The Brutal Beauty Story
Introducing Brutal Beauty – contemporary cool with luxury, style and comfort
Carpet Court’s stunning new look, Brutal Beauty, celebrates the popular architectural and interior aesthetic of Brutalism - and although this style first came about in the 1950s, it has never looked more inviting. Characterised by block shapes, minimalist forms, and an abundance of concrete, the name Brutalism derives from ‘Breton Brut’, French for ‘raw concrete’. The colour palette is as you’d imagine – grey on grey, with perhaps another sprinkling of grey!
The last few years have seen an explosion in what we call new-brutalism, where concrete and concrete-look materials are appearing not just on the walls and floors in a home, but also the benchtops, furniture, cabinetry, and even home accessories. The look is architectural and unadorned – there’s no place for frills or fussy adornments – so why does it feel so elegant and inviting? The simple answer is that new Brutalism pays close attention to texture and luxury combined with a sophisticated colour palette.
No-one is quite sure why this look has regained popularity, but some suggest that it has come from a collective yearning for solidity and strength in a fast-changing world. Others think that it’s a reaction to global excesses in consumption. Either way, I think it stems from the desire to live simply, and to pay attention to considered luxury. Also, the idea of building spaces to last and buying once-and-well has been a driver behind the emergence of this look.
The Brutal Beauty style will work particularly well in new dwellings where architectural ornamentation is minimal. A contemporary renovation is also a perfect way for welcoming this look into your home.
To create the Brutal Beauty look, Carpet Court used elegant flooring and window furnishings in a palette of warm and cool greys. Each was chosen to complement the home’s existing raw concrete walls and quality fittings. In the living room, poured concrete formwork walls and a monolithic concrete central fireplace set the scene for a room of refined luxury. The carpet used is Basenji in ‘Cattle Grey’, which is a synthetic and durable twist pile carpet, exclusive to Carpet Court. Basenji is also made from UltraPet fibres, which provide greater elasticity, softness, and resiliency than regular PET fibres. It’s the perfect base for the fashion-forward, low-line sofa and the marble and steel coffee table. Not only does the carpet add softness to this room, but so too does the S-Wave linen-look sheer curtains which filter the light to create a dreamy, incredibly chic room.
In the kitchen and dining room, we selected a durable vinyl tile for the flooring – Homescapes Stone Vinyl tile in ‘Basalt’. The deep grey look of ‘Basalt’ was the perfect selection to bring together the concrete walls and fireplace, the white and light grey marble island bench, and the warm timber cabinetry.
The master bedroom’s palette is cool, sophisticated, and contemporary. To offset the room’s lighter tones and provide a sumptuous feel underfoot, we opted for a soft nylon twist pile carpet, Cosmos in ‘Globe’, made from ECONYL® regenerated nylon - a 100% regenerated yarn that’s ideal if you’re looking to make an eco-conscious design option. The bedroom also features soft linen-look S-Wave sheer curtains in ‘Storm’ which help soften the concrete walls and modern furniture shapes.
Finally, an increasingly important space for many of us – the home office – was given a professional look with Quickdrop DIY Delta carpet planks the lovely deep grey ‘Spring’ colourway. Quickdrop DIY Delta - Spring brings a subtle, organic design resembling loose, small stones but with the strength required for high-traffic areas. As a work-from-home space, precise sun and glare control was important to consider. We specified automated dual-function sunscreen roller blinds in Graphite, providing excellent daytime privacy and sun protection. Transitional Plus provides 3%, 5% and 10% openings within the weave of the fabric – perfect for controlling light and reflections on screens.
Carpet Court’s Brutal Beauty look is the perfect way to create a home of contemporary style, with a nod to minimalism, and a big ‘yes please’ to elegance and luxury.
