Going for the Gold(ish-green)

A front-runner has emerged in our marathon search to find the perfect replacement carpet for the restored Martin House interior.

Frank Lloyd Wright specified carpeting for the first floor of the Martin House in a comprehensive plan (c. 1905, in the collection of the Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt); the Fuermann photos of the interior (1907) indicate that this plan was executed faithfully in a series of plush, solid-colored area rugs.  Surviving samples of this original wool carpeting are an elusive golden-green color that has been difficult to match with color palettes today. But, thanks to the expert assistance of David Tiftickjian & Sons and Roche & Company, we've identified a match that's closer than we could have hoped.

The preferred carpet is made by Bentley, with the appropriately organic color name of "Leaf."  The sample looks right at home with the existing palette of floor tile, brick, woodwork and wall finishes in the house.  The final decision has not yet been made to order this carpet, but it's comfortably close to "taking the floor" of the Martin House this October.