“What I like about this rug,” says designer Christopher Farr, “is the combination of lyrical floating forms – what I describe as ‘rural modernism’ – with the arresting brilliant orange red which drenches the forms as if the whole rug were dropped into a sea of dye.” The inspiration for this design is a tiny island where Farr vacationed as a child. Located in the Bristol Channel, Steep Holm Island is roughly 50 acres of rugged terrain. As if echoing the outcroppings on the island, the rug has varied pile heights, which create visual and textural interest. The Steepholm Rug is suitable for residential or contract settings, and it is made using ancient rug weaving techniques. The wool is hand spun, hand tufted and manually dyed in small batches to create rich tonal nuances in the strands. The Steepholm Rug will grow even more beautiful with time as the wool's natural lanolin emerges and invigorates the surface, creating enhanced luster over the years.

• DWR exclusive.