The Intense Collection and the Case for a Solid Rug
Inside the MAJLIS Intense collection: 17 solid colorways in four families, how pile and light shape a plain rug, and how to choose a size.
Intense is our collection of solid rugs: one saturated color across the whole rug, in 17 colorways. We designed it for rooms where the furniture, art and architecture already carry the detail, and the floor needs a single strong color to sit them on.
With no pattern to look at, everything else shows. The color, the density of the pile, the edge and the exact size have to be right, which is why we treat a solid rug as a design decision in its own right.
Four color families
The 17 colorways are grouped by element, which makes it easier to start from the feeling you want in the room:
- Water: Midnight Blue, Lapis, Prussian and Moss. Deep, cool tones for libraries, dens and dining rooms.
- Air: Chalk, Oyster, Horizon and Periwinkle. Pale tones that keep a room light and let upholstery lead.
- Earth: Saddle, Cashmere, Almond, Oud and Olive. Warm neutrals and greens that sit easily with wood.
- Fire: Ruby, Brick, Biscuit and Golden Sand. Reds and golds for rooms used often in the evening.
If none of these is quite right, the larger color book in MAJLIS Studio, organized into Core, Soft and Bright, has more options.
What pile does to a plain color
Cut pile catches light. Walk around an Intense rug and the color shifts from lighter to darker depending on which way the fibers lean toward you. On a patterned rug you hardly notice this. On a solid it becomes part of the look, giving the surface a soft movement as the light changes through the day.
Our standard pile is 14 mm (0.55 in), which we find dense enough to show color richly and low enough for chairs and doors. For a deeper, softer surface, custom pile heights from 10 to 70 mm are available by request. A higher pile tends to read slightly darker and more velvety.
Sizing a solid so it reads as part of the room
A solid rug draws a clear shape on the floor, so its outline needs to relate to the furniture and the walls. In a living room, keep about 18 inches of floor showing around the rug and get the front legs of every seat onto it. Under a bed, let the rug run 18 to 24 inches past each side of a queen. Under a dining table, give 24 inches past the table so chairs stay on when pulled out.
Intense comes in 6 x 9, 8 x 10 and 9 x 12 ft, and in any other size or shape (rounded corners, oval, circle or faceted) through the Studio. In wool at 14 mm, prices start at $2,160 for a 6 x 9, $3,200 for an 8 x 10 and $4,320 for a 9 x 12. ECONYL regenerated nylon adds $5 per square foot.
When a solid is the right choice
We reach for a solid when a room already has a patterned sofa, strong art or a busy floor plan, and the rug's job is to give all of it one ground. It also works the other way: in a very spare room, a single saturated color such as Ruby or Lapis can become the main event.
If you want a little more structure, our Thick collection places a calm center inside a broad border in a second color.
The best way to choose is side by side. Browse the full range on the Intense collection page, then order samples of two or three colors and leave them on the floor of the room for a few days.
