Project Highlight: Laidback Lee Design, Shipham St

A recent collaboration between Laidback Lee Design and Designer Rugs has resulted in a series of unique, art-like rugs that serve as the vibrant centrepiece for the Shipham St residential project. The partnership pushed creative boundaries to produce pieces described as "otherworldly, unexpected, playful, colourful and a little bit wild."

The design brief for the project was ambitious from the start. Stephanie Ferrara, Director of Laidback Lee Design, challenged the team to create something that had never existed before. The inspiration came not from traditional design rules but from a willingness to trust instinct and experiment with unconventional combinations.

"We experimented with shapes, tones and contrast, layering colours that technically shouldn’t work together… but somehow did," said Ferrara. "It was a creative exploration, sampling a huge range of ideas with the Designer Rugs team until we landed on something that felt exciting, fresh and completely original."

For the Shipham St residence, the rugs were far from a finishing touch; they were the foundation of the entire interior design concept. A custom made runner became the "heartbeat of the space," with its dynamic energy and colour palette dictating the mood for the surrounding rooms.

"The rooms were designed around it," Ferrara explained. "We wanted the rug to spark conversation, surprise, and joy and to make the space feel alive. Because it is so bold and layered, it gives the entire interior a sense of story and fearless personality.

The project included the show-stopping custom runner, alongside a Fragment rug and a Stella Diva rug by Greg Natale, all supplied by Designer Rugs. Ferrara noted that choosing Designer Rugs was a critical decision, citing the company’s readiness to embrace and enhance bold ideas.

"We needed a team who wouldn’t just accept bold ideas, but actually amplify them," she stated. "Designer Rugs was the perfect partner because they were ready to explore the unconventional with us. Their ability to sample, test, refine and handle ambitious colour combinations gave us the freedom to really push boundaries."

The collaborative process was a key factor in the project's success. Ferrara praised the energy and expertise of the Designer Rugs team, highlighting a shared commitment to innovation. "The collaboration was genuinely energising. We sampled so many directions together, colour clashes, shape experiments, layering ideas ... and the team never stepped back from the challenge. Their knowledge, creativity and excitement throughout the process made it feel like we were building something truly special, together."

The final products have exceeded all expectations. Ferrara expressed her enthusiasm for the finished pieces, which have successfully translated an abstract vision into a tangible, artistic statement.

"Obsessed, honestly," she said of the finished rugs. "The runner is more electric, expressive and dimensional than we even imagined. It truly feels like art – it is super playful, bold, slightly rebellious, and completely one of a kind. We feel it is somehow balanced chaos and a cohesion—beautifully! We couldn’t be more proud of what we created together."

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