About Us
KATE YATES | THE MODERN HUT
Hi, I’m Kate – founder of The Modern Hut
Where luxury homewares don’t cost you the earth! (Literally) Thanks for stopping by.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved creating a beautiful home for my family. We moved so often for work, that wherever we landed, making our new house a home was high on my priority list. When it came to rugs, I found ones I loved the look of, but never one that ticked all of the boxes. Unique, good-quality, easy to clean, comfortable to lay on and soft enough for a baby’s bum! Not too much to ask, right?
One day, when tracking through a traditional Mediterranean seaside town (one of my favourite things to do) I came across my dream rug… Handwoven in natural fibres by Andalusian artisans, it was unique, eco-friendly and machine washable! It had everything I wanted in a rug and more!
“Unique, good-quality, easy to clean, comfortable to lay on and soft enough for a baby’s bum! Not too much to ask, right?”
I knew as we planned our big return home to life in Australia after 10 years living abroad that I had to take this product concept home to share. Working with the Artisans, I hand-picked and designed my own range suitable to the aesthetic I wanted. And so, in 2019 from our home in the South of France, The Modern Hut seed was planted.
Now, as we continue our journey from a balmy coastal town on the east coast of Australia in the midst of a global pandemic, my passion for slow and sustainable living is stronger than ever and I believe, that with a conscious mind and a bit of effort, luxury living is possible without compromising the earth. I hope you feel the same!
With love, Kate x
History
Andalusia is located in the south of Spain and forms part of the Western Mediterranean sub region of the Mediterranean basin.
In this region lies a small hamlet in the Alpujarras and in the Murcia region, where our rugs are carefully handcrafted with looms which are entirely manual. They’re made using a process that dates back to the 15th century, a Muslim period in Spain, where the textile industry was thriving. Techniques handed down through generations where each specialist hand crafter has his post in the workshop which still survives today, weaving colored rugs and blankets.
This traditional method uses off cuts from textile manufacturers ethically sourced by our hand makers and collected for over 20 years. In the process coils are made, threads are undone, assembled by color on a reel, and then weaved. Which naturally means they are all not one in the same making each of the designs an incredibly unique piece of art.
We LOVE and are proud of every one of our items and we hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.