ABOVE: Top: ‘Nebula’ rug; Esti Barnes, ‘Endive’ rug
As founder and creative director of multi-award-winning ‘TOPFLOOR BY ESTI’ located in Chelsea Harbour Design Centre in south west London, Esti Barnes is one of the key figures of the bespoke rug design world. Over the years, Esti has developed a style of flooring that is completely unique and equally at home in a high end residence in the Alps as it is installed on a super-yacht anchored off the Cote d’Azur. Her highly regarded luxury brand is most notable for its beautiful contemporary rugs and bespoke carpets – many of them produced from best quality sustainable materials…
ABOVE: ‘Enwrap’ rug
NS: “Esti, your showroom is a magnet for interior designers – what do you most like about being positioned in Chelsea Harbour Design Centre?”
EB: “We’re an exclusive, boutique rug company that operates only from our base here and CHDC is a one-stop destination for interior designers and architects for residential, hospitality and contract markets. We’ve been here for 26 years now and that’s given us the opportunity to work with the best international designers and private clients on their incredibly prestigious projects all around the world!”
NS: “What most inspires you and your eclectic designs?”
EB: “Personally, I’m inspired by anything to do with texture, art, fashion, travel… that’s where I find real beauty! Rather than photographing people, I’ve a keen eye for the documenting the interaction of light on different materials in nature, reflections and even walls and pavements!”
NS: “Out of your current ‘Topfloor by Esti’ collection, which are your most popular products?”
EB: “Our rug designs are mostly based on texture and we’ve won many international awards with our iconic designs including for ‘Esquire’, ‘Equator’, ‘Emmenthal’, ‘Epic’ and ‘Stardust’.”
ABOVE: ‘Autumn Gold’ rug; ‘Ethereal’ rug
NS: “Who would you say is your most typical client?”
EB: “We have different customer profiles but mostly they’re the interior designers – many of whom work in the residential, yacht and hospitality sectors… then also architects and property developers, who work on turn-key contracts that include interiors. We’re also very strongly involved in chalet interiors.”
NS: “Is everything seen in your showroom your own? Or do you showcase other brands here as well?”
EB: “We don’t sell any brands other than our own; we also do have two additional ranges in our portfolio: ‘Formitura’ and ‘Musett’. The first is a collection of light-weight, multi-purpose seats/storage made out of polyurethane; the latter is a brand we bought from it’s Dutch founder. They’re rugs made out of abaca, which is a sustainable, eco-friendly natural fibre that grows mainly in the Philippines”.
ABOVE: Mesh (Aries); ‘Popcorn’ detail
AWARDS PRESENTED TO ‘TOPFLOOR BY ESTI’:
• ARCHITIZER A+ AWARDS: WINNER (FLOORING – CARPET 2017 (STARDUST)
• ARCHITIZER A+ AWARDS: FLOORING (SOFT) FINALIST 2015 (THE SCRIPT COLLECTION)
• INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE, USA: BEST OF YEAR 2012 HONOREE (‘Enwrap’)
• ELLE DECORATION UK: MOST INSPIRING SHOWROOM HIGHLY COMMENDED, LONDON DESIGN WEEK 2012
• INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE, USA: BEST OF YEAR 2010 WINNER (‘Emmenthal’)
• INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE, USA: BEST OF YEAR 2007 WINNER (‘Esquire’)
• INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE, USA: BEST OF YEAR 2006 FINALIST (‘Equation’)
• ELLE DECORATION UK: BRITISH DESIGN OF THE YEAR 2008 WINNER (‘Esquire’)
• ELLE DECORATION UK: BEST FLOORING PRODUCT 2006 FINALIST (‘Emerald’)
• DESIGN AND DECORATION AWARDS 2003: WINNER (‘Epic’)
• DESIGN AND DECORATION AWARDS 2004: FINALIST (‘Equator’)
• DESIGN DECORATION AWARDS 2003: FINALIST (‘Rocks’)
• DECOREX: BEST NEW PRODUCT 2000 WINNER (‘Sahara’)
BELOW: ‘Eclat’ rug
ABOVE: ‘Icicle’ rug; ’Emmenthal’ rug
NS: “I find trade fairs such as Maison & Objet are a great place to discover fabulous brands such as yours… do you participate in any?”
EB: “In the past, we often exhibited at Maison & Objet in Paris and ICFF in NYC. Nowadays, we concentrate on the two major London-based events which are ‘Focus’, taking place during the ‘London Design Festival’ each September and ‘London Design Week’ here at Chelsea Design Centre in March. However, we’re planning to exhibit at a few international fairs in the near future…”
We enjoy designing for yachts, chalets and boutique hotels; luxury cruise ships and resorts are a new area that we’d also like to get more involved with….”
Esti Barnes, ‘TOPFLOOR BY ESTI’
ABOVE: Details on a natural theme
NS: “I do particularly love your ocean-inspired rugs and I generally go for something on a quite neutral and natural theme when it comes to my own interior design projects. I’m inspired by any hotel designer on an eco theme, such as the new One Hotel in Mayfair with all it’s ‘Bamford’ candles dotted around and amenities in the guest bathrooms…”
EB: “Yes, due to global warming – and since acquiring the ‘Musset’ brand – our natural designs are popular; we’re very proactive in the rug design world with both our indoor and outdoor rugs. We also have a new collection featuring natural fibre flat-weave rugs made out of jute, allo, wool, cotton, alpaca and other sustainable materials like PET; we’re in the process of expanding that range…”
NS: “Final question, Esti, what would be your dream project, if money and time were no object?”
EB: “That would definitely be a luxury boutique hotel with an infinite budget and exquisite taste where I can be as bold in the designs and colours as I want and be as creative as I feel like being with the materials!”
WEBSITE: http://www.topfloorrugs.com
