It can now be revealed that Ulster Carpets designed, manufactured and installed more than 1,000sqm of Axminster carpets for the king’s coronation at Westminster Abbey.
‘When my grandfather founded Ulster Carpets, he could not have envisaged that his company would earn such a unique honour. There is a real sense of pride at being involved in the coronation and we see this as a tribute to the hard work and dedication of generations of our staff over the past 85 years,’ says Nick Coburn Ulster group md.
The Royal Blue carpet was installed in The Nave and North and South Transepts while the Regal Gold carpet adorned the Theatre of Coronation which is central to the ceremony.
Last year, Ulster became one of the final companies to receive a Royal Warrant from Queen Elizabeth II, having worked on a number of projects for the royal household.
Joyce McIvor, Ulster UK and Ireland contract sales director, led the team at Ulster Carpets on the coronation project, working in conjunction with events company, Identity. ‘We are thrilled to play a major part in this historically significant event. We were recommended to Identity by the royal household, which demonstrates the high esteem in which Ulster Carpets is held. Working closely with Identity we developed a range of colour samples for the royal household to choose from. We also had to consider the technical aspects of the construction such as pile height and direction, to ensure the carpet not only looked sensational, but performed to the very highest standards on the day,’ says McIvor.
‘Our attention to detail shone through at every stage and that is testament to the dedication of our hard-working staff. We have worked for a host of prestigious clients across the world but this ranks as one of the most important projects in our 85-year history.’
Lois Norman (pictured), senior field designer at Ulster’s London design studio, took inspiration for the carpet colours from several sources. ‘We researched past coronations and historic events at Westminster Abbey and also took into consideration elements such as the colour of the robes and adornments the king would be wearing, the prominent tones within the abbey and even the heraldic cyphers of the royal household. A more unusual aspect for us was that we had to consider how the carpet would look on TV. Everything had to work together in harmony and, in the end, the final choice of colours was influenced by Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation – a fitting tribute to the dedication she displayed during her years of service to the nation. This is by far the most prestigious project I have ever worked on and one I am so proud to have been involved in.’
Ulster Carpets commissioned Trade Carpet Company to install the two carpets. ‘Trade Carpet Company has again proven its expertise and we are delighted with the professional installation at Westminster Abbey for the coronation. It has been a pleasure to continue our long-standing relationship on such an important project,’ says Joyce.
The coronation carpets were woven on a new generation of patented Psylo looms, developed exclusively for Ulster Carpets by its Griffith Textile Machines subsidiary while the processing and spinning of the wool was carried out by Ulster Yarns.
