Olive Cooke Rugs

• What is the Olive Cooke × Double Studio: Elemental collection?

Elemental is Olive Cooke’s first rug collection, created with Double Studio. In designing the collection, Olive looked to the natural world and the references that have long appeared in her work. Grasses, pebbles, shells, birds, constellations and landscape appear across the nine designs.

Organic and geometric forms sit alongside expressive colour and natural wool, with different constructions used across the collection to shape the texture and depth of each rug. The collection brings Olive’s approach to home together with Double Studio’s knowledge of material and construction.

• Who is Olive Cooke?

Olive Cooke is an Australian creative director, curator and homeowner. Her approach to interiors is collected and shaped by the objects she surrounds herself with and the meaning they gather over time. Her home brings together pieces that hold memories and stories rather than following a prescribed style.

• What inspired the Elemental collection?

The collection draws on places, memories and details that have stayed with Olive, from the shores where she grew up to blue lagoons, volcanic rock and deep red sunrises. Other references are more personal, including the birds on her wall and shells she collected as a child.

Some of these references are recognisable in the designs, while others come through in the shapes, colours and patterns.

• What are the Elemental rugs made of?

The nine designs have a 100% wool pile, with the construction varying between the two rug types:

• Hand-knotted rugs: Field, Passage, Seascape, Harvest, Constellation, Flock and Trove use a wool pile knotted onto a recycled PET yarn warp.
• Fine cut pile rugs: Frame and Dune use a 100% New Zealand wool pile on a 100% cotton backing.

All rugs are ethically woven in India. Production is certified through GoodWeave, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and Care & Fair.

• What sizes do the Elemental rugs come in?

Each design is available in four sizes:

• 160 × 230 cm
• 200 × 300 cm
• 250 × 350 cm
• 300 × 400 cm
• What is the difference between the hand-knotted and fine cut pile rugs?

The two constructions give the designs a different look and feel. Hand-knotted rugs have a more textured surface, giving the pattern greater depth, while fine cut pile creates a more even surface with greater pattern definition.

• What is the difference between a premium hand-knotted wool rug and a hand-knotted wool rug?

Both are hand-knotted from wool, but a premium hand-knotted rug has more than twice the knot density of the other hand-knotted rugs in the collection. This construction gives the Trove rug finer pattern detail, with smoother curves, crisper lines and greater definition. It also gives the pile a plusher, more substantial feel underfoot.

• Are the Elemental rugs washable?

Yes. All nine rugs are washable, but the care method depends on the construction.

• Hand-knotted wool: Easy to care for at home. Spot clean minor marks with cold water and a wool-safe detergent. For a deeper clean, hand wash in a bath or shower using cold water.
• Fine cut pile: Machine washable. Wash in cold water on a delicate cycle with a small amount of mild detergent. Avoid bleach, fabric softeners and high heat. 
• How do you get a stain out of Elemental rugs?

Act quickly when a spill occurs. Blot the area with a clean, damp cloth and a small amount of pH-neutral, wool-safe detergent. Avoid rubbing the stain, bleach and citrus-based cleaners, which can damage the wool.

For stubborn stains, repeat the process rather than scrubbing the surface. Use cold water throughout, as heat can cause wool to shrink.

• Do Elemental rugs shed?

The rugs in the collection will shed, as all natural fibre rugs do. Shedding is usually most noticeable during the first four months before reducing to a lower ongoing level, and it does not affect the rug's durability or performance.

Double Studio's anti-shed treatment helps minimise loose fibres, although some shedding remains a natural characteristic of wool.

• How do I choose the right Elemental rug size?

Start with the furniture and layout of the room. 

• In a living room, choose a size that allows the front legs of your sofa and chairs to sit on the rug, helping the seating feel connected. 
• In a dining room, make sure the rug extends far enough beyond the table for chairs to remain on it when pulled out. 
• In a bedroom, choose a size that extends beyond the sides and foot of the bed, so the rug sits comfortably beneath it and provides space to step onto.

Elemental rugs come in four sizes, from 160 × 230 cm to 300 × 400 cm, giving you options for smaller spaces through to larger open-plan rooms.

• What colours are in the Elemental collection?

The collection comes in nine colourways: Sand, Steel Blue, Red, Multi, Dark Teal, Slate Blue, Cloud Grey, Sandstone and Tan.

The palette moves between soft neutrals, earthy tones, deep blues and more expressive shades, from restrained neutrals to stronger colour.

• How do you style a patterned rug?

Let the rug establish the pattern and colour in the room, then keep larger pieces of furniture relatively restrained. Pull one or two colours from the rug into smaller pieces around the room, rather than matching everything to it.

Olive’s approach is collected rather than highly coordinated, so layer in pieces you’re drawn to and let the room build from there.

• Are the Elemental rugs suitable for homes with kids and pets?

Yes. Elemental rugs are designed for homes with kids and pets. Olive's experience of living with a young family shaped the collection, with practicality considered alongside colour, pattern and material.