This May, interior design professionals and enthusiasts alike will be flocking to London Design Week (17–21 May) to catch up on the latest news and trends after months of isolation. Among the new creations to discover is TOPFLOOR’s latest collection – MATRIX, created in collaboration with Italian-born American artist Gianluca Franzese – which we are exhibiting for the very first time since its unveiling, digitally, earlier this year.

Here is a quick introduction to the collection and the stories behind each rug.

A DETAIL FROM TOPFLOOR ‘SHIMMER’ RUG, FROM MATRIX COLLECTION

TOPFLOOR’s Founder and Creative Head Esti Barnes found Gianluca’s art through Instagram. The son of a jewellery maker, Gianluca uses aluminium, silver and gold leaf (sometimes up to 18 layers of metallic glaze) to create meticulous, symmetrical optical patterns – a glittering homage to the works of M. C. Escher and Frank Stella. His striking art is sought after by some of the best-known global companies. Most recently, he completed a 65ft mural at FACEBOOK’S California headquarters. He also works with TIFFANY & CO. and will shortly be producing an artwork for their new store in Rome, after already completing one in Milan.

Esti was immediately drawn to the precision, colours and perspectives of Gianluca’s work, and he to Esti’s designs and passion. They agreed on collaborating from their studios in London and San Francisco. After a long process of elimination, Esti chose four designs to translate into rugs, which retained the paintings’ original distinctiveness yet could also suit her clients with a diverse range of interior schemes.

SHIMMER

SEPARATION BY GIANLUCA FRANZESE. © GIANLUCA FRANZESE / TOPFLOOR ‘SHIMMER’ RUG, FROM MATRIX COLLECTION

SHIMMER is a hand-knotted rug based on Gianluca’s artwork titled SEPARATION. To recreate the flat blues and shimmering golds, much like the sun reflecting on the sea, Esti chose wool to translate the artwork’s blue acrylic paint, while bamboo silk was used to translate the gold leaf.

NEBULA

NEBULA BY GIANLUCA FRANZESE. © GIANLUCA FRANZESE / TOPFLOOR ‘NEBULA’ RUG, FROM MATRIX COLLECTION

Hand-knotted rug NEBULA turns Gianluca’s artwork of the same name, painted in aluminium, silver and white gold leaf, into a 100% bamboo silk rug. Esti chose pastel pinks, blues and greys for the colour scheme to reflect the sky and the space cloud NEBULA is named after. Each bamboo silk thread has around 10 different coloured strands, graduating from dark to light, to achieve a metallic shine and sparkle, like the reflection of stars.

RHOMBUS

RHOMBUS BY GIANLUCA FRANZESE. © GIANLUCA FRANZESE / TOPFLOOR ‘RHOMBUS’ RUG, FROM MATRIX COLLECTION

RHOMBUS faithfully recreates Gianluca’s artwork of the same name as a 100% wool, hand-knotted rug. For this work, Esti was careful to pick exactly the same colours as the painting, so that it can perfectly capture the same trompe-l’œil effect of dimension and volume. The shapes in hand-knotted rugs can sometimes become pixelated, but RHOMBUS maintains its clear, crisp lines using very fine yarn and a high thread count.

FACET

REVOLVER BY GIANLUCA FRANZESE. © GIANLUCA FRANZESE / TOPFLOOR ‘FACET’ RUG, FROM MATRIX COLLECTION

FACET was born from a “love at first sight” moment when Esti saw Gianluca’s REVOLVER artwork. She translated this double-banded painting into a hand-tufted runner, picking each colour to retain the dome-like effect of the design. “Rugs are generally 2D, but my rugs are not. My rugs are generally 3D,” explained Esti during her interview at COVER Connect earlier this year. “Sometimes they are 2D but have a 3D effect. I want to give volume to things.” FACET was made using a very fine tapestry-quality loop pile technique – instead of cut pile – to prevent the outlines from moving and looking wavy.

Find TOPFLOOR’S showroom at London Design Week on the Second Floor of Design Centre Chelsea Harbour’s South Dome.

London Design Week is Spring’s most authoritative interior design event. This year’s instalment will see a hybrid of in-person visits and an online programme, allowing a global audience to explore new-season collections, uplifting patterns and defining products.