Beyond general aesthetic appeal, you might think that the style of your carpet in your place of business is not that important. However, the right carpet make your business more memorable and iconic. Here are 5 famous carpets that have become an integral part of each of their home’s brand.
The Flying Carpet in the Sacramento International Airport
The Sacramento International Airport boasts an unconventional attraction—a pedestrian bridge carpet. Seyed Alavi created a woven masterpiece featuring an aerial view of a 50-mile range of stretch that follows the Sacramento River. Alavi created this 150 foot “flying carpet” for the airport as part of a competition to create a carpet that extends between the main parking garage and Terminal A of the airport.
This carpet serves as a welcome mat for all who visit Sacramento. Alavi wanted this carpet to be reminiscent of flying over the valley.
The Ardabil
The Ardabil featured in London is about 38 feet long by 18 feet wide. It features approximately 300-350 knots per square inch. The maker created the foundation of the carpet out of silk and the knots out of wool. This Persian masterpiece was woven around 1539-40 during the reign of Shah Tahmasp. It is revered not only for its size, but for its unique beauty as well. It is considered the most well-known carpet in a museum.
This carpet is actually one of a pair. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art each feature one of the Ardabil carpets. When the carpets first arrived in England, they were heavily worn. The second carpet, which was in worse condition, was used to restore the first to its former glory.
The restored carpet was sold to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the second was fixed up as much as it could be using the remaining usable sections. The more worn carpet eventually ended up in Los Angeles.
The restored carpet is lit for only ten minutes on the hour and half hour to preserve its color.
The Red Carpet from the Oscars
Is there a carpet more iconic than the Oscars red carpet? It has become synonymous with the glitz and glamor of Hollywood fashion and the entertainment industry. Every performer with aspirations of fame dreams of their moment walking down the red carpet with cameras flashing and all eyes on them.
The history of a red carpet being used as a symbol of honor or status dates back to Aeschylus’s tragedy, Agamemnon in 458 B.C. In 1821, a red carpet was rolled out for James Monroe in Georgetown, S.C. It was not until 1922, at Sig Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre for the premiere of Robin Hood, that a red carpet was used for a Hollywood event. The Oscars did not feature a red carpet until 1961.
Today, the Oscar red carpet covers 16,500 square feet, and it takes about two days to install. Even its scraps are zealously guarded so they do not end up on eBay.
Portland International Airport Carpet
If you aren’t a Portland native, you may be confused when you hop off your plane and notice everyone taking pictures of their feet. Don’t worry, you aren’t behind on some global social media foot crazy. The carpet of the Portland airport has become an iconic symbol of coming home to those who live in the Portland area.
It has become a tradition to take a picture of your feet on the carpet and post it to social media with the hashtag #pdxcarpet.
In 1987, the carpet was replaced. When picking a design, John Schleuning, who helped design the carpet, looked at the carpets of at least 5 different airports. He noticed a lot of neutral, utilitarian colors. He wanted Portland to be unique.
The design team chose to imitate the natural colors of the Northwest: green and blue. They installed the carpet in the early 90s, and the people fell in love with it. You can buy T-shirts and socks with the design of the carpet to show your adoration.
The Flower Carpet in Brussels
Every two years, the Grand-Place of Brussels is covered in a stunning carpet of begonias. The vibrant colors and resiliency of begonias make it the perfect plant for this event.
The design is planned one year in advance. Designers make scaled models of the 77m x 24m carpet to calculate the amount of flowers that will cover the ground. Around 120 volunteers work hard for 4 hours to install approximately 1 million begonias. The carpet is only in place for one weekend.
Over the years, the carpet has paid homage to countries from around the world. From the flamboyance of the 18th century French royalty to the tribal designs of Africa, the carpet honors cultures from around the globe. This year, 2014, the carpet will honor 50 years of Turkish migration to Belgium. The carpet will be reminiscent of the kilim rugs of Turkey.
These carpets have defined airports, industries, museums, and even cities, but they can define your home or business as well. Choosing the right carpet for your place of business can have unexpected benefits. Make sure you choose a carpet that accurately depicts the image you want to portray.