The story of Art Deco is incomplete without the contributions of Paule Leleu. The daughter of celebrated French designer Jules Leleu, Paule carved out her niche in designing beautiful Western European rugs. A rich use of color and bold geometric patterns made Leleu’s rugs a quintessential representation of Art Deco style.
Leleu was born in 1906 into a family with a love of design. Her grandfather operated a painting business in Paris, which her father and uncle transformed into an interior design company. They grew it into an influential design studio, which was among the first to pivot to Art Deco when it became popular after World War I. The Leleu design studio won the top prize at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts.
French designer Ivan da Silva Bruhns initially helmed the rug department of the Leleu firm. When he left the company in 1936, Paule Leleu took over. She expanded on da Silva Bruhns’s success and soon produced many award-winning designs.
Leleu instilled the Art Deco style into her hand-knotted rugs that featured simple linear motifs and decorative flourishes. In the 1940s, she began using floral patterns. Leleu always created her designs with her family company’s furniture in mind. Like that furniture, her later carpets also tended towards the minimalism of mid-century modern style.
Across her career as the chief rug designer at the Leleu design house, Paule Leleu is credited with more than 500 rug designs. The stunning statement pieces remain classics for today’s homes.
On 1stDibs, find Paule Leleu rugs and carpets as well as other home accents.
French Mid-Century Modern Rug Signed Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in Milan, IT
Paule Leleu (1906-1987) was one of the most celebrated carpet designers of 20th century France. Daughter of Jules Leleu, a prolific furniture designer and interior decorator of the A...
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Doris Leslie Blau French Art Deco Vintage Geometric Sage Rug By Paule Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
An exceptional vintage French Art Deco carpet, circa 1920s, designed by Paule Leleu, daughter of renowned French designer Jules Leleu and an accomplished artist in her own right. Thi...
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Doris Leslie Blau Vintage French Art Deco Rug by Paule Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Vintage French Art Deco Rug by Paule Leleu Size: 6'10" × 11'7" (208 × 353 cm) An exceptional example of post-war French textile design, this vintage rug by Paule Leleu—daughter of th...
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$17,630Sale Price|57% Off
Midcentury carpet signed by Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH
Midcentury carpet signed by Leleu. The marks on the carpet are from a table standing on it.
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Paule Leleu, Rectangular Carpet with Geometric Motif, France, 1957
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The daughter of Jules Leleu, Paule joined the family company at a young age. Over time she became the firm's colorist and the head of the design studio, where she oversaw the textile...
Wool
$15,000
Circular Savonnerie Carpet
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Circular Savonnerie by Paule Leleu. France, circa 1930.
Wool
Paule Leleu, Pair of Carpets with Aztec-Inspired Motifs, France, 1957
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The daughter of Jules Leleu, Paule joined the family company at a young age. Over time she became the firm's colorist and the head of the design studio, where she oversaw the textile...
Wool
Paule Leleu, Round Center Carpet with Geometric Trim, France, 1957
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The daughter of Jules Leleu, Paule joined the family company at a young age. Over time she became the firm's colorist and the head of the design studio, where she oversaw the textile...
Wool
Rug Art Deco, circa 1950 signed by Jules Leleu company – Diameter 2.45m -N° 1625
By Maison Leleu, Paule Leleu
Located in Paris, FR
Rug signed by the Jules Leleu company – Art Deco, circa 1950 – Diameter 2.45m – No. 1625 Artist: Maison Jules Leleu Period: 20th century Style: Art Deco Condition: Excellent Materia...
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Celadon Green French Art Deco Minimalist Rug
Located in Milan, IT
An elegant French Art Deco carpet characterized by an unusual celadon green background, interrupted at about three quarters of its length by an horizontal motif in chocolate brown. T...
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$136,000 / set
W 111 in L 139.5 in
Paule Leleu, Pair of Carpets with Aztec-Inspired Motifs, France, 1957
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The daughter of Jules Leleu, Paule joined the family company at a young age. Over time she became the firm's colorist and the head of the design studio, where she oversaw the textile...
Wool
French Art Deco Rug in the Style of Jules Leleu
By Maurice Dufrêne, André Arbus, Paul Follot, Jules Leleu, Andre Domin & Marcel Genevriere for Maison Dominique
Located in Houston, TX
Colorful French Art Deco carpet/modernist carpet with great geometric design and fantastic colors (cream, black, lavender, purple, blue, and green.) This great French Art Deco geometric rug...
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Mid-Century Modern Abstract Rug, 1970s
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Abstract Rug, 1970s
Wool
$18,450
W 151 in L 198 in
Antique French Aubusson Carpet with Romantic Motifs and Delicate Color Palette
Located in Atlanta, GA
Antique French Aubusson Carpet with Romantic Motifs and Delicate Color Palette. Antique Large French Aubusson Carpet with Romantic Motifs and Delicate Color Palette. This elegant ant...
