Granitz Hunting Lodge

Design of Carpets

What happens when a castle’s 160-year-old wooden floors have become unsightly and their once magnificent carpets threadbare and moth-infested? Should they be restored or rewoven using original materials and historical patterns? Unaffordable. Put down any old carpet? Absolutely not.

So how about something entirely new? Something contemporary, custom-made, and printed with patterns tailored to Granitz Hunting Lodge’s historical tradition and environment? And something which would come in on budget. That’s exactly what we did!

This project called for some meticulous detective work. So we set about finding historical evidence on Granitz’s original decorative scheme in a decidedly Holmesian manner, and discovered an art historian who steered us in the right direction. The original lords of Putbus had their hunting lodge on the island of Rügen equipped with the finest French Aubusson carpets. It was these historic patterns which became the template for our contemporary versions.

In close cooperation with the Department for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and a specialist manufacturer we managed to create new carpets, which respect the historic brief in terms of scale and ambience, without looking like tired replicas.

The graphic patterns and subtle colours leave ample scope for imagination while seamlessly tying in with the atmosphere of each room.

All well and good, but what has this got to do with inclusivity you may ask? This project is not about inclusion but provides the opportunity to demonstrate that whatever the task in hand, inclusive or not, inkl.Design is always ready to get involved, wherever a contemporary design project requires skill and passion.

Photo with a dizzying view of the cantilevered spiral staircase of the observation tower running along the walls. It is made of cast iron. The openwork steps reveal the view into the depths.
Today's image of a drawing room with a wood-panelled ceiling and honey-coloured double doors. The eye-catcher is the ornamental carpet in shades of grey that covers the floor of the room. In the centre of the picture, three dark red stools are placed in a row. On the wall in the background of the picture hangs a large rectangular painting of a nobleman in a gold frame, with a modern white table below. On the wall to the right of the picture hangs a portrait of a lady, in a pompous oval gold frame.
Photo with exterior view of the Granitz hunting lodge, built in 1846 by the Putbus family. It is built in the style of northern Italian Renaissance castels with four corner towers and an imposing central tower.
A dark blue area.
Detail of a carpet design. The pattern shows a two-coloured star in light blue and grey in a dark grey circle framed by blue-grey dots. Further lines and dots extend the pattern. The feet of a person in blue-grey trainers can be seen on the upper edge of the picture.
A shot from the working process sketching templates for the carpet patterns.
Photo of the entrance and trophy hall. The walls of the two-storey high hall are adorned with antlers of various game species. The mammoth floor, structured in grey and white rectangles, is covered by a plain grey runner.
Historical photo of a drawing room.
Detail photo of knitted carpet element patterns. The colour gradations include grey, green, blue and ochre.
Photo with a dizzying view of the cantilevered spiral staircase of the observation tower running along the walls. It is made of cast iron. The openwork steps reveal the view into the depths.
Photo with a dizzying view of the cantilevered spiral staircase of the observation tower running along the walls. It is made of cast iron. The openwork steps reveal the view into the depths.
A dark red color patch.
View into a wood-panelled salon. The only furniture in the corner is a white marble fireplace. The eye-catcher is the room-filling ornamental carpet dominated by round graphic shapes.
Historical photograph of a salon with chequerboard-panelled walls and parquet floor. The focal point is an upholstered seating group in rococo style under an impressive chandelier and in front of a fireplace on which a life-size marble figure stands.
Historic photograph of a salon with half-height bookshelves and paintings and sculptures above, and ornate upholstered chairs around a round table. The parquet floor is laid in a chequerboard pattern.
Jagdschloss Granitz: Photo with a view of one of the modern ornamental carpets. You can see the multitude of combined basic geometric figures, which are combined to form impressive design elements.
View into the dining room. In the centre, a modern table with recreated historical contours, which replaces the missing original. On top of it is a reproduction of the contemporary table setting. The floor is covered with an ornamental carpet in shades of grey and blue. A visitor to the exhibition, dressed in a light blue jacket, looks at the table setting.
A light blue area.
A shot from the working process sketching templates for the carpet patterns.

Interpretation

A shot from the working process while sketching templates for the carpet patterns.
Detail shot from the working process. Notes are attached to a test printout of a carpet sample.
Detail photo of knitted carpet element patterns. The colour gradations include grey, green, blue and ochre.

Carpet Samples

Graphic overall view of the carpet from the Ladies' Room, original size: 5.47 x 3.24 m
Graphic overall view of the carpet from the dining room, original size: 5.17 x 3.33 m
Graphic detail of a corner of the carpet from the Red Salon; original size of the carpet: 2.59 x 3.30 m
Graphic overall view of the carpet from the ladies' room in the tower in the shape of a hexagon, original size: 2.40 x 2.08 m

A Glance at the Room

Today's image of a drawing room with a wood-panelled ceiling and honey-coloured double doors. The eye-catcher is the ornamental carpet in shades of grey that covers the floor of the room. In the centre of the picture, three dark red stools are placed in a row. On the wall in the background of the picture hangs a large rectangular painting of a nobleman in a gold frame, with a modern white table below. On the wall to the right of the picture hangs a portrait of a lady in a pompous oval gold frame.
Two pictures with a view into the dining room. You can see a long modern table with recreated historical contours, which replaces the missing original. On top of it is the contemporary table setting. The floor is covered with an ornamental carpet in grey tones. A historical original chair stands between modern dark red stools at the table. The first picture shows a chandelier above the table and a historical fireplace in the corner. The second picture shows a detailed view of the table.
Detail of a round ornamental carpet in the wood-panelled tower room. The carpet design is a kind of mandala in shades of blue and grey framed by a white and blue chequerboard pattern.
Two exhibition rooms of the Granitz Hunting Lodge. The first picture shows a walk-in box with recreated historical ornamental contours. It stands in a room with a wood-panelled ceiling and a light square carpet with a plain border. In the second picture, a table that is also in the style of the recreated historical contours. A large touch screen is embedded in the table. Below it is a modern ornamental carpet. On the walls, paintings of the zu Putbus family.
Detail of a carpet design. The focal point of the pattern is a two-coloured star in light blue and light grey in a grey circle, framed by blue-grey dots. Further lines and dots extend the pattern.
Two wood-panelled rooms. The first picture shows a honey-brown, wooden tower room. The small room is not furnished. It is merely covered with a round, blue-grey ornamental carpet. Large windows provide bright sunlight. A dark grey runner leads out of the room. The second picture shows a bedroom with a divan, wood-panelled inlaid walls and a strikingly structured light ceiling. The floor is covered by a carpet in grey tones with dominant round ornamental shapes.

Project Details

Project Scope: Art-historical research, contact with international textile historians, development of a concept of modern interpretations of historical carpet designs, colour and material concept, coordination with Upper Heritage Authority, elaboration of carpet designs for 9 rooms, production management