piece.
“I am always seeking to use color, form, and texture in a way to create a certain poetic mood or vibe.”
– Joe Carini
Exploring his collection, you get a sense of the width and breadth of his understanding of design. There are soft quiet moments in his carpets that are delicate backdrops to a space, all the way to wild animal prints in magenta and coral that will catch everyone’s eye, while the traditional Moroccan designs keep the movement and curiosity of their unique culture. Modern, Asian, playful, dramatic, there is something meaningful for everyone designing a space that needs to feel authentic and precious.
“I’m inspired by really cool designs from the ’70s, i.e., jewelry pieces, Swiss watches, and cars designed by Italian designers. I try to translate those feelings into whatever I do.”
– Joe Carini
Joe Carini says he lets inspiration come to him and allows the things he enjoys in life and how they make him feel be translated into his designs. As he works in his New York studio threads of inspiration weave their way into inspired designs that he brings to the Himalayas to slowly be manifested into reality. He believes that “each carpet is imbued with intention, positive energy, and a soul that brings warmth and life to any space”, and we couldn’t agree more.
To Explore The Full Collection Visit: CARINI
- Photo Credits: Carini Carpets