Narrative Threads Blog
Scroll through our Narrative Threads blog to enjoy behind-the-scenes insight on special projects for leading interior designers and architects.
Scroll through our Narrative Threads blog to enjoy behind-the-scenes insight on special projects for leading interior designers and architects.
What a flurry of activity November has afforded Creative Matters! More than a week after our 20th Anniversary Gala Fundraiser, I finally have a chance to sit down and write about our fantastic night.
Creative Matters operates internationally, and our global supply chain is one of our proudest achievements. Our clients benefit from our multi-country manufacturing ecosystem, allowing us to be nimble in the face of changing trade regulations. A key differentiator is our in-house logistics team, who are able to stick-handle the complexities of the changing landscape. This team is empowered through the ability to strategically source while executing seamlessly, all while making sure we’re not compromising on our design vision. Here’s how we do it.
The countdown is on to win Hariti, Tibetan for “Protectress of Children”, an original and responsible, luxury rug designed by Creative Matters.
Creative Matters’ Ana Cunningham and Ali McMurter, co-owners and managing partners, mark the end of their first year at the helm together. As we welcome 2025, we’re looking back at major milestones and looking forward to what will come this year under their ownership and leadership.
We were delighted to see one of our projects on the cover of October 2008 Metropolitan Home this month titled "Asian Fusion".
In October, Creative Matters proudly joined the tenth edition of Les Rendez-vous de la Matière + fair(e). This year marked our third consecutive year at the fair, with our entire European team present, underscoring our deep commitment to the European design community and our dedication to exploring innovative material applications and design trends.
With the RugMark Raffle well underway, many of you may be curious as to the origins of the carpet Hariti. We know that it was inspired by a photograph taken by Carol while on her first visit to Nepal and that the name translates as "Protectress of Children" in Tibetan.
Creative Matters was thrilled to participate in COVER Connect New York for the fourth consecutive year. Hosted by COVER magazine, this boutique trade show presents a curated selection of handmade floor coverings from global rug brands. This year, we enriched our collections with a stunning array of meticulously crafted designs and sophisticated new colourways, expanding the Vista, Vanguard, Arcadian and Macrame collections.
Over the past week or so, we've been getting some good responses to our cause as "Hariti" takes centre stage.
In 2021, in collaboration with DIALOG, we started one of our largest projects, designing custom floor coverings for the Goldwynn Resort & Residences in the Bahamas. Our work encompassed the guest suites, master suites, corridors, atrium, lobby, restaurant, and banquet areas. We produced a range of techniques using a variety of fibres for the project, crafting harmonious floor coverings that enhanced the resort’s magnificence and relaxing ambiance.
Hi everyone, this is Donna Hastings and I am pleased to let you know that on our trip to Nepal a few weeks ago, Carol and I saw the completed "Hariti".
Creative Matters has used wool in our floor coverings for over 35 years, highlighting our dedication to this natural material. Over the years, we have worked closely with The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), the leading global authority on wool standards. In 2022, Creative Matters' founder, Carol Sebert, was appointed chairperson of the Wool Interiors Working Group. This group includes members from 41 countries and collaborates with the IWTO Sustainability Group.
Recently, Carol spearheaded the creation of the IWTO Wool Carpet Care Guide with a group of the world’s leading industry experts and WoolSafe, an organization dedicated to advanced research into the care of wool products.
I'm happy to announce that Carol and Donna arrived home unscathed, albeit a bit late from their cross continent journey to South Asia.
Creative Matters’ growth in Europe began with a landmark project — creating 19 carpets for La Samaritaine, the iconic Parisian department store’s grand reopening in 2021. Recognizing our exceptional range of handtufted and woven axminster carpet, Yabu Pushelberg chose us to enhance their prestigious project. This marked the beginning of our commercial entry into the European market.
Happy Friday Everyone! I can barely believe that its the end of the week AND that, as we speak, Carol and Donna are in the sky, flying home from Nepal.
April marked a major month for Creative Matters as we made our grand debut at Fuorisalone’s Milan Design Week. From April 16 - 21, we participated in the exceptional Menu 1 exhibition, hosted by COVER Magazine and Salon Magazine and curated by London-based designer Bodo Sperlein.
