Weaving a New Chapter for Tribals: Rugs by Hand

Sisters Carmen, left, and Nane Blohm have pooled their talents to open one of Peterborough’s newest shops, Tribals: Rugs by Hand.

A beautiful rug can pull a room together, but a rug with tribal origins is more than a decorative element. The designs woven into the rug tell the story of a people and a culture and pass on a bit of their heritage. The rugs showcased and sold by Tribals, at Depot Square in Peterborough, share these traits, and Nane and Carmen Blohm are eager for others to enjoy these special textiles.

Sisters, Carmen and Nane originally hail from Venezuela. After living in London and California, they returned to Peterborough, where they have family roots. Nane acquired the rug shop in December 2023 and now seeks to expand its offerings, with Carmen joining her to handle the back office and administrative needs as well as photography. Both have a lifelong love of textiles and are excited to introduce more diverse rugs and additional textile products into the shop.

“We plan to offer throws, quilts and accent pieces along with a broad selection of rugs,” explains Carmen. “We also hope to bring in more textiles from Central and South America, where we have connections.”

At Tribals, the space is alive with color. All of the rugs currently in the shop are hand-woven and many are in the vertical weave style. They also carry a wide selection of flat-woven rugs such as kilms and dhurries, with these styles coming from Turkey, Pakistan and the Middle East. Many of these rugs can be custom-made to size. Tribals also offers modern, high-pile rugs more reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s (though different from shag carpet), which are made in Morocco. These are also available in custom sizes and colors.

“We are looking forward to bringing in more rugs from Guatemala, where they use a horizontal weave,” says Nane. “Every country, every region brings a unique approach to rug-making. It’s fascinating to see the artistry, the craftsmanship and the storytelling.

“The Moroccan rugs we have selected, for example, often have weavers collaborating with artists,” she continues. “The artists design the look of the rugs, which the weavers then create, but it is a collaborative process. The designs are very symbolic as well; they aren’t just patterns, they have meaning and that meaning pulls us in. The symbols speak to our souls even if we don’t fully understand them.”

Nane is a professional interior designer, and Carmen has a strong creative aesthetic, so the two have collaborated on design projects informally for many years before deciding to embark on an official partnership five years ago. Their design firm, Nidu Studio (“nidus” means “nest” in Latin), is part of Tribals and they feel the two efforts are compatible. “Tribals and Nidu are interwoven,” explains Nane. “Many people looking for a rug also seek design help, and people designing an interior usually need a good rug. We can help with both efforts. We take a holistic approach to design, weaving harmony, aesthetics and purpose into a space so that it tells your story — much as these rugs tell their own story.”

At Tribals, the sisters are already showcasing local artists and craftspeople, as well as experts from other lands. Recent programs featured a local potter and textile artist, a wallpaper artist from Venezuela, and a quilting demonstration by award-winning weaver Kate Kilgus. They hope to offer more such programs and become a community cultural hub. “We want to give back,” says Carmen. “Whether it’s helping promote local talents or hosting benefits, we want our shop to be part of the fabric of our community.”

For more information about Tribals, visit tribalsrugsbyhand.com, and for design services at Nidu Studio, visit nidustudio.com.