Squash rug by Poltrona Frau, hand-painted checkerboard motif, 100% hand-knotted wool, Italian luxury design

Squash | Rug

Faye Toogood

The Squash rug in the similarly named collection features a checkerboard motif inspired by old English patchwork chairs. Each square is hand-painted and the artwork translated into fabric using the traditional Berber knotting technique. The Squash rug is handmade and is available in different sizes and a range of colors. The dyeing process and use of natural fibers replicate the hand-painted design as faithfully as possible, while the plush fleece and subtly blended threads evoke the nuanced look of brushstrokes. All in accordance with the highest standards of sustainability.

Squash | Rug

Faye Toogood
Loading
Loading
Proceed with selection

Rug dimension

Rug color

Concept and Design

Softness, boldness and fun all in the one collection: Squash, designed by British artist Faye Toogood, captivates with its flippant nonchalance, starting with its playful and sensual name, reflecting a soft and sculptural approach to design. The collection is comfortable and cozy right from the first glance. Exuberant and bold, yet gentle and reassuring forms interact with a mix of soft and rigid materials. The flowing contours and soft padding disrupt the static essence of formal furniture. Traditional English folk elements are reworked and combined with 1970s influences. Squash suggests a notion of simple, contemporary elegance based on unique objects that work well alone, together, or combined with other furnishings.

faye toogood
Designed by
Faye Toogood

Faye Toogood is a British Designer whose practice encompasses interior design, homewares, fine art and fashion, and refuses to be constrained by a single discipline or defined way of working. 

Faye studied Art History at Bristol University and was Interiors Editor at The World of Interiors for eight years before founding Toogood, her London-based design studio in 2008. She has since become one of the most recognisable figures in the design and art industry, whose work has been exhibited and collected by Museums around the world including The Victoria and Albert London, NGV Melbourne, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Corning Museum of Glass, New York, and the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg.

Faye was raised in the British countryside. A magpie’s instinct and obsession with landscape continue to permeate everything she designs, whether it be a bronze door handle cast from an abandoned skull, a fashion collection inspired by hay bales, or a house interior with the brooding palette of an English sky. Toogood brings a distinctly sculptural approach to the art of furniture design, with pieces such as the ‘Spade’ chair and the ‘Roly-Poly’ chair achieving iconic status through their strong geometry and form. 

Describing herself as an ‘outsider’ whose work defies categorisation, Faye has created a studio which allows a movement between genres. Architects, sculptors, furniture makers and illustrators cross-pollinate on every project, producing work that is rigorous, poetic and genuinely avant-garde.

Coverings and finishes

Dimensions
01 squash rug 250x250
02 squash rug 340x250
View all
Downloads

2d dwg

The Squash rug by Poltrona Frau, designed by Faye Toogood, is a textile accessory that brings craftsmanship, material richness and visual impact together in a contemporary and highly individual design language. Inspired by traditional English patchwork chairs, its checkerboard pattern is reinterpreted through a handmade process that transforms each painted square into a textile surface rich in nuances, depth and chromatic vibrancy. This rug is designed for those who seek more than underfoot comfort: it is an element that gives a room its identity, softens architectural lines and introduces a decorative statement with a distinctive character.

 

The Squash rug is particularly suitable for people who want to define their living area with a substantial textile piece that brings sofas, armchairs and coffee tables together in a more cohesive composition. In a spacious living room or open-plan interior, it can become the visual foundation for a conversation area, helping to create a sense of order, warmth and rhythm. It is ideal for those who want their rug to be more than a neutral backdrop and instead play an active role in shaping the atmosphere.

 

Thanks to its pattern and texture, the Squash rug meets the needs of people looking for a contemporary interior that does not feel cold, where the clean lines of the furniture are balanced by softer, more artistic and richly textured surfaces. Its deep pile, nuanced yarns and painterly effect, achieved through natural dyes, introduce a more tactile and welcoming quality into the space. In rooms with defined volumes, pared-back walls or rigorously designed furniture, it creates a successful contrast, making the overall composition feel softer and more lived-in.

 

The Squash rug is an especially appealing choice for people who appreciate authentic craftsmanship and products in which the maker's hand remains visible. The Berber knotting technique, combined with the almost painterly interpretation of the pattern, creates a rug that does not feel mass-produced or overly perfect, but instead retains a lively, nuanced and highly decorative quality. It is therefore well suited to those who see textile accessories not merely as practical objects, but as a form of aesthetic expression that adds meaning and character to an interior.

 

The range of available sizes makes the Squash rug suitable for people who need a substantial rug for living rooms, suites or large spaces that require a more considered layout. In a spacious living area, it can clearly define the relaxation zone; in a generously proportioned bedroom, it can create a soft, dramatic surface around the bed; in a lounge or hospitality setting, it can make the environment more welcoming and memorable. Its scale is particularly effective when the aim is to create a space with presence, comfort and visual continuity.

 

From a stylistic perspective, the Squash rug is ideal for people who appreciate interiors that balance geometric order with the spontaneity of natural materials. The checkerboard pattern provides a clear structure, while the softly graduated, handmade finish prevents the design from feeling too rigid, resulting in a softer, almost painterly effect. This combination makes it suitable for contemporary interiors, eclectic homes, sophisticated settings and projects that seek to introduce an artistic statement without compromising everyday functionality.

 

The Squash rug can be an especially convincing choice for people who want to enhance both the visual and physical comfort of their living area. A rug of this kind noticeably changes the way a space is experienced: it creates a more intimate setting for conversation, enhances the perception of domestic warmth, visually softens the hardness of floors and furniture, and introduces a surface that invites relaxation. These qualities are particularly valuable in homes where the living room is the centre of everyday life and a general sense of well-being is a priority.

 

Materials are another important consideration. Available information highlights the use of natural fibres and natural dyes, together with a stated commitment to high sustainability standards. This makes the Squash rug appealing to people who value material quality and responsible craftsmanship and want to introduce a beautiful, durable piece into their homes that aligns with a more thoughtful approach to interior design.

 

In high-end hospitality and contract projects, the Squash rug can be used in suites, intimate sitting rooms, lounges, boutique hotels and reception areas designed to convey warmth, refinement and originality. It is particularly suitable for people who want to create memorable environments through textures and surfaces that make an immediate impression, using not only iconic furniture but also textile elements that bring depth and character to the overall composition.

 

The Squash rug is therefore an ideal choice for those who see a rug as a central part of the spatial experience. It is designed for people who seek comfort, character and craftsmanship in a single piece, capable of transforming the floor into a lively, welcoming surface that is fully integrated into the identity of the room.