Wondering what Wilton rugs are?

You’re not alone. Unless you work in the industry, there’s a good chance that prior to shopping for rugs, you’d never heard of them — much less a “Wool Wire Wilton” (hello, alliteration) as they are lovingly referred to by interior designers and flooring installers. As a rug designer, it took me years into my career to learn about this cult-favorite construction. Why? 

Most retailer brands that sell standard sizes, do not carry Wilton rugs. When I was designing and buying rugs for said big brands, Wilton rugs were inaccessible to me. Though they have hallowed the halls of the White House and stately homes across the country, they are something of an interior-designer-only construction. They are not woven to be turned into standard sizes due to the wide nature of the loom, but are perfect for custom sizes.

But what’s so great about a Wilton rug?

I grew up around a lot of needlepoint pillows, and a few industrious needlepointing women. My mother would painstakingly approach her embroidery canvas with deliberate, labor-intensive stitches, which in expanse, created a satisfyingly rich, densely packed textile. The neat, concise loops of a Wilton look very similar to needlepoint stitches. While the loops of a Wilton are not made by hand, the loom on which they are woven was invented in 1741 and requires considerable time and effort to set up and run.

The typical fiber used for a Wilton rug is wool, the gold standard in rugs. While some percentage of synthetic fibers are often added for softness or a touch of luster, the Wool Wire Wilton scores highly on durability for both material and construction. The tight loops are created by a wire that is temporarily threaded through the shaft of the warp, and then removed (no, there is no wire in these rugs). 

The loops are small and uniform with an inherent spring to them, which feels great underfoot. When paired with the incredible resiliency of wool, Wilton rugs are a powerhouse for standing up to foot traffic. Wiltons are a popular choice for any of these high traffic areas, and you’ll often see them installed on stairs (the area of the home that gets the most hardwearing traffic).This is important to remember as Wilton rugs do have a higher price point due to the laborious nature of the weaving set up. The investment in quality up front however, pays out for years to come.

So what type of homes use Wiltons?

For a period of time, Wiltons were squarely in the “traditional” camp of interior decorating — like Emily Gilmore Connecticut-estate traditional (for all my Gilmore Girl fans out there). If that doesn’t ring a bell, think toile wallpaper, ornate silk curtain valances and a slightly spooky display cabinet full of Meissen porcelain figurines. This is in part, due to the ability of this weave to achieve very detailed patterning and colors that lend themselves well to all manner of ornate patterning. Homes that were Decorated (yes, with a capital D) had the means to purchase this premium construction and the zeal for rich pattern, expertly constructed, hence the traditional association. 

However, today's Wiltons have evolved to meet the modern home. Look at any interior design magazine, and you are sure to find Wilton rugs anchoring rooms, hallways and staircases across a wide variety of styles. The patterns have become more subtle, more modern and more easy to layer with contemporary design styles. Once you learn to spot a Wilton rug, you will see them everywhere. 

For our debut collection of Wilton rugs, we’ve focused on two themes: animal print and contemporary designs.

The first is an elevated take on animal print (to varying degrees of “literal”). To put it plainly, animal print can look tacky, very quickly. While styling is critical, pairing cheap materials with a cheap construction and a full floor of leopard print creates quite the handicap. If #mobwife is not on your moodboard, but want a surefire way to add the fun of an animal print, these Wiltons are worth your consideration. Something about the neat little loops just strikes the perfect balance of pattern and material. With the “tacky” factor out of the way, Jenna Lyons’ musing on the subject come to life, “as far as I’m concerned, leopard is a neutral.” For current inspo, Parisian “it girl” Jeanne Demas’s leopard office rug is a great example of the versatility of this pattern. I’d be remiss in not mentioning the godmother of modern interior design, Madeleine Castaing’s love of leopard rugs.