CARPET EDITION PREVIEWS BARENE AT SALONE DEL MOBILE.MILANO 2026

Images courtesy of Carpet Edition

Venice Lagoon in Layers

In a quiet exploration of texture and place, Carpet Edition unveils Barene at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026—a collection where landscape is reimagined as a tactile, living surface.

Conceived by Marco Zito, Barene emerges from the fragile ecosystem of the Venetian lagoon, where salt marshes—known as barene—exist in a constant state of transformation. Shaped by the slow rhythm of the tides, these low-lying islands appear and disappear in a continuous exchange between land and water, forming an ever-evolving terrain rich in biodiversity and quiet complexity.

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“Barene is a suggestion that comes from the landscape that surrounds me, the Lagoon of Venice… a topic that speaks to the fragility of an environment that is unique in the world,” reflects Zito—framing the collection as both a poetic gesture and a subtle meditation on environmental vulnerability.

Rather than describing the landscape, Zito abstracts it. Drawn from aerial views and organic contours, the design unfolds into layered compositions, where fluid, irregular forms echo the shifting edge between solid ground and water. Nuanced tonal gradations trace seasonal transitions, capturing the lagoon’s restrained yet expressive palette.

Materiality becomes the medium through which this landscape is felt. A refined blend of New Zealand wool—felted and hard-twisted—paired with linen, creates a balance between density and softness. Variations in pile height, from structured boucle to deeper, more immersive textures, introduce a sense of topography—allowing each rug to rise and recede like the terrain that inspired it.

Rendered in three subtle colour stories—Polvere di Limonio, Giunco Veneziano, and Verde Salicornia—Barene reflects the quiet chromatic shifts of its natural context. Each piece exists as a standalone composition, yet can be combined into a larger 400 × 400 cm surface, suggesting continuity, connection, and the fluid boundaries of the lagoon itself.

More than a collection, Barene becomes a reflection on impermanence. As erosion and human activity continue to threaten the existence of these salt marshes, the work serves as a quiet reminder—of landscapes in transition, and of the delicate balance between preservation and change.