Athena Calderone’s rug secret will protect your floor without sacrificing style

Interiors expert Athena Calderone has found a way to transform your home once again. The mastermind behind EyeSwoon, and Livingetc favorite, has revealed Broken Symmetry, a collection with Moroccan rug company Beni Rugs. Keep scrolling to browse these beautiful rugs, or shop our best Berber rugs edit for more stylish suggestions.

Athena‘s 12 geometric designs, which launch this fall, pay homage to the imperfections of the traditional Moroccan rug – and are certain to reshape your hallway floor ideas in the process. They come in a selection of patterns that reflect the harmonic and disharmonic cadence of shapes, tones, textures, and emotional reactions. 

So, to celebrate the collection, we sat down with Athena, who shared her sought-after tips – and her advice will change your modern decorating ideas for good. Here, Athena reveals how you can maintain a stylish floor, even in the busiest areas of your home.

(Image credit: Athena, Tuco, & Resolute - Fawn by Simon Watson)

‘I am a big fan of the wool Moroccan variety because not only are they very forgiving (especially if you have an active family and a dog like me!), but they often have a melange of fabric colors and subtle patterns, all of which really help to mask staining, dog hair, or spills,’ Athena explains. 

Alongside their durability, and the pattern’s ability to camouflage life’s residue, Athena adds that patterned Moroccan rugs are designed to be ‘imperfect,’ meaning their wear makes them more beautiful as time passes. This makes them the perfect choice for particularly busy areas in your home. 

‘At their essence, Moroccan rugs are imperfect and prewashed, so the more worn in and marked they get, the more character they develop over time,’ she says. ‘Any new scuffs, blemishes, or scrapes will be mostly unnoticeable and just add to that aged look which I love.’

(Image credit: Resolute - Taupe by Simon Watson)

The imperfection of these rugs is similarly mirrored in Athena’s design ethos, which is evident in her Beni Rugs collection. 

I love to create symmetry and then break it. I love repetition, order, but I also love to resist the obvious,’ she adds. ‘Somehow, there is common ground and a sense of balance in those very imperfections. How I designed this collection follows the same Vernacular.’

(Image credit: Gambit - Sage by by Simon Watson)

Athena’s design idea will not only preserve the busiest areas of our homes – but it will enhance them. Needless to say, we’re shopping the collection on Beni Rugs as we speak.