I'm a big admirer of design (obviously) so when I got the chance to see Malene Barnett of malene b custom handmade carpets' new home, I was so inspired that I didn't want to leave. First of all, we have the same favorite color, turquoise, so when I saw her brightly colored door (picture below), I knew I was in the right place. I was in awe of all of the beautiful furnishings, African pieces, tiles, textiles, sun-filled kitchen, and the list goes on and on.
Now here's a little background on Malene. She is a Brooklyn-based carpet designer who uses her travels (she's been to places like Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai) as inspiration for her designs along with her African-Caribbean background (for an extensive look at Malene's work, check out the September 2009 issue of Hospitality Design). Her designs are inspirational and hopeful. And now, you could find her carpets at the Sacco Carpet showroom in Manhattan.
malene b is part of GoodWeave, helping to combat exploited children who produce carpet for the industry. While talking to Malene, I learned that she will be designing a carpet inspired by the rich history and culture of Haiti. The design will be added to malene b's signature collection and will debut at ICFF in May. "Since the design will be a part of our collection this will be an on going effort to help with the rebuilding of the country," she says. The money raised will be given to a selected grassroots organization that has been doing work in Haiti long before the earthquake.
Besides eating Crumb's cupcakes, drinking tea, and sharing our thoughts on design, I was introduced to Sheridan Black of Custom Cool , a design company that makes rugs and is also a part of GoodWeave. As a products editor, I love hearing about the design process, the highs and lows of having your own creative business, and all that's to come. Here's a picture of us (from the left: me, Sheridan, and Malene). Thank you for a great afternoon and showing me your home. I will be back soon!
