Acclaimed interior designer Juan Montoya has collaborated with industry favorite Stepevi on a new collection of rugs. The Moonlight collection debuted during Paris Design Week in late January and earned a fair amount of buzz—not easy to do during a major international design event. Balancing poetic and celestial references, Montoya turned out sophisticated, contemporary designs that are perfectly suited for chic living on planet Earth.
“Gazing into the open evening sky at my oasis in Garrison, New York, is where I gave birth to my Moon collection,” says Montoya. “My fascination with geometry drew me to this intangible celestial object. I spent many evenings contemplating its various contours and silhouettes and then translated them into my carpet designs.”
Luna and Moon Rocks rugs designed by Juan Montoya for Stepevi Photo: Courtesy Stepevi
The series includes four patterns—Moon Rocks, Luna, Stellar, and Moon Island—with each one featuring a circular motif in honor of this lunar muse. Having worked on the fashionable homes of private clients for more than 30 years, the Colombia-born Montoya knows exactly what works for a carpet design. For the Stepevi collection, he envisions furniture placed directly on the rugs—a move that can confound and worry mere mortals. But in the hands of an accomplished designer like Montoya, it’s no sweat.
He distinguished each pattern with a tactile blend of high and low—some elements are raised to draw the eye, while others remain quietly in the background. The wool-and-viscose designs are handcrafted in Turkey and benefit from Stepevi’s expertise. The family-run company has been turning out innovative creations for generations, beginning in Istanbul in 1919. This new series imparts the brand’s skill with translating traditional antique carpet techniques for the modern day. The Moonlight collection is an elegantly abstracted rendition of Montoya’s interstellar inspiration. And the wait time is hardly eternal—the entire captivating series is available terrestrially with various custom options, including shape or size, and delivered within four weeks.
