WIDE EYED is my way of defining home. When rugs are placed on the floor, they give us a solid and warm base to start building up from.

 

My inspiration comes from my roots, my parents were born in Yemen and Morocco, both cultures rich in crafts, raw materials, and artisanship.

In Morocco, my great grandmother had a loom in her yard where she crafted wool carpets and blankets, those were among the few things my family decided to take with them when they had to leave their home. My designs are influenced by those origins. I'm fascinated by cultural rituals, life objects, women's physical and visual presence, and the landscape of my childhood.

 

My designs are made with the belief that objects in our homes give us joy and comfort. I always think of a rug in a home setting and its connection with space and time.

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WIDE EYED was founded in 2020 but for me, it started a few years before. I graduated from H.I.T (Holon Institute of Technology) with a Bachelor's Degree in Design in 2015. While I was there, I started exploring soft materials and weaving, creating mostly objects and wall pieces using natural fibers and emphasizing tactile visuality.

 

The rugs are designed by me in Jaffa and made in India by a small family-owned workshop.

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Ayala Cohen