These bold, dramatic cushions have been on my radar since last year and are the work of French former graphic artist Marianne Diemer who founded Rouge du Rhin in 1995. It’s the fusion of top quality natural linen – a very traditional material – with contemporary graphic design and precision printing that makes this home textiles range so very special.
There’s a fantastic range of designs to choose from – if you’re a fan of geometric patterns you’re bound to find something you’ll love; pictured below is just the tiniest taste.
I particularly like that some of the designs are available either on natural linen, which is somewhere between grey and brown, making it extremely versatile, or on white linen for a crisper, brighter look.
You might be forgiven for thinking that Rouge du Rhin is a tasty red wine, perfect for drinking whilst lounging comfortably on one of these lovely, plump pillows. In fact, it’s the name of the natural dye colour obtained from the rose madder plant which in days gone by was particularly used by the printers and dyers of the Alsace region of France. A concentration of their workshops around the city of Mulhouse, and the fact that their waste waters used to colour the streams feeding into the river Rhine, led to the area being known as the “Red Sea Zone”.
Today, these wonderful linen products are still made in northern France, but environmentally friendly materials and processes are an integral part of the Rouge du Rhin brand, as is their dedication to creating high quality products that will wear well and stand the test of time. In addition to printed and embroidered cushions in several sizes, the range includes lampshades, curtains, table linen and bags. My particular favourite is the Vasarely-inspired lampshade below – the same design is also available as cushions.
New for 2013 are a selection of fresh designs including Babel and Bergame –
– and also the large, reversible Version XL range of cushions, pictured below. They’re a generously sized 35 cm x 85 cm, and have different designs on each side; I love being able to turn cushions around to ring the changes and it’s particularly satisfying to feel you’re getting twice as much style for your money.
Visit the Rouge du Rhin website to see the whole range and shop at their online store; you’ll also find a full list of both bricks and mortar shops and other online retailers.
Images: Rouge du Rhin
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