Collab Alert: Abigail Ahern X Roger Oates Design

Queen of the dark side Abigail Ahern lends her masculine style to textiles once again, this time in the form of moody flat-weave rugs and runners.

Having just collaborated with Hillary's on a dark and dramatic curtains and blinds collection, Abigail Ahern is seducing us with her daring palette once again.

Teaming up with rug-and-runner maestro Roger Oates, Abigail Ahern applied her signaturemasculine palette tocreate a capsule flatweave flooring collection for Autumn 2018.

Known forbreaking the rules and for using unexpected shots of colour, Abigail Ahern applied her 'don't be afraid of the dark' mantra to Roger Oates' flat-weaves,using anedit of blacks, greys and plums.

The new collection retains Roger Oates' recognisable look but adds a darker, deeper, intense colour element.

The reined-in colour palette and subtle texture of the flatweave rugs is a solid foundation from which to create a dramatic atmosphere.

The collaboration came about when theHead of Design at Roger Oates Design,Andy Guard,met Abigail to discuss bespoke colours.

Inspired by the subtle shades and depth of tone of the Roger Oates yarn, Ahern immediately honed-in on a very particular section of the palette bearing a striking resemblance to her own sultry paint hues.

She was alsofascinated by endless variety of designs achievable using a simple stripe, as well as the texture that flatweave offers; woven on traditional looms, flatweave is more akin to a heavy fabric than a carpet.

‘The quality of the wool adds the most perfectluxurious touch to any hall or staircase andmakes this space so much more thansomewhere to just drop off your keys and walkthrough. I now actually want to linger longerin mine, it’s the biggest game changer forhallways.’

Having selected the colours and patterns together it was down to Andy Guard to develop the designs on a hand loom before the final designs were selected.

The new capsule collection comprises four designs in existing colours from the Roger Oates yarn chain, woven to create an entirely different moody ambiance.

A combination of dark jewel tones against an ebony herringbone backdrop transform the Masai Smoke tribal design into something rich and indulgent.

The classicMalton Cinder design has been given a new twist by substituting the original neutral highlight with a rich plum shade...

...While theFitzroy Rosebriar consists of a softer herringbone stripe with a rich border.

Kobe Plum has been re-worked with an unusual dark weft, drawing out the saturated colours found in the warp as well as highlighting the flecks of antique rose and plum.

Roger Oates will also be unveilinga collection of cushions and upholstered benches in the four designs for late autumn...

... As well as matching travel bags.

Find the collection on rogeroates.com; £129 per metre.