Create an Embodied Home for the Holidays with Strega Nona
“Embodied energy” is the energy used to make, build, manufacture, or transport something—in our case a rug. This energy is “held” or “embodied” in the object throughout its lifetime. The longer we use and reuse objects instead of replacing them with new ones, the better it is for the planet. Handwoven and hand-knotted rugs embrace and hold human energy as well as the stories of the weavers who made them. They use little energy to begin with, meaning that antique, vintage, and yes, even new ones, are a wise choice for your home and for the planet.
What does a fictional Italian witch named Strega Nona have in common with this aspiration? Strega Nona—loosely translated into English as “Grandma Witch”—is the main character in the 1975 children’s book Strega Nona – An Old Tale Retold, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Her kitchen stove always boasts a magical, never-empty pot of pasta. Her cozy, homey aesthetic is the newest design microtrend on TikTok and other social channels. One of the story’s takeaways is finding the value of what is embodied in the “old.” For us it’s classic holiday traditions, recipes passed down through generations, and antique and vintage handmade rugs with designs that would look right at home in Strega Nona’s cottage.
Rugs are an easy way to get the embodied aesthetic in your home. Look for patterns that have folklore motifs, warm tones, peacock colours (a flying peacock is found in several scenes of the book), sculptural trees, and trailing vines. The vines in our Afghan Angora Oushak will remind you of twirling pasta strands, while our hand-knotted Birds of Paradise wool rug includes a glorious peacock. Layer different rug sizes to enhance the look. The pattern of our Afghan Ersari, with its elephant feet design, resembles the rhythm of terracotta tiles on a cottage roof. Or what about our hand-knotted Turkmen Ersari rug? Its design features folklore-style flowers that could have been grown in a window box in Strega Nona’s village.
Remember the enduring value of the old as we make way for a new year. We wish you a restorative holiday season surrounded by the embodied energy of home, family, and friends.
