A Return to Roots with Bentley Mills: Land/Mark

Texture holds memory. From warped wood steps worn down from years of use to the sun-faded fibres of a favorite carpet, time-worn spaces and surfaces bear physical evidence of the past. Celebrating this patina of time––and reflecting on the experiences that shape our lives and careers––a recent soirée at the Bentley Mills Chicago showroom marked both Design Milk’s 20th anniversary and the launch of Bentley Mills’ new Land/Mark collection. The afternoon featured a conversation between Jaime Derringer, Design Milk’s founder, and Todd van der Kruik, Founder & Creative Director of Neutral Haus.

For both Derringer and Van der Kruik, the new collection and anniversary celebration represented a homecoming.

With great fondness, Derringer regaled guests by bringing it back to the beginning: blogging about design on her computer and eventually, building a design community of like-minded creatives. “When I think about spaces that shaped me, the internet had a huge influence on me ­– being in that online space for 20 years, having conversations and meeting people that way,” Derringer explained. “But I do really truly feel like the moment I got out into the world and got out from behind the computer was really the moment when things started to take off.” Twenty years later, Design Milk has the best of both worlds: an established online presence and a global network of design talent.

Designed by Neutral Haus for Bentley Mills, Land/Mark was inspired by the liminal spaces that leave room for creativity. For Van der Kruik, this meant the grease-stained floor of his parent’s garage, where his teenage band practiced three times a week; an old wood floor he used to frequent; or a worn cobblestone street. But the collection also represented a personal return for Van der Kruik, who previously served as the Vice President of Design at Bentley Mills.

“I wanted these patterns to feel lived in, so that when you walk into a space, it already feels like something happened there,” shared Van der Kruik.

Partygoers made off with custom luggage tags as keepsakes, branded socks and one lucky attendee went home with a special gift from Prima Vista, Bentley Mills’ premium custom area rug program.

With three styles and 16 colorways, Land/Mark embraces imperfection as design, moving from the golden browns of Know by Heart, Late Gold, Ashlar to the mottled greys of Where We Met + Know By Heart, Haze White, Ashlar.

Derringer reflects on those traces people leave behind: “There’s something really beautiful about the patina of humans using a space.”

To learn more about the brand, visit bentleymills.com.

Photography courtesy of Bentley Mills.

Sophie Sobol is a Toronto-based writer and editor with a love for art, design and fashion — from public art to the perfect coffee table to her enduring obsession with plaid. As Assistant Editor at Design Milk, she brings her enthusiasm for joyful design to a global audience of kindred spirits. She also has a soft spot for ribbons and framing losing lottery tickets.