The ikat trend has been going strong since at least last spring, but an upcoming exhibition at the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. hints that fashion and interior design’s appetite for the textile won’t be satiated any time soon. While the majority of textiles are woven with solid-colored thread or are printed or dyed after weaving, ikat is unique for the reverse production process: individual threads are dyed before they are woven, requiring immense planning and craftsmanship to achieve the resulting luxurious and striking patterns. On view from October 16 through March 13, the museum’s “Colors of the Oasis: Central Asian Ikats” will reveal the technique’s history, its more recent revival in Uzbekistan after near extinction during the Soviet era, and its contemporary popularity. In the 19th century, ikat was considered the most prestigious material to wear precisely because it was so difficult to make. Today, the look’s bold graphic appeal is easy to appreciate in these five ikat-inspired furnishings.
1. Based in McLean, Virginia, furniture and textile manufacturer Robin Bruce professes a contemporary dedication to eco-friendly materials and fibers. Ask how that applies specifically to the company’s vibrant Joplin Sofa, shown here sporting ikat-patterned fabric over a classic silhouette. The sofa measure 88 inches long, 39 deep, and 34 high, while the minimal arms are 20 inches high. Also offered are a matching loveseat, chaise, chair, and ottoman, all available in various wood finishes and fabrics. Robin Bruce, (703) 847-8670; http://www.robinbruce.com/.
2. Hudson, New York-based VandM.com dealer Circa Trade brings us a stretched and mounted fragment of silk ikat from Uzbekistan. The dealer estimates that the vintage textile was probably a portion of a men’s chapan robe. Bright red, faded pink, orange, and brown bleed faintly together for a charming composition of double suns. For a complete Uzbek chapan robe, this one in woven cotton and silk ikat, check out the dealer’s other inventory. http://vandm.com/Circa_Trade, (518) 822-0028.
3. Offered in four rich jewel-toned colorways, Persimmon, Java, Jewel, and Mineral, F. Schumacher & Co.’s Tashkent Velvet Ikat transports us all the way to Turkestan in Central Asia. A modern update on an ancient weave, cotton velvet makes the sumptuous pattern seem even more luxurious. Schumacher & Co., (800) 523-1200; http://www.fsco.com/.
4. Part of ABC Carpet & Home’s Ethos collection merging traditional Ikat textiles with modern innovation, all 6'1" x 10'0" of Ikat was handcrafted by skilled artisans. the collection’s handspun vintage sari silk is recycled through a unique knotting technique to achieve a kaleidoscopic motif inspired by 19th-century Central Asian textiles. The result is an almost iridescent surface spanning various densities and luminosities, its irregular quality dramatic enough to enhance the composition. ABC Carpet & Home, (212) 473-3000; http://www.abccarpet.com/.
5. Of course not an ikat in the truest sense, the batik pattern covering this one of a kind vintage ottoman finds its roots in the same resist-dying method as our trendy textile. VandM.com dealer Maison out of Portland, Oregon, tells us the ottoman is 19 inches high and 36 inches in diameter, plenty of room to contain its top cushion of luxurious goose down, and sports hidden wheels for easy moving. And this pair of 20-inch-square throw pillows from the same dealer add a little bohemian chic to any surface. Through VandM.com dealer Maison, (503) 295-0151; http://vandm.com/TheShopAtMaison
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