Warning: Undefined array key "sharing_networks_networks_sorting" in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3904
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3904
Jennifer Kirchgessner, Product Director of luxury carpet company Scott Group Studio, sat down with us prior to the launch of Escala—a striking six-piece collection inspired by the colors and forms in nature. Each design is hand-tufted by artisans in the company’s Grand Rapids, Michigan factory.
Downtown: What inspired your new six-piece collection, Escala?
Jennifer Kirchgessner: The Escala collection was inspired by looking at macro and micro views of nature. Designs like Agata, Arveda and Akachi are inspired from patterns created looking at the landscape from an aerial viewpoint. We’ve complemented those fluid patterns with geometric patterns like Claes and Mako. Even the structured patterns in the collection have a softness and asymmetry to them that make them more interesting.
DT: What made you decide to only introduce six patterns in this particular collection?
JK: We typically release six patterns in a collection. When developing a collection, we like to think about how the designs would live together in an interior. What pattern would work as a focal point in a living space, dining room, or stair runner, and how would these patterns and colors complement one another installed in adjacent spaces.
DT: How does the color palette emulate nature?
JK: I am always amazed by the vibrancy and variety of color in nature. Especially here in the Midwest when we emerge from winter into spring. What I love about the color palette in the Escala collection are the warm hues of burnt sienna, and goldenrod, along with earthy greens. The palette provides the vibrancy of using color, but because the colors are drawn from nature, they behave as neutrals in an interior environment. They also pair beautifully with more traditional neutrals such as shades of grey and taupe used in a lot of interiors.
Downtown: What are the rugs made of and where are they made?
JK: The rugs are made here at our headquarters and manufacturing facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We are celebrating our 50-year anniversary this year and are very proud to be producing a product of this type and quality here in Michigan. The designs are a combination of fiber types, but primarily New Zealand wool, worsted Merino wool, and Mulberry silk. We are adamant about using the highest quality natural materials in our products.
Downtown: What customization options will be available?
JK: Everything we produce is 100% custom. Our collections often serve as inspiration and a starting point for a designer. They may love a pattern that we have developed and want to use it as shown for their project. They can change any element of the design from scale, color, and construction or start something completely from scratch. We have a team of 14 designers who work hand-in-hand with the salesperson and customer to provide a unique design solution customized specifically for the interior.
DT: What is your favorite pattern and why?
JK: Agata is one of my favorite patterns from the collection. I love the combination of pile heights, materials, and colors. There is a pop of turquoise green in the raised loop of the pattern that forms a lovely detail.
DT: When will the collection be available and where can our readers find the rugs?
JK: The collection can be purchased through our showrooms, including one in NYC at the D&D Building. Our customer service reps are also happy to help place orders as well and can be contacted via our website.
DT: What is next for Scott Group Studio?
JK: One of the most exciting projects on the horizon is a collection we are working on with a designer from New York that will be launched at the end of the year. It’s been a really fun collaboration and it took us in a design direction that exceeded our expectations. The results have been outstanding. Stay tuned!