Wool
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Wool Rug by Rug & Kilim, France, 1950–1959
Located in Long Island City, NY
This 5x6 mid-century modern rug, crafted in wool, presents a contemporary interpretation of the movement's expressive abstract forms. Its bold organic layout and sculptural palette c...
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Large mid century French Cogolin rug
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Beautiful mid century French Cogolin rug with a nice decorative and simple design, with a white pile of design on the orange foundation, hand made by wool on wool foundation Damage...
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Signed Leleu Vintage French Art Deco Circle Rug with Medallion - Rug & Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Made with hand-knotted wool in France circa 1950, this 6x6 vintage French Art Deco rug is an extremely collectible mid-century circle rug from Leleu Decorateur—the work of an iconic ...
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Art Deco Hand-Knotted Wool Rug by Jules Leleu, France, 1920
By Jules Leleu
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This traditional handwoven French Leleu deco rug has an overall eu-de-nil field with a profusion of delicate tiles checkered with alternating geometric icons, in a majestic turquoise...
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Signed Vintage Leleu French Art Deco Circle Rug in White and Blue - Rug & Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Made with hand-knotted wool in France circa 1940-1950, this 7x7 vintage French Art Deco rug is an extremely collectible mid-century circle rug from Leleu Decorateur—the work of an ic...
Wool
Vintage French Art Deco Rug. Size: 8 ft 4 in x 13 ft
Located in New York, NY
A beautifully artistic black and cream colored flat-woven vintage French Art Deco rug, country of origin / rug type: French rugs, circa date: vintage mid-20th century. Size: 8 ft 4 i...
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1920's Antique Golden Spanish Savonnerie Carpet
Located in Dallas, TX
77421 Antique Spanish Savonnerie Rug, 09'01 x 11'11. Antique Spanish Savonnerie rugs are luxurious, high-quality wool carpets inspired by the French Savonnerie style but infused with...
Wool
French Art Deco Floral Red, Yellow, Taupe, Green Handmade Wool Runner
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
French Art Deco floral, red, yellow, taupe and green handmade wool runner Size: 4'2" × 15'2" (127 × 462 cm). A French deco vintage rug runner designed by Paule Leleu for the house ...
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Midcentury French Art Deco Handmade Rug by Paule Leleu at Doris Leslie Blau
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Mid-20th century French Art Deco white, brown, green handmade wool rug by Paule Leleu at Doris Leslie Blau Size: 12'0" × 15'3" (366 × 465 cm) A French Deco rug designed by Paule Lele...
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Sold
W 118 in L 172 in
Mid-20th century French Paule Leleu Beige, Green, Burgundy Hand Knotted Wool Rug
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Mid-20th century French Paule Leleu Beige, Green, Burgundy Hand Knotted Wool Rug Size: 9'10" × 14'4" (299 × 436 cm). The perfect condition in which the French rug remains is the best...
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Green Vintage French Deco Rug by Paule Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Green vintage French deco rug by Paule Leleu Size: 6'8" x 16'3" (203 x 495 cm).
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Paule Leleu, Model No. 853 Fine Interior Carpet, France, circa 1960
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The daughter of Jules Leleu, Paule joined the family company at a young age. Over time she became the firm's colorist and the head of the design studio, where she oversaw the textile...
Wool
Gorgeous French Art Deco Rug by Leleu 48257
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The smart design sense and eye for color that blessed the Leleu family is the firm’s lasting legacy. Even over fifty years later, the carpets and rugs created by Paule Leleu look ele...
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Mid-20th Century Handmade French Moderne Accent Rug by Leleu
By Paule Leleu, Jules Leleu
Located in New York, NY
A vintage French Moderne accent carpet handmade during the mid-20th century and designed by Leleu.
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French Deco Rug by Paule Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Hand woven pile rug by Paule Leleu, daughter of the art deco French sculptor and furniture designer Jules Leleu. It features repeating geometric motifs in red, green and yellow on a ...
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A French Deco Rug Designed by Paule Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
A French Deco Rug Designed by Paule Leleu. Signed lower right corner.Rows of Dark Green Rectangles on a soft medium green field with red and Ivory accent colors creating a pattern of...
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A French Deco Rug Designed By Paule Leleu (Signed Leleu)
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
A French Deco rug designed by Paule Leleu (1906-87), the daughter of the French sculptor and designer, Jules Leleu, who took over as chief rug designer afte...
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A French Art Deco Rug Designed By Paule Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Deco Rug Designed by Paule Leleu . Signed lower left corner. A cognac field with graphic geometric shapes rendered in black and ivory.
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Vintage European French Deco Rug Signed Leleu
By Paule Leleu
Located in New York, NY
A French Deco Rug Designed by Paule Leleu for the house of Leleu. Paule was the daughter of Interior Designer Jules Leleu. The Blue green color is familiar to collectors of Leleu rug...
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