District Loom is well known for their curated collection of rugs, and now they’re expanding their offerings to include fully custom designs and expert vintage alterations. From hand-knotted creations tailored to a designer’s exact vision to reimagined vintage pieces resized or reworked for a perfect fit, each rug is approached with the same meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship. In this interview, Heather shares how her team collaborates with interior designers to bring artistry and depth to a space through rugs that are distinctive and thoughtfully composed.

What inspired District Loom to offer custom rug services in addition to curated collections?

District Loom began with a singular passion: expertly curating one-of-a-kind vintage and antique rugs. For years, that was our entire world — sourcing pieces with soul, history, and craftsmanship that could never be replicated. Four years ago, an interior design client asked a simple question: “Could you custom-make a rug for us?” My instinct was to say no — that wasn’t what we did. But in the moment, another thought surfaced: What if we could? What if we could bring the same level of discernment, artistry, and material integrity to something made new? That one question opened a door.

Quietly, and without announcing anything publicly, we began serving a small circle of designers who had heard we were experimenting with custom pieces. We quickly discovered there was a real need — especially for uniquely long or oversized rugs to anchor today’s expansive living rooms, and for the plush, textural coziness that luxury materials like mohair, cashmere, and New Zealand wool bring to mountain, alpine, and cold-weather interiors and beyond. Even designers in the midatlantic climates took interest as they found integrating both custom contemporary and antique vintage created a more artful, visually interesting juxtaposition to the design.

So we spent the next four years doing what we do best: searching the world for ethical, trustworthy, highly skilled manufacturers who shared our values. After two years of working exclusively with a single partner we fully trust, we began developing our own lines — designs that honor the heritage of vintage craftsmanship while meeting the scale, texture, and customization needs of modern homes to live alongside vintage and antique in supportive harmony.

How do you guide designers when choosing between a completely custom rug and a vintage or altered piece?

I guide designers by first understanding the space — the room’s function, desired mood, scale, architecture, and even the geographic setting. Once we define the design direction, we can decide whether a completely custom rug or a vintage piece best supports the story of the room.

For a mountain modern home in Big Sky with an expansive living area and a modern-luxe-cozy feel, I might lean toward a contemporary custom rug — think hand-knotted mohair or a tailored geometric design to ground the space perfectly. In contrast, for a historic New England cottage, I’d likely source an antique Persian with natural vegetable dyes and beautiful patina.

I also love to welcome a thoughtful mix when it serves the narrative. Even in a sleek mountain home, a vintage runner in a cohesive color story can add warmth, texture, and authenticity — bringing a sense of travel, history, and soul to a home that might otherwise lean hospitality-polished.

And when the perfect vintage or antique piece isn’t the perfect size, I help refine scale and can custom-alter one-of-a-kind rugs with our local alteration specialist while preserving motif and border integrity. Ultimately, the goal is to support the designer’s vision with pieces that feel intentional, storied, and uniquely suited to the space.

Can you walk us through the journey of creating a custom hand-knotted rug, from the initial concept or designer vision to seeing it come to life on the loom?

The journey begins with the concept. We start by understanding the designer’s vision — inspiration, functionality, palette, and the emotional feel of the space. From there, we either build from scratch or begin with one of our in-house District Loom Contemporary Designs as a foundation. We currently have 300+ designs sampled in our Bozeman Custom Rug Studio which will be launching online in 2026! Together, we collaborate on pattern, scale, wool-pom color selections, fiber composition, typically wool and/or silk, knot density, and overall palette. Designers are welcome to submit sketches or renderings of what’s in their mind — we then convert that into a CAD layout for review.

Next comes sampling. After the CAD is approved, we move into producing a hand-woven strike-off sample. This allows the designer to see and feel the weave, evaluate texture and color in real life, and style the sample alongside other material selections before committing to full production. Strike-off lead time typically runs 2–3 weeks.

From there, the magic happens on the loom — knot by knot, artisans bring the design to life. It’s a thoughtful, hands-on process rooted in tradition, resulting in a rug that’s not just custom, but personal, intentional, and made to live beautifully for generations.

What should designers know about the timeline from approving a strike-off to receiving a finished custom rug?

Once the CAD rendering is approved, designers can expect a handwoven strike-off sample within 2–3 weeks. This sample phase is important — it allows you to confirm color, texture, and weave in person before we move into full production.

After the strike-off is approved, weaving begins. Every rug is crafted entirely by hand, knot by knot, by our artisan partners using ethical, time-honored techniques. Production timelines vary depending on size and intricacy, but most custom projects take approximately 6–8 weeks on the loom.

When weaving is complete, the rug enters the finishing stage — washed, stretched, detailed, and then shipped to District Loom for receiving. From there, we handle quality control, steaming, pairing with a custom-fit rug pad, and careful repackaging before sending it to the project site or your receiving warehouse. In all, designers can plan for a thoughtful process with multiple touchpoints, ensuring the final piece arrives not only beautiful, but truly tailored to the space and built to last for generations.

When a designer falls in love with a vintage rug on your site but it doesn’t quite fit the space, how do you transform it into the perfect piece?

When a designer falls in love with a vintage rug but the size isn’t quite right, that’s where our customization process really shines. Many antique and vintage rugs were woven for rooms of another era, so it’s common for dimensions to be a little off for modern floor plans. Rather than forcing the space to fit the rug, we thoughtfully alter the rug to fit the space — without losing its soul.

First, we assess the piece’s structure, borders, and motif layout to determine the best approach. Sometimes that means a careful reduction to adjust length or width while maintaining symmetry. Other times, we creatively rework the rug into a runner, stair runner, or multiple pieces. Our master restorers handle the editing, binding, and finishing so the final result feels seamless — as though it was always meant to be that size.

If a designer has never worked with custom or vintage rugs before, what advice would you give them to get started?

My biggest piece of advice is to get out of your comfort zone — and lean on us. You don’t have to know everything about rugs to start. Share your room dimensions, project photos, floor plans, and palette direction, and we’ll take it step by step together. Your project will feel elevated, more intentional, and truly next-level — it’s so worth it.

If it feels overwhelming, start small — a runner, an office rug, a guest room. Once you see how transformative the right rug can be, the process becomes exciting rather than intimidating. We’re here to guide you through sourcing, sizing, customization, lead times, and even pairing samples with your materials board so you feel confident and supported the entire way. Rugs are art for the floor — and once you experience their magic, it’s a world you’ll want to keep exploring.

Discover the talent behind the story… Vintage & Custom Rug Selections: District Loom · Interior Design: Disc Interiors · Primary Photography: Lacey Land · Primary Lighting Tech: Ethan Good · Supplementary Photography: Sam Frost Studio · Builder: KRS Development · Architect: Eric Olsen