Sonder

This rug is inspired by the concept of “sonder,” the realization that every person you pass—whether it’s a stranger, a waiter, or a barista—has a full, complex life as rich and complicated as your own. 

To me it’s a surreal and bizarre sensation that you’ll never actually know anything about almost everyone you pass by on the street. The sheer volume of knowledge, experience, and connections left floating in everyone’s little singular universe of their life experience just seems like a lot. 

But when you see people in passing, you only see the surface—a face, a body—without the depth of their story.

The black-and-white design reflects the flatness and one-dimensionality of how we often pass others by. It’s stark and simple, like the brief impressions we form of people in fleeting encounters. 

The black-and-white lines create a subtle 3D effect, drawing you in and revealing depth where you didn’t expect it. It mirrors the experience of truly noticing someone: the more attention you give, the more layers and dimensions you understand.

The face at the center captures this tension between surface and depth. The flowing lines dissolve into the background… people’s lives intersecting and weaving through one another, often unnoticed and without lasting impact. 

This piece is a reminder of the hidden depth in everyone’s story, the richness that lies beyond a first impression and the surreal life experience that we’ll never get a fraction of what’s there.