Thursday, July 10, 2008

Thai Ping Carpets




Flourishing luxury brand, Tai Ping Carpets out of Hong Kong, was something I first discovered at their Paris atelier and when they premiered a line called "Orientation" at the Paris Show, Maison + Objet this past January. Orientations was inspired by the iconic images of traditional Chinese stamps, seals and calligraphy.

All Tai Ping carpets are hand-tufted and custom made to order.
......... Bottom line: PRICEY AND LONG LEAD TIME.
But for those who can afford it, well...... it's an indescribable luxury under your bare feet. Some of the carpets have a bit of silk woven in the tufts.


The beauty is you can match ANYTHING you dream up. Our carpet was matched to a favorite French antique bowl my client discovered while doing his thesis in Paris.

When a client specifically requested a luxury carpet in his home, I knew there is only one name at the top of the luxury carpet chain. It's rare that I get to work with this high-end of carpet so I was thrilled at the challenge. We didn't design our own special pattern, but went with an already-designed carpet style in a neutral, similar to a wool jute/sisal for one room, and a more colorful one for the dining room....but of course this Thai Ping neutral incorporates a bit of silk and cashmere in the tufting (and yes, it lasts and performs beautifully underfoot!!!).

{Media Room Carpet}

{Dining Room Carpet}

Some of those elite who enjoy these hand-woven luxuries?
Buckingham Palace.........Windsor Castle....... 
............Hotel George V and the Cinema Berlitz in Paris.......
.....the palace of the Sultan of Brunei......Geneva United Nations HQ.... Ritz Hotel in London........ several Four Seasons Hotels........several Loews Regency Hotes.........Los Angeles Music Center......Royal Government Palace in Thailand...... and most recently the Epcot Center theater in Walt Disney World.

They also wove the carpet which was Hong Kong's wedding gift to the Prince and Princess of Wales! Now that's quite a gift befitting royalty!

The list of carpet owners is an impressive record indeed for a company that, until the New Territories of Hong Kong began to build up around it, was a solitary factory in the middle of rural farmland.

In addition to making carpets to order, the company also manufactures according to its own patterns, many of which change periodically. Any sort of carpeting, from bordered patterned carpets to long runners or even immense wall murals, may be ordered. They have a showroom at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles and in NYC.





Tai Ping carpets are made by Hong Kong Manufacturers Ltd., in the New Territories ''new town'' of Tai Po, about 25 miles north of Kowloon. Established in 1956, their beginnings were humble: starting with a small band of rug makers, refugees from China who worked in a small 2-story building. Later a factory was built, then expanded several times to accommodate its popularity and growth to become the luxury brand it is today.

I hope you enjoyed a peek at a carpet most of us don't typically get to visit!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read about this carpet in Forbes. Thanks for the visual tour. Lovely!
karen S/NYC

Anonymous said...

What beautiful carpets. So many options and colors!! Never heard of this type of carpet. Thanks for the tour.

Kris

Anonymous said...

WOW. If the Sultan has this carpet, well then I KNOW it is beyond my reach! Gorgeous though! Some look like lace panels.
Lisa Jay

Anonymous said...

Hello. I discovered your blog during a google search for Thai Ping Carpets. Yours is the only designer blog to mention them so you must know your stuff! I am a design student in NYC and would love to interview you for my project. I just saw your email so I will contact you there, too. I thank you for your time and I love your blog! So varied and interesting.
Kindly-Janice Keeran

Country French Antiques said...

Now why did you have to show me this stuff?
I HATE wanting something and not being able to have it!
Beautiful stuff :)

Anonymous said...

True story: Family reunion was held this last month at Disney World. While at Epcot Center my sisters and I were FAWNING AND DROOLING OVER THE CARPET. I will dig up a picture to send to you. I am going to forward this post to my sisters and they will just flip out. Such lovely and we kept touching it with our hands as it's as soft as it is pretty. interesting stuff, kathy so thank you!!
Brandi

Anonymous said...

I know Tai Ping Carpets. You failed to mention they are MEGA PRICEY :). The best carpets in the most gorgeous patterns 4 sure.
TK