Kasthall’s Custom Experience

For more than 100 years, Kasthall has made heirloom rugs with elegant motifs, premium materials, and superior craftsmanship. Less known, however, is the Swedish company’s custom-design capabilities. Those were on full display at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), where Kasthall produced a hand-tufted wool custom rug for The Library x Phaidon.

Color-blocked in vibrant shades of red and blue, the rug comprised three pieces and two samples, all made to spec in Kasthall’s factory in Kinna, Sweden. Rodolfo Agrella, creative director of ICFF and principal of Rodolfo Agrella Design Studio (RADS), collaborated with Kasthall on the design, whose hues and different pile heights reflected “the vibrancy, chaos, and beauty of New York City,” Agrella explains.

The design process was straightforward. Upon receiving RADS’ sketch, Kasthall delved into its vast archive of yarns and sent options to Agrella’s team to determine the perfect mix of hues. Together, both parties finalized the colors, with Kasthall then creating a sample. Once the RADS team approved that, Kasthall began work on the finished product seen on the ICFF floor.

Typically, bespoke rugs like ICFF’s take 6-8 weeks to complete post sample approval, says a Kasthall representative. However, the development work can take from one week to over one year, with the project’s character and the customer’s urgency the influencing factors.

For those looking for custom rugs that are woven, rather than hand-tufted, Kasthall offers another option: its Kasthall Rug Designer. The online tool lets users choose from a wide range of preset colors, patterns, and sizes. The pieces are also produced at the Kinna factory in 6-8 weeks.

Agrella praises Kasthall‘s expertise in translating sketches into exquisite, finely crafted rugs, noting the precision and artistry the brand has long been sought after for.  

For RADS’ Agrella, working with Kasthall was a fantastic experience. “The company’s ability to execute complex designs with such precision and artistry is unmatched,” he says. “It was truly inspiring to see our visions come to life with such fidelity and craftsmanship.”

This year’s collaboration builds on Kasthall’s contribution to the Wanted Lounge at ICFF 2023, which featured a show-stopping heirloom piece in bespoke colors, the Påfågel designed by Berit Woelfer in the ‘70s.

Kasthall is a member of Be Original Americas.

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