By Louis Iannaco
When August becomes September and the kids head back to school, it means autumn isn’t far behind. And with the change of seasons new products usually flood the marketplace. New trends and looks are showcased, as innovation, style and technology take centerstage.

Karastan

In keeping with the desire for casual elegance, carpet trends lean toward soft yarns in frieze textures, said Vickie Gilstrap, vice president of Karastan product development. “Berberfleck carpets are also strong, along with patterