NOA Living and the Art of Cultivated Interiors
At NOA Living, we believe that every culture is worthy of expression and celebration. Our collections celebrate the artistry of indigenous cultures and showcase techniques passed down through generations, allowing every collector to craft a globally inspired home.
Where Design Meets Soul
What defines a truly luxurious interior today? It’s not only the careful selection of materials or the refinement of line, but the soul of the space and the objects in it. A soulful object speaks of its culture and the maker who crafted it. It tells the story of a journey. From the shimmering mosaics of antique mother-of-pearl inlay chests to the geometric vitality of African Kuba cloths, NOA Living’s mission is to elevate the home into a sanctuary, filled with stories that span continents and generations.
Modern Carpets: Poetry in Wool and Silk
Our original modern designer rugs, as featured in the Edge, Energy Fields, and Meditative Collections—reflect the sensibility of a design house that regards a great area rug as a canvas. Each design is created with the rigor of an architect and the sensitivity of a painter. Created in house by architects Fida Nehme & Eva Sutton, these collections are inspired by the sublime structure of natural forms at every scale and the glory of color, both subtle and rich.
Our design process incorporates a wealth of ideas, along with photography, drawing, painting and simply seeing the beauty of the world with wide-eyed amazement. Our process of making evolves in several stages of transformation, as described in our video about designing the Energy Fields Collection, here.
Our signature wool and silk carpets are made from 100% natural fibers, meticulously crafted into hand knotted rugs. Natural sheeps’ wool is a highly resilient fabric with excellent stain resistance. Our silk rugs dazzle with an iridescent sheen and unrivaled softness, and unlike synthetic fibers, wool and silk are both fully biodegradable, offering true sustainable luxury. By acquiring rugs made of natural, long-lasting, non-toxic and biodegradable materials, our clients are choosing with ecological awareness and responsibility.
The use of Tibetan knotting, New Zealand wool and Mulberry silk lends the carpets a sculptural quality and chromatic depth rarely found in today’s market. The tactile undulation of silk lines and the matte gravity of wool transform a space through texture and tone. These are ancient fibers meeting the demands of modern living. Our exquisite wool and silk rugs are modern heirlooms—timeless carpets that last for generations.
Each one of our designs is fully customizable to our clients’ needs. If you have a favorite color or a family heirloom that could inspire a bespoke rug, let’s begin the conversation. Join us in a process of exploration which allows each client to realize their personal vision, translating it into tangible form. One-on-one design customization is our specialty!
A Curated Collection
Beyond textiles, NOA Living is distinguished by its museum-quality collection of highly expressive ethnographic objects defined by bold geometry and sophisticated use of form and pattern. African cultures have an incredibly rich and diverse history of object making—one which has greatly influenced Western modern art.
We source the very best examples of these cultural treasures and bring them home for your pleasure. In our showroom, Senufo stools, carved by hand from a single piece of wood, stand beside unique ceremonial headdresses, while museum quality pottery from West and Central Africa tells of village rituals and everyday life. The Botolo hats of the Ekonda, the dramatic torque currency of the Yoruba and the magnificent vessels of the Mambila are chosen not as decorative trends, but as cultural treasures—each with its own highly individual character. These pieces are authenticated, preserved, and thoughtfully presented, inviting collectors and connoisseurs to own a special piece of human history.
In our practice, every acquisition is the result of decades-long relationships with artisans, cultural scholars, and regional families. NOA Living believes in respectful curation that uplifts the communities who originate these works. These objects are our passion, and we are always delighted to introduce them to our customers!
Italian Modernism: The New Classicism
To complement its rich cultural base, NOA Living sources modern Italian furniture that epitomizes contemporary minimalism. We feature cutting-edge designs from Bontempi Casa and Ego Italiano, —brands synonymous with excellence of materials and craftsmanship.
These are designs born of engineering discipline and sculptural purity—clean silhouettes upholstered in leathers, eco-leathers and performance fabrics that speak to both style and longevity. The distinctive, clean lines and shapes of our furniture serve as a sleek counterpoint to the idiosyncratic and handcrafted character of our ethnographic objects. Together, they artfully combine new and old, creating unique juxtapositions and a global eclectic mix.
Sustainability Beyond Aesthetics
NOA Living is built on the philosophy that beauty without ethics is incomplete. Our devotion to ethical production methods centers on preserving the rich cultural traditions of hand knotting fine carpets, paying fair wages, guaranteeing clean and safe working conditions, and ensuring that no child labor is used in the making of our carpets. We are a founding member of GoodWeave International, a global nonprofit working to end child labor in the carpet industry and to improve the lives of weaving communities.
To help lighten our environmental footprint, we do not ship by air. Our standard mode of shipment is slow transport via sea freight, a commitment to optimized transportation that produces a reduced carbon footprint.
At NOA Living, we continue to assess all aspects of our business with the goal of always improving our processes and use of materials. While true, circular sustainability is an ongoing challenge for any business, every positive change matters. Currently, we can clearly identify four important attributes which allow us to claim our environmental stewardship: significant, intergenerational longevity of our products, a primary use of natural and fully biodegradable materials, responsible use of global transport systems, and the participation in traditional manufacturing ecologies which provide humane and sustainable working conditions for indigenous weavers.
Through our use of vegetable dyes, regenerative fibers, and investment in long-term artisan partnerships rather than mass production, our ethos of “slow design” rejects disposability. Every piece is made to endure, to be cherished, and ultimately, to be passed on.
Elevate the Everyday
In choosing NOA Living, you do more than furnish a home. You compose a dialogue between modern and vintage, past and present, self-expression and shared humanity. Every object tells a story. Let your home tell stories that inspire a global curiosity and the love of good design!
Our Values and Practices
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Authenticity: A collection rich with traditional cultural narrative and indigenous craftsmanship.
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Global Design Vocabulary: A curated blend of African heritage, Italian modernism, and Middle Eastern artistry.
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Sustainable Practices: Natural materials. Ethical sourcing. Low-impact production.
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Innovative Design: Conceived by and for lovers of form, function, and flow.
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Collectible Quality: Timeless pieces with museum-level significance.
