The corner of NW 10th and Davis in the Pearl District is a busy crossroads. People walk, bike and drive by in all four directions. West Burnside is only a couple blocks away. There’s a sushi joint on the corner; a catering company across from it; the imposingly grand, gray, rusticated stone walls of what used to be the Armory but is now the Gerding Theater, complete with stone benches and plantings to linger by; and, on the fourth corner, the huge windows of a red brick garage that now houses Kush Handmade Rugs.
Inside, the store is a crossroads as well, because Kush sells rugs from all over the world. While its windows look out onto the street and all the people each with their own story, inside the shop, each rug has a story, too. The rugs in Kush might sit in a pile for months or years before they start their next chapter in someone’s home for what can be expected to be a rich, long life. They wait patiently for the right owner, shopkeepers Rebecca Lurie and Brian Robins taking good care of them.
Rebecca and Brian are the founders and co-owners of Kush, and they have their own ongoing and unique story too. When they started the business some ten years ago, they were married – to each other, as well as to the business. Now they’re amicably divorced, remarried, and have a better business partnership than ever. Travis, the mellow 12-year old shop dog, is their child, as is the business, which they sometimes refer to as their “Kush baby.”
It’s understandable that one might think of a rug business this way, because the more you learn about each rug, the more they seem like children. Each one is your favorite. Which is also why it’s not unheard of for a rug to sit in a pile for years before the right owner comes along. Each rug is unique, has its own style and story, and either speaks to a person or not.
Plenty of the rugs speak to me, but my pocketbook isn’t quite ready to carry on the conversation! Thehandwoven rugs from Turkey, India, Nepal and elsewhere are long-term investments, heirlooms of the future. Sizes vary from small to humongous, though, so there is generally a starter rug (or blanket or other handmade creation from Turkey or Nepal) within reach.
Kush Handmade Rugs
205 NW 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209?
503-231-0700
Custom Tibetan runner with silk design.
Classic collection with hand carved texture.
Custom color dining room rug with wool & silk tweed.
Starburst bedroom rug.
Mosaic is the newest addition to Kush's private label collection. Rebecca found Mosaic while on her latest travels to India. A flat weave hand made with soft wool, Mosaic is beautiful to look at and lovely on the toes.
Here is a close up photo that highlights the variegated color and warm feel. Mosaic may be ordered in runners and custom sizes. Stop by Kush and check out our samples. Full size rugs are on the way.
Wednesday, April 25
th * 1:00 - 6:00 PM
205 NW 10th ave. Portland, OR
New rug lines:
New Moon
Michaelian &
Kohlberg
Food and drinks will be provided. We look forward to connecting with our friends and colleagues in the design community.
See you soon!
Team KUSH
Rebecca recently traveled to Turkey, where she purchased some beautiful vintage and antique textiles. Today I want to highlight a couple pieces from the latest shipment from that have really been tugging at my heartstrings.
The first is a vintage Anatolian Kilim. It's fairly small, about 3'x3', with a richly variegated ground field and a warm red tribal motif in the center. It has a natural sense of balance and symmetry. The colors in both the field and the foreground fade vertically from deep, rich tones to a more muted pallete at the top, lending a sense of weight to the piece. Mighty purdy.
The second is an antique Tulu from the early 20th century. Tulus are village rugs, and were not traditionally woven for commercial use. They typically have a shaggy, sometimes looped mohair pile, and feature a wild variety of designs. This piece has definitely been used over the course of its life and has worn and faded wonderfully. It has a comforting, familiar quality, somewhat like a favorite pair of old jeans, and in the right light, the wear pattern actually gives it a silky, almost fluid appearance.
Hosted by Rejuvenation: 1100 SE Grand on the 2nd floor
When: Thursday, September 30, 2010 6:00 – 8:30
This tasteful (and tasty) night of mingling with Portland design enthusiasts includes lively presentations by Michael Steuve of SRM and Jennifer Leonard of Nifelle Designs that include fabrics, furniture and color samples. Get the experts' best ideas for updating your home based on the themes of designing for less and layering styles and periods to create a contemporary look.
Get ideas, get inspired and shop Kush and Rejuvenation during this special after-hours event.
Kush provided the Afghan Oushak.
