By: Jordan Budney By: Jordan Budney | April 3, 2024 | Home & Real Estate, HBAT Home, HBBO Home, HBCA Home, HBCH Home, HBCM Home, HBMI Home, HBNY Home, HBSC Home, HBTX Home, HBCM Collections, HBAT Collections, HBBO Collections, HBCA Collections, HBCH Collections, HBMI Collections, HBNY Collections, HBSC Collections, HBTX Collections, Home & Real Estate Feature, HBDC Collections, HBDC Home,
Whether it is soaking up your latest spill, collecting mud from the bottom of your shoe, or gathering the never-ending pet hair, rugs are life savers we constantly step on. Yes, rugs live a tough life, but an accent rug with bold colors and unique patterns can let personalities shine and allow any house to transform into a home. Look no further than the Gray Benko x Annie Selke rug collection, where pattern play and wall-to-wall color abound.
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Gray Benko, a South Carolina-based photographer-turned-designer and Magnolia Network star is collaborating with Annie Selke to turn living rooms into rooms worth living. Her signature style and ever-so-charming touch elevate every space and as Benko said, “whether you’re ready to dive headfirst into color or just want to dip your toes, this collection offers something for everyone.” Each handwoven and durable piece comes in different fabrics, shapes and sizes, ranging in price based on size and material. Plus, each rug has specific instructions on how to keep its top quality, allowing every customer to find and maintain their dream rug.
In this collection, each piece has a sentimental name inspired by something meaningful in Benko’s life. For example, the evergreen Hilda, Benko’s personal favorite, is named after one of her beloved grandmothers, and the classic black/brown Lexington is inspired by her glory days when she lived in Japan and went to a club with friends called The Lexington Queen. With Benko believing that a must-have design element in her room is “something really weird,” her bubbly personality and one-of-a-kind collection mesh perfectly to bring prominent patterns with striking style.
Originally basing her headquarters in western Massachusetts around an 1863 woolen mill that produced uniforms and blankets for Union Soldiers during the Civil War, Annie Selke is a designer icon. After studying textile science at the University of Vermont and obtaining a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, her pieces were featured in magazines, television segments and even the Obama White House. Annie Selke believes “there should be something that makes you smile in every room,” and this newest collection with Benko is expanding its aesthetic, ranging from colorful and coastal to bohemian to modern.
Selke’s brand is committed to working with partners in India who abide by sustainable production practices and are proud to use recycled materials in the production of each rug. Every time a rug is purchased, a customer provides financial livelihood to more than 3,600 artisans worldwide and helps establish a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Selke hopes to empower everyone through her exclusively women's rug-making facility and continues to collaborate with eco-friendly programs to help cut carbon emissions or construct safe and affordable homes for families in need.
Together, Annie Selke and Gray Benko make the perfect team to promote good values and stay true to oneself through self-expression. From fresh and functional feels to simple and sophisticated stitches, this exuberant and colorful rug collection is anything but “Gray” and will surely be the centerpiece of any space.
Photography by: courtesy of Annie Selke