Designer Sessions: 2LG

Designer Sessions: 2LG

The 2LG x FLOOR_STORY capsule collection, features our highest ever knot count in the incredible Roses. We hung out with Jordan & Russell, the duo behind 2LG, to discover the inspiration and creative process behind the rugs.

Founded in 2014 by Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead, 2 Lovely Gays is a design practice based in South East London, working in residential interiors, creative consultancy and product design. The pair’s adaptable and personal approach to design allows them to respond uniquely to the human needs of each project, where they combine form, function and decorative joy in equal measure. Coming from a theatre background, collaboration has always been key to 2LGs work and has naturally progressed into the duo’s design ethic.

How would you describe your style and what has influenced your design?

While our style is adaptable to the needs of the client, there are common threads that run through our projects: namely a progressive use of colour, form and function with a passion for decorative joy and restrained opulence. Our main influences come from the culture we're immersed in; film, theatre, fashion and music. From Alexander McQueen to Bjork and Tom Ford movies, sources are varied and we simply love our garden, so we definitely have an obsession for florals.

Can you tell us a little more about your designs for FLOOR_STORY and exactly what inspired them?

Our home in Forest Hill is our muse and the main inspiration behind the designs for our collection with FLOOR_STORY. When we first bought the Victorian property, we allowed ourselves to really indulge in the ornamentation and layers of decades of decoration on walls, floors and ceilings. The process of exploration was incredibly exciting and as we peeled back the layers we found the revealed textures and patterns having a big influence on our work.Within our designs for FLOOR_STORY there are nods to this obsession with Victoriana, but also a touch of eternal Italian style and pastel shades that give a taste of Scandinavian design.

What attracted you to working with us and more importantly, the process of rug making?

The main attraction was Simon, the founder, as he is a wonderful mountain of a man and full of passion for his work. From the moment we first met, that passion was infectious and we simply knew that we just had to work together. From a pure product perspective, as designers we had often struggled to find the right rugs to complete schemes, so the chance to create rugs that we'd love to use in our projects was too much to resist.Rugs can be such an important layer in the home and so we tried to choose colour options that were bold but that could also complement lots of different room designs.

Was there anything you learnt about your own processes when working on the collection?

We have inquisitive natures and so were naturally drawn to the rug making process and just how far we could push the boundaries of the craft. That really is one of the joys of the collection, as each piece shows a different making technique; hand-knotting in Roses, fine carving in Embossed and textured design that uses the same colour in wool and bamboo silk in Moire. Learning about these processes was enlightening and fascinating. The first time we saw the finished rugs we were thrilled, they feel challenging but at thew same time beautiful and completely liveable.

Can youdescribe your new rugs?

Painfully beautiful. Too much? We are so proud of them and we can't wait to see them coming to life in homes. As a collection, the rugs offer you a layer of soft luxury and give plenty of options to complete an interior scheme. They are so beautifully made and with rich colour and texture, will bring a restrained opulence to the home.

How do the rugs make you feel?

There is some real history in these rugs and yet they feel so fresh and contemporary because of the colours we've used. They have been so well made and we hope you love them just as much as we do.

Check out 2 Lovely Gay's collectionhere and stay tuned for the next instalment of Designer Sessions, when we'll be catching up with Shane Beadle, designer for Etoile Home.