The following is an email from Carol - straight from South Asia. We've all been sitting on the edge of our seats, waiting to see photos of Hariti on the loom. When Carol and Donna arrived in Nepal they had a huge surprise waiting.
in March, Creative Matters took to Brussels to showcase at the seventh edition of COLLECTIBLE, a one-of-a-kind fair for 21st-century collectible design. Presented as an exhibition of art, rather than a traditional trade show, COLLECTIBLE serves as a pioneering international platform showcasing the best of contemporary artistic designs across all mediums.
It’s been a busy summer, thus far, here at Creative Matters. We’re not sure where these precious days have gone but, here we are on this hazy July morning, working hard on the new additions to our Aerial Collection and on our November gallery show.
In 2021, Beckford House, located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, underwent an impressive renovation. Working directly with Studio Sofield, we designed eight custom floor coverings specifically tailored to the unique spaces of Beckford House. We created handknotted, handtufted and woven Axminster floor coverings to complement the residential building’s interior.
Remarkably talented artisans handcraft our artistic floor covering designs. They are masters in traditional weaving methods, turning our designs into beautifully crafted rugs and carpets. In December 2023, Managing Partner Ali McMurter and Creative Director Sandra Ciganic-McKinney explored our mill in Nepal. In January 2024, Director of Design Development Anna Panosyan and Logistics Specialist Suhindhar Raveendiran Santhi ventured to our mill in India.
Welcome aboard the Entourage, a superyacht by Moran Yacht & Ship, and experience Creative Matters’ inaugural custom design project for a vessel of this kind. Created in collaboration with interior design studio Burdifilek, our team designed and installed 100% prism nylon handtufted rugs to enhance Entourage’s serene ambiance.
As 2023 draws to a close, our team is reflecting on a momentous year. Filled with groundbreaking achievements, innovative designs, and a transformative shift in leadership, the past 12 months have been enriched with great success and creativity.
When it comes to design, it’s often hard to decipher greenwashing from a true commitment to a product’s ethical life cycle. We have always tried to reduce our impact on the planet as much as possible and have been dedicated to finding solutions for every step of our process. This is why we are thrilled to share a breakthrough innovation in commercial carpeting — our new 100% biodegradable woven Axminster carpet, EcoAx.
On October 10 and 11, Creative Matters had the pleasure of participating in the ninth edition of Les Rendez-vous de la Matière + fair(e), an industry event dedicated to the exploration of innovative, artisanal materials for architecture, decoration and interior design.
For the third consecutive year, Creative Matters had the pleasure of participating in COVER Connect New York, a boutique trade show for top-tier global rug brands, hosted by COVER magazine. This year was our most momentous show yet, unveiling three new collections: Vanguard, Arcadian, and Vista. Additionally, we unveiled our collaboration with Burdifilek and presented new additions to our Sonance and Macrame collections.
After an incredible 35 years at the helm of Creative Matters and on the world stage of floor covering design, it is with mixed emotions we announce that Carol Sebert is moving on to other creative endeavours. While Carol creates more beautiful art in her studio at an old Ontario country house, Managing Partners Ana Cunningham and Ali McMurter are well-prepared to lead the firm into an exciting future. We asked Carol to look back on some key moments that made Creative Matters what it is today.
Earlier this month, the Creative Matters team took to Paris Design Week to unveil our highly anticipated Redoux Passager art installation. Collaborating for the second time with Paris design studio LOMA, known for their responsible and innovative design ethos, we set out to create an immersive experience representing our commitment to water stewardship in our rug design.
Creative Matters is committed to the earth and the people on it. Our 2023 Sustainability Report highlights this commitment, exploring our current and forward-thinking practices for ensuring sustainability, fair trade and corporate social responsibility.
Introducing the latest addition to Creative Matters' Macrame rug collection: the Chalet rug. The never-before-seen rug is set to make its debut at COVER Connect New York, the boutique trade show, held in central Manhattan, bringing together leading high-end rug designers, buyers and retailers from around the world.