Joshua Lumley talks toJenny Oldakerabout his love of antique rugs and carpets, and the evolution of his Kent showroom
Talking Shop
I started my business in 2004 after leaving Sotheby’s, where I’d run the London rug department for the previous three years. I had a young family and wanted a job that allowed me to get properly involved in the day-to-day life of my children.
I’m based near Ashford in Kent, and have my store in a farm building. My website is my shopfront and I do sell online, but my main business involves taking rugs to clients – both interior decorators and private individuals – so they can be tried in houses before buying.
I love the colours in antique rugs – mellow but strong at the same time. The right rug can transform a room, bringing harmony, texture and warmth to an interior. Old Turkish rugs are my favourites – the older the better. They tend to be much less formal than their Persian or Indian equivalents, and add a relaxed, country-house aesthetic to a room. They seem very much at home in British houses; perhaps it’s because they’ve been used in our interiors since Tudor times.
When choosing a vintage or antique rug it’s always best to start with one you love and work from there. Minor colours from the rug can be introduced elsewhere in the room: as a colour for the walls, or as accents in soft furnishings.
There’s no typical working day. Some are focused on buying, with trips to auction houses, or fellow dealers. On other days, I might visit a client to try out different rugs in their house. Or I could be pr
