By Sarah Zimmerman
This fall area rugs are all about looks. Whether you’re starting from scratch, accenting a pre-existing or revamping an old favorite, the latest launches range in design and color, but they all focus on fashion. From transitional to contemporary, black and white to avocado and brown, fall introductions are style savvy this year.

Karastan targets a broad spectrum of consumers with versatile rugs that feature timely colors with a timeless look, said Anne Carley, director of rug marketing. For fall the company is offering two new additions—Jakarta Batik and Tiana Glacier Blue—which “embody a fresh, dynamic mood,” she explained.

Jakarta Batik is from Karastan’s Sierra Mar Collection and takes black and white in bold new directions, Carley said. “The Sierra Mar addition is a transitional woven collage of botanical silhouettes colored in pale ivory and pure black with accents of mocha and latte.”

Tiana Glacier Blue is a supplement to Karastan’s color palette, Carley pointed out. It consists of leafy floral patterns in romantic shades of watery blue and pearl with accents of mocha, amber and brick red. The background, detailed from 10 different color-related yarns, makes Tiana Glacier Blue nearly indistinguishable from a handmade, she noted.

“Amici Imports feels that one must keep up with the pulse of the retailer and the cautiousness of the customer by giving them color, design, feel and, most of all, value,” said Eva Di Adamo, executive vice president of merchandising and design. Therefore, Amici has great plans for fall, introducing two new collections—Portofino and Positano. Portofino is a transitional hand woven collection made in Pakistan and will be introduced as a very affordable choice. “This collection is for the customer who is looking for it all—color, design, technique and, above all, price,” Di Adamo said.

Positano is a new, contemporary handtufted collection designed for its touch and feel, Di Adamo noted. “This product looks lustrous with soft, romantic designs, and it is great to walk on.”

Keeping with today’s trends and expanding on previous products, Kaleen launches Tara2. Companion to the already successful Tara Collection of rounds, Tara2 consists of 14 designs of square rugs, and according to Joe Barkley, executive vice president, could be the longest, deepest collection of squares in the industry. “Tara2 targets a consumer that lives in a higher-fashion urban lifestyle. It offers today’s great colors and is made for the comfortable casualness desired,” he said.

Kaleen is also introducing its Moods collection this fall. A modern group of seven designs, Moods offers a multi-textured base with bold bright color. “Moods is targeted for a sophisticated, discriminating shopper that knows exactly what she is looking for,” Barkley explained.

Examples of the Moods collection include Foundations—a bold, geometric design in various shades of green and avocado—and Kara—designed with concentric circles of different textures and colors.

Shaw Living creates contemporary and transitional looks with Biometric and Camilla. “Today’s colors and designs are up to date for the discerning consumer,” said Kim Barta, brand manager. Both collections are machine woven in the U.S. and made of Shaw EverTouch nylon for a soft touch, durability and easy care.”

Biometric is a contemporary rug design with a global flavor, she noted. “It has primitive textures and natural looking colors that remind one of hand-dyed textiles.”

Camilla’s grand scale of the damask motif and subtle gradation of color combine to create an elegantly modern design, Barta explained. “It is the embodiment of exquisite modern design.”

Nourison brings a variety of new styles and colors this fall, introducing four new collections: Fantasia, Horizon Twines, Summit Point and TAOs. “Fantasia and Horizon Twines are very unique products targeted toward a trendy, fashion-forward consumer,” said Dave Forman, marketing coordinator. “Summit Point redefines value in its hand-hooked category, and TAOs is our unique collection of new green flatweaves.”

Fantasia and Horizon Twines are handwoven in India. Resembling a shag rug, Fantasia is constructed of wool, cotton and polyester for a unique look and texture. Horizon Twines is constructed of jute fibers horizontally interwoven with faux leathers.

Hand-hooked in India, Summit Point offers traditional designs in today’s colors. It resembles fine needlepoint art and represents the “summit” of value in hand-hooked area rugs, Forman said.