Made in Britain: Quirky B for Alternative Flooring

The Quirky B collection for Alternative Flooring is the new kid on the patterned-carpet block. Launched last year with collections by decorator Ashley Hicks and textile designer Margo Selby, it’s a spin-off that came about by demand. ‘We were getting lots of calls from customers saying that the nudes and beiges of our Alternative Flooring collections weren’t working with children,’ explains head of creative Lorna haigh (above). ‘Patterned carpet has long been used in the commercial sector, but we felt there was a gap in the market for contemporary patterned carpet designed specifically for the home.’

Over the past few decades, the British carpet industry has had to adapt to the appetite for wood, tile and smooth floors. ‘You can’t easily experiment as it’s too much of a risk to commission 10 rolls of something that you’ve no idea will sell,’ explains Lorna. ‘Fortunately, our sister company, Wilton Carpets, has its own looms which gives us more flexibility. Last year, we decided to let Ashley and Margo have a play with colour and design and the result was Quirky B.

This year, the company has collaborated with the interior designer of the day Ben Pentreath (whose eclectic eye has also been watching over the redecoration of Anmer hall, the Norfolk home of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) on the latest collection. Ben’s three designs, Cube, Tetra and Lattice, in his words, ‘create complex three-dimensional patterns that trick the eye and play with space’. They come in 12 colourways, which are named after Georgian architects. ‘When you consider that most carpets on the market use a maximum of two colours and some of Ben’s patterns have five, the results are fresh and exciting,’ says Lorna.

For more information telephone 01264 335111 or visit www.alternativeflooring.com