Harlequin Rugs: Painterly Pattern, Bold Colour and Contemporary Glamour

If Sanderson and Morris & Co speak of English heritage, Harlequin speaks of the artist's studio. Its rugs are made to sit alongside the brand's fabrics and wallcoverings, and nearly every design looks as if it began with a brush in hand: strokes, washes, collage and colour laid down with confidence. Made under licence by Brink & Campman, the collection is one of the most contemporary in our range. We introduced it in our feature on Harlequin, Sanderson and Scion; here is a closer look. Browse the full Harlequin collection.

Collage and brushwork

• Atelier. Sweeping arches, curving bands and scalloped panels overlap as if cut from painted paper. Lagoon, pictured, is the bolder colourway in deep green, teal and sky blue with olive and ivory, picked out in viscose; Pebble keeps the same shapes calm in stone, taupe, soft grey and olive.
• Frescoes. Rows of small painted marks curve in arcs across the rug, like brushwork on an old plaster wall. Amber draws them in terracotta, ochre, soft blue and grey on ivory, with a low, fine pile of around 5 mm that gives crisp detail.
• Zeal. Harlequin's deconstructed stripe: short brushstrokes stacked in loose rows, their ends frayed where each stroke breaks off. Forest, Indigo, Taupe and Pewter range from rich to restrained.
• Monolith. Tall blocks of vertical strokes stand side by side like a wall of painted tiles, in vivid Cinnabar/Amber or the neutral Sandstone.

Landscape in layers

Some Harlequin designs are closer to a view than a pattern. Sedimentary stacks soft, undulating bands like rock strata or distant hills, each a slightly different shade so the colour deepens down the rug. Midnight moves from pale slate through blue-grey to deep navy; Pine grades from pale sage to deep forest green. Rosita stacks bands of landscape and sunset, which Harlequin describe as the view from an Ibizan hilltop.

Botanicals, large and loose

• Floreale. The boldest design in the range: oversized watercolour blooms drawn at such a scale that the pattern never repeats within a single rug. Maize turns it towards gold and amber; Fuchsia is the hot pink original.
• Foresta. A woodland canopy seen from below, in soft, overlapping forms. Pebble/Sand works in stone, taupe, charcoal and cream with streaks of chartreuse, and behaves almost like a textured plain.
• Saltillo and Calathea. Oversized leaves and fronds brushed across the rug, in calm greens or warmer rosewood and amber tones.
• Wonderland Floral. An archive design of whimsical, maximalist floral detail, available as a rectangle, a runner and a round.

Quieter pieces

Not every Harlequin rug is a statement. Hollow in Pebble is a hand-drawn maze of fine grey lines on ivory, textural and understated, while its Tan colourway is warm caramel with a slightly seventies feel. These are ideal where the walls or curtains already carry plenty of pattern.

Construction and sizes

• Hand-tufted: the current designs are hand-tufted in pure new wool, many with viscose highlights that catch the light.
• Runners: Sedimentary, Hollow and Monolith are also available as runners, useful for linking a hallway to the rooms beyond. See all our runner rugs.
• Custom sizes: many designs can be made to order in custom sizes.

Styling Harlequin

Treat the rug as a painting. Bold designs such as Atelier Lagoon or Floreale deserve plain walls and simple furniture. Our guide to abstract rugs explores the idea further.

Drench around it. Pick one shade from the rug and carry it across walls and woodwork for a tonal scheme; see colour drenching.

Use the quiet designs as a bridge. Hollow and Foresta Pebble/Sand sit happily beneath patterned Harlequin fabrics.

A decorator's note

Harlequin is for people who love colour and are not afraid to show it, but the collection is broader than its boldest pieces suggest. If you are drawn to a design and wondering whether your room can carry it, send our team a photograph and we will gladly help you choose the right colourway and size.