Designer Carpets: Karim Rashid TS

" People project meaning onto objects. If an object allows you to interact with it, then it becomes part of your being, and over time you see things in it that first you might not have seen," Karim has said. Rashid's vast body of work embraces the concept of "sensual minimalism" or "sensualism." Using these terms to describe his style, he uniquely approaches design through concentrating on the subject matter of an object rather than its form. Through this process, his work evolves into minimal abstraction of the object itself. In Rashid's own words, his work is fluid, soft, organic and human, and therefore, sensual.

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Karim is now a Professor in Industrial Design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His designs have been ubiquitous, from the Garbo trash can to the Oh Chair. Of design, Karim said, "I want industrial design to be a public subject. I want people to love objects the way they love clothing."