08262015 Q&A with Jaipur Rugs Newest Licensing Partner Nikki Chu

LAS VEGAS - Interior designer Nikki Chu has staked a claim on neutral territory - which happens to be the decorating palette preferred by most Americans and most often found in their homes. But Chu's just-launched line of 16 rugs and complementary pillows for Jaipur is anything but bland and beige.  It's based on a concept she premiered in her 52-color paint line called "The Perfect Shades of Neutral." The paint colors, like those in her new collection for Jaipur, are inspired by trends in fashion and built on a solutions-based approach to decorating clients' homes. 

RugNews.com spoke with Chu in an exclusive interview prior to attending an Aug. 4 press launch hosted by Jaipur Rugs' CEO Asha Chaudhary and founder Nand Kishore Chaudhary at the company's Las Vegas showroom.

RugNews.com: Why neutrals, and who are you targeting with your rug collection?

Chu: I learned as an interior designer that most people's homes are already decorated. They get to a certain point on their own, and then can't go any further. They're missing rugs, and they're missing pillows and some decorative accessories to really pull their home together. I'm targeting people whose homes are already furnished, and who really can't buy a rug that has a lot of pattern and color. 

RugNews.com: What's different about your neutrals?

Chu: When you look at my line, you see it's a soft, easy palette.  There's not a lot of pattern. There is texture and subtlety of patterns, so it's there, but it's not there.  My approach with the line was to do something subtle that would fit right into people's homes to give them that final piece or pieces that bring their space together.

RugNews.com: How did you decide on your 52 Shades?

Chu: It was really important to me to get the right neutral palette because most people gravitate to neutrals. My 52 shades of neutrals are a fresh take on best sellers in paint - colors that are easy to decorate with: linens, taupes. This palette is the tones in the middle that don't overwhelm you. It's white to beige to greys, and my fashion color is blush - which you are going to see a lot more or in home decor. When you look at the collection as a group, grey and black are important.  And the blush is resonating with a lot of key buyers because it is a nice complementary color to grey.

RugNews.com: Is grey coming to the end of its fashion cycle?

Chu: Grey is the new taupe.  It will still be important in coming seasons. But greys are coming in now with more yellow, or more blue in them. It's a very difficult color to achieve in terms of tones, and I wanted my rugs to have a fresh take on grey with mushroom undertones.

RugNews.com: What fibers did you use in your rug collection?

Chu: I absolutely love natural fibers. I think they really resonate with people because they are organic and the price point is so appealing. Most of the rugs are jute. Some are a mix of jute and sisal. And I started playing with wool. The challenge was how do I give natural fibers an interesting twist?  How do I incorporate metallic fibers that feel soft, or add chenille to create a unique texture?

RugNews.com: How do you make neutrals fashionable? Is that what you mean by Modern Globalism?

Chu: First, we gave natural fiber a whole new life with grey and black colorways. All of my patterns are inspired by modern globalism.  I take global tribal patterns, and then I simplify them.  If a pattern is a stripe, it is hand-drawn so it is linear, but not structured. It's soft and new. There is an unexpectedness of ethnic patterns with a subtle neutral palette that will appeal to consumers who are looking to replace a rug in their home. 

I am also doing a lot of space-dyeing so it looks like the pattern disappears and then comes back. It goes back to that more organic, loose, hand drawn idea. And again it goes back to the blush tones with the ethnic patterns. The combination is what is unique.

RugNews.com: What about accessories?

Chu: My collection for Jaipur includes pillows, throws, and poufs. Pillows are my favorite thing to design, so we are really going to expand in this space. Jaipur's factories are in India, which is known for hand crafts and embroidery. We took advantage of that expertise and used natural linen and lace. A lot of people try to match pillows with their rugs.  Mine are coordinating so it will  feel like a designer put the space together for you.

RugNews.com: What other licensees do you have and what's on the horizon?

Chu: I have a paint line with Prestige Paints of 52 to colors I curated to make it easy for people to refresh their home with neutrals. It's the first paint line to ship on Amazon. I also have a bedding line coming out in March with Popular Home that's inspired by all of this [at Jaipur] with similar textures, greys and blush tones mixed together. 

RugNews.com: What was it like working with Jaipur?

Chu: The minute I met Asha, I just adored her. She has the most incredible family - I told her I want to take her father home with me.  You know there is nothing better than working with someone you love and respect. Every time I got on a plane to see her in Atlanta I couldn't wait to start working. As a designer it was very rewarding to be involved every step of the way.  And now, to see the line displayed like this - there's nothing more rewarding than that.

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