we got your back

What’s so special about the backside of a credenza, bed or bookcase? Plenty if you live in a loft and use furniture to create walls, if you want to see how the cord management really works, or if you want to see absolutely everything you’re getting.

We pay special attention to every aspect of our products—including the back side—so new furniture pieces will now include a photo of this angle on our website. Check it out!

under construction: minneapolis

It seems as though there are two seasons in Minnesota…winter and construction.

Months ago we were thrilled to have broken ground for our second store being built from the ground up in uptown Minneapolis—and while we expected to be open before the first snowfall, we think some form of fluffy white stuff may have already beaten our December 10th due date.

We’ll share many more photos in the weeks and months to come, but if you happen to be in the neighborhood, we’d love to see them. Share them by uploading jpgs to flickr, tag them as “CB2”, and let us know about it—or add them to our facebook gallery!

the making of: mille swirls rug

The making of the mille swirls rug and runner are a combination of art and technology—patented by artist Liora Manné. First, fibers resembling thin cotton puffs are blended to create a unique transparency of colors. These blended colors are rolled then sliced like sushi into thin pieces and laid out to create a mosaic—all by hand.

To transform this the fibers into a durable rug, the mille swirls pass through a loom of needles that entangle and blend the colors. For added strength and easy care, the rug is then saturated in a transparent latex formula and treated with a anti-microbial finish. The final product is a hand-made work of art—and at the same time it’s highly durable and ready for indoor or outdoor use.

hint: For best results, vacuum on a regular basis and address stains as they occur. Use any commercial carpet cleaner or mild soap with water—not dry powders—plus gentle rubbing and dabbing with a white cloth. Professional steam clean on a regular basis depending on traffic levels. Do Not Dry Clean.

how to: hang a rug as wall art

Much like tapestries from the Middle Ages—which were originally hung for better insulation in stone castles—hand-tufted rugs can enhance almost any wall with their colors, designs and texture.

big hint: once you’ve chosen the rug you’d like to hang, and the location or wall, visit your local hardware store for the best advice when shopping for screws, hardwood strips, and mounting hardware.

1. Cut two hardwood strips to a length proper for the rug you want to hang—just shy 1 or 2” from each edge—and miter one long edge of each strip at 60 degrees.

2. Attach one to the backside of the rug by screwing screws through the rug and with the miter in a similar position as shown. For best results, use a metal strip across the front to keep screws from pulling through the rug. If you’d prefer not to disturb the look of the rug design, consider smaller, flat metal pieces. They can be square, or round washers which can be painted to blend with the rug design. Just make sure they’re larger than the screw heads so they’ll stop them from pulling through.

3. Test the attachment of the rug to the strip by holding it aloft—without support for the weight of the rug—to ensure it’s well attached.

4. Next measure the location for a second wood strip to the wall in the correct location. Mount it with the miter opposite the rug-mounted strip as similarly shown.

5. Last, carefully ‘install’ the rug by positioning the strips so the mitered edges match yin for yang. Together, in profile, the two strips will create an elongated rectangle and ultimately the weight of the rug is supported by the strip mounted to the wall. This is known as a French cleat.

the making of: hemp rugs

The fine finished hemp rug can be deceiving—it’s actually made completely by hand from raw hemp fibers.

Its tonal burnished brown effect is achieved with a blend of unbleached, undyed hemp fibers that yield a warm variegation depending on when they were harvested.

Yarns are woven and handknotted in a labor-intensive process that can take one week to create one rug.

Below are the step by step processes including a final wash that lends a subtle sheen and amazing softness.

Prepping natural yarns for weaving by making smaller bunches from the large mill bunches.

Since hemp is a strong and rough yarn in its natural state, the yarns are set on a machine for washing which will remove smaller fibers making it softer, cleaner and neater.

Weaving the rugs.

Washing the woven rugs to further soften the final version.

Finishing stages of trimming the pile and edges.