Allegro, contemporary rug design found in Shaw’s Accents Collection.

By Sarah Zimmerman
This summer’s Atlanta International Area Rug Market, long-time companion of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, claims it will deliver what the industry’s top buyers and sellers have come to expect and more. Co-sponsored by the Oriental Rug Retailers Association (ORRA), the market will run July 15 to 18 and offer attendees immediate access to the world’s largest selection of handmade and power-loomed area rugs in a variety of styles, designs and price points.

Adding to the experience is the return of programs such as ORIA’s (Oriental Rug Importers Association) area rug silent auction, Americas-Mart University and the coveted ROY (Rug Retailer of the Year) Awards.

Mart officials note there will be more than 1.5 million area rugs and accessories displayed in approximately 140 showrooms—several new and expanded this year. So what products are anticipated to fill this massive space this summer? Here’s a peek at some of the mills’ latest and greatest.

What’s new?

Karastan’s newest additions are trademarked as soft, livable color and aim to evoke peace with a deep richness. The rugs consist of fresh creams, yellows, blues, greens and browns.

“We’re bringing more and more yellow into our palette,” said Elizabeth Miller, senior vice president of design. “Like sunshine, yellow is a natural color that is easy to welcome indoors. It’s a neutral that pairs fabulously with trendier colors and provides a soothing foundation for furnishings and accessories.” The company’s Artworks Collection—handmade wool with specialty accent yarns—and Sierra Mar Collection—which carries the Wools of New Zealand brand—are two of its latest, more popular lines.

828 International’s most recent addition, the Laguna Collection, adds an element of surprise, according to the company. The 12-rug collection emphasizes rich, ripe color and uses a point-on-point construction with drop-stitch weaving to enhance texture and look. The Laguna Collection will be on display along with the company’s entire line of power-loomed and hand-knotted rugs.

Feizy Rugs will bring themes of texture and color to this year’s market with new collections Iota, Taylor and Onon. According to Feizy, the Iota line features monochromatic hues of wool and faux silk handcarved to create captivating contemporary foundations. The Taylor Collection introduces a new dimension to casual lifestyle, composed of quality woolen yarn in a free-flowing pile. The company’s Onon rugs are created using the Tibetan handknotting technique, combining a hand-carded Tibetan wool and silk blend. The collection includes earthy browns, pale greens and beiges in contemporary designs.

Homespice Décor is introducing a new line of hook rugs—Fractur Memories, Potted Flowers, Princess Feather and Padula Flowers—complementing its current lines of braided, penny and woven rugs, and bringing four new supernova colors front and center in its Our-Durable braided rug line. The latest hook rugs are handmade from wool using traditional hooking techniques and feature several floral designs. “It is important to provide our customers with more selections,” said Junior Gupta, president. “We pride ourselves on creating our designs from American traditions, and the traditional techniques used in hand hooking have allowed us to do just that.”

Gupta also noted in July Homespice emphasizes a phase-out program, which he is expecting customers to come and take advantage of.

Balta Rugs has taken into account the increasing use of rugs as places to sit and relax, introducing two collections using its latest polypropylene yarn. Softline, as the yarn is called, gives rugs a durable new-found softness. The yarn avoids traditional softeners, such as oil, making the product environmentally friendly as well.

Sofline View and Softline Style both feature the company’s new yarn, however, each collection offers a unique element. View is very modern and contemporary, while Style works well in a more traditional atmosphere, according to Balta.

Shaw will provide attendees with several collections, including Accents, Impressions, Transitions and Modernworks. The company’s Accents Collection includes organic and nature motifs, modern stripes and geometrics, and rhythmical transitional images. Impressions also bears modern designs from organic to geometric but has a sculptured appearance one can see and feel. Modernworks, made from Shaw’s machine-woven EverTouch nylon, offers the asthetics of antique carpets. This collection blends the beauty and style of handmade rugs with the durability and cost of machine-made. Finally, Shaw’s new collection, Transitions, feature contemporary rugs including rich reds, warm neutrals, golds and soft greens with accents of eggplant, brown and vintage blue.

Events abound

In addition to a variety of new products and at the desire of dealers, the 2007 market will again offer AmericasMart University’s (AMU) non-traditional educational courses. The curriculum addresses business fundamentals and arms retailers with tools and techniques to stay competitive and grow. Classes are taught by experts in business planning, modeling and development, and addresses three main topics—Retail Business Basics, Buying & Selling and Building Your Brand—each at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Participants are eligible to earn an AMU MBA.

Again ORIA is teaming up with AmericasMart Atlanta, holding the second annual Area Rug Silent Auction. All proceeds will benefit the association’s Charitable Fund for Children, supporting educational, community and public healthcare initiatives for needy children and their families, said Lucille Laufer, executive director, ORIA. The auction will take place July 15 at 9 a.m. in the Museum of Introductions.

The market will also feature this year’s ROY Awards, honoring achievement among the nation’s most renowned area rug dealers. The annual event will take place July 16, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Georgia Aquarium, Oceans Ballroom.

For more information on this year’s Atlanta International Area Rug Market, call 800.285.6278 or visit AmericasMart.com.