Back by popular demand, we were excited to once again host one of our favorite annual events, the Jamie Stern Rug Design Contest. From September 1st to October 1st, interior designers and architects from all over the United States and Canada were encouraged to create an original design and submit it for the chance to have their work transformed into a beautiful wool area rug by our Rugs & Carpets division. From each of four regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West), a Grand Prize Winner and two runners-up would be selected by our all-new panel of esteemed judges from the interior design community.
As with the three previous years, the Grand Prize-winning designs were to be made of all natural fibers including New Zealand wool and bamboo silk. The eight runners-up will each receive mini-rugs based on their designs measuring 3x5 and also featuring natural fiber constructions. By utilizing exclusively renewable fibers, each of these custom area rugs will be as sustainable as they are beautiful!
This year’s judges included Denise Gatica, a Senior Interior Designer at the Dallas-based INK + ORO Creatives, Jennifer Daniels, a Director and Senior Associate at New York City’s Meyer Davis and Vanessa Redman, a Creative Director at the Dallas office of Wimberly Interiors. Each judge brought a unique perspective and professional history to the table to ensure that a diverse range of tastes were accounted for.
After a month of submissions, nearly 200 wholly original, unique designs were received and the judges got to work right away. Sifting through entries, they weighed a great deal of considerations before meeting up to decide on consensus picks over Zoom. After a few hours of careful deliberation, the judges were able to agree on the four winning designs and eight runners-up. The winning designs can be seen below.
“The rug showcases the artistry and craftsmanship of Bojagi patchwork, a time-honored Korean textile tradition that dates back centuries. Bojagi was originally used to wrap and protect precious objects, symbolizing a sense of care, unity and respect. The design captures the essence of Korean culture with its harmonious balance of modern aesthetics and ancient traditions.” – Western Grand Prize Winner Candice Suh on her design, ‘Bojagi Patchwork’
“[My design was] inspired by the changing waterscape of The Everglades.” – Cort Lippe, the Southeast Division’s Grand Prize Winner
“I was inspired by the architectural facades (yes, plural) of The Domino Sugar Factory in my neighborhood in Brooklyn.” – Victoria Reynolds, the Northeast Division’s Grand Prize Winner
In addition to the four Grand Prize Winners, the two runners-up from each region were also highly original pieces that will make for beautiful wool mini-rugs. The runners-up can be seen below.
Congratulations to all four of the Grand Prizes Winners and the eight runners-up! Every one of these designs is an authentic original that is just bursting with personality and creativity. We cannot wait to see them converted into wool!
We would also like to thank Sarah Doriani for collaborating with us for the fourth year in a row. She developed another remarkable series of illustrations to help promote the contest and inspire creativity. Lastly, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to every designer who participated and submitted an original work to make the 4th Annual Jamie Stern Rug Design Contest the best one yet. We’re already planning next year’s competition!
