An invite to our art room in Provence
The Maison Rhizomes atelier is a space where ideas are born, inspiration flows freely and where founders, Charlotte Culot and Hannah Vagedes, dream up and exhibit their collections of limited-edition hand-knotted rugs.
Charlotte and Hannah met four years ago in the Nepalese mountains and instantly connected over a shared love of the natural world and artisanal traditions. Charlotte’s well-trodden path as an artist and Hannah’s key experience working with textiles made them the perfect pair to take on their latest artistic venture, Maison Rhizomes.
Maison Rhizomes is an artisanal atelier, that collaborates with artists to transform their body of work into bespoke hand-knotted rugs. The atelier’s first collection of rugs was designed by Charlotte and is based on her work and pieces she has developed over the years.
An unforgettable setting
The Maison Rhizomes atelier is carefully nestled among the iconic lavender fields and Rhône valley of Vaucluse, Provence. Vaucluse is renowned for its emblematic natural landscapes, quaint hilltop villages and rich historic landmarks. It comes as no surprise that Charlotte and Hannah would choose such a space for their studio.
Charlotte refers to this space as her “little eagle's nest’ – time moves slowly here and the day’s pace is dictated by nature’s mood.” The atelier not only invites the collaboration of the natural world but is also completely surrounded by it.
The influence of nature is absolute and its variety is abundant. From mountains, hills and valleys to rivers and forests – the colours, shapes and forms presented here are unending.
A delicate process
From inspiration to production, the process used to create hand-knotted rugs is timely and precise. The hand-knotted method to make artisan rugs dates back to a craft that is more than 2,000 years old. Each individual knot is tied separately and every rug is comprised of thousands of knots. Luxury silk, linen and wool fibres are blended together to produce a sophisticated feel for each rug.
Maison Rhizomes collaborates with their colourist before liaising with its expert artisanal team based in Nepal. Each hand-knotted rug can take up to a year to create and each piece is unique – forming part of a limited-edition collection.
Georgia O'Keeffe once said, "I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn't say any other way – things I had no words for." The artist’s words still ring true today and can be reflected in the vivid colours and shapes found in Maison Rhizomes’ bespoke rugs.
The collection comes alive with varying colour schemes, from blue aubergines to softer earth tones – nature’s subtle and bold hues come alive throughout the collection. Differing heights of loops create depth and mixed fibres allow for textured finishes.
Discovering your rug
When reflecting on one of her pieces, Charlotte explains, “I close my eyes and I am transported to a sunny Mediterranean garden. The air and the stones are still warm, the sun sets and I eat one of its rays. Eden of innocence, of a summer, in us, that we cannot lose.”
The artist and founder goes on to explain, “We consider our rugs as pieces of art, which is why we create them with a limited-edition approach. We hope that our pieces are adopted into homes as a piece of art rather than an object of decoration.”
Both Charlotte and Hannah, hope that each client feels a strong connection to the rug they chose for their home or selected space.
Your private viewing
The atelier consists of Maison Rhizome’s workshop and showroom. Clients can enjoy a privileged viewing of the studio’s limited edition hand-knotted rugs as well as a backstage pass to get a closer look into the process that goes into creating one of these timeless artisanal pieces.
Hannah and Charlotte take pride in sharing their surroundings with whoever is interested, allowing their clients to step into their soft and beautiful world for a day.
