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A Vibrant New Rug Collection From The Duo Behind Dinosaur Designs

Besides sharing the Creative Directorship of Australian homewares brand Dinosaur Designs, Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy have each sustained independent artistic careers which stretch well beyond the iconic company they co-founded fresh out of art school in 1985.

It’s this rich artistic history that Australian textile company Designer Rugs wanted to draw on, when they approached the Sydney-based husband and wife duo for a collaboration. The result is a vibrant new rug collection, in six contemporary designs.

Written
by
Sasha Gattermayr

Crowded Room, by Stephen Ormandy. Photo – Anson Smart.

Details of Crowded Room, by Stephen Ormandy. Photo – Anson Smart.

Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy. Photo – Anson Smart.

Flamingo, by Stephen Ormandy. Photo – Anson Smart.

Flamingo, by Stephen Ormandy.

Twilight, by Stephen Ormandy. Photo – Anson Smart.

Springtime, by Louise Olsen. Photo – Anson Smart.

Dream Garden, by Louise Olsen. Photo – Anson Smart.

Seed Pod, by Louise Olsen. Photo – Anson Smart.

Writer
Sasha Gattermayr
13th of May 2020

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, a good rug is hard to find. But put Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy, the duo behind Dinosaur Designs, together with Australian heritage textile company, Designer Rugs, and you can feel assured you’re in safe hands!

This six-piece collaboration collection casts three of both Louise’s and Stephen’s oil paintings onto handknotted rugs, crafted in Nepal by traditional weavers. The rugs are made from Tibetan wool and silk, making them rich and luscious underfoot. ‘It’s like stepping on butter!’ says Louise.

While Stephen’s bold, geometric canvases are inspired by the vibrations and rhythms of the subconscious human mind, Louise’s evocative abstract pieces reference the patterns of nature. The result is a complementary yet quite different set of contemporary textile designs, each reflective of the pair’s long careers as individual artists, connected by their mutual love of colour.

‘Colour just lights up everything,’ Louise says. ‘There’s a lovely balance between colour and tone that’s almost like musical notes; like you’re gathering the orchestra together, and getting them to sing in harmony.’

Each design is handmade and can be customised to any size requirements. Shop and see more of the Olsen + Ormandy collection  here!

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