NEWS | NATIONAL GALLERY – A RUM FELLOW’S BESPOKE RUG JOINS THE SAINSBURY WING
IMAGE COURTESY OF NATIONAL GALLERY TEAM
The colour palette nods to Paula Rego’s mural Crivelli’s Garden, whose copper and blue tones are subtly woven into the rug, creating a visual thread that links the new interior with its surrounding artworks.
We’re thrilled to share that A RUM FELLOW has created a bespoke rug for the newly renovated Sainsbury Wing at The National Gallery, London. The rug now sits at the heart of Crivelli’s Bookshop on the gallery’s mezzanine floor, bringing a touch of hand-knotted warmth to this contemporary space. Inspired by the Gallery’s historic architecture, the design draws on the geometry and textures of the original tiled floors and the subtle details of its ironwork.
As Caroline Lindsell, our Creative Director, says:
“Creating a bespoke rug for such an iconic institution was an incredible experience. Spending time in the Gallery and drawing from its architecture and history allowed the design to grow naturally from the space itself.”
We worked closely with the National Gallery and Ryder Architecture throughout the process, from sketches and CAD drawings to handmade samples and site visits.
The rug itself was hand-knotted on a traditional vertical loom in Nepal — a painstaking process that creates depth, texture, and a luxurious pile.
In keeping with our A RUM FELLOW ethos, the rug is produced ethically and sustainably. While our usual choice is natural wool, this piece was made from recycled nylon yarn — durable, soft, and made entirely from reclaimed materials including discarded fishing nets and industrial plastics — to meet museum conservation standards.
Seeing our design take its place in the National Gallery is hugely rewarding. It’s a reminder of why we love what we do: creating pieces that connect with their surroundings and tell a story, knot by knot.
From bespoke designs tailored to your space, colour palette and vision, through to fully custom creations developed collaboratively with our studio, we’d love to explore how we can bring your own tailored rug project to life — with design guidance and sampling every step of the way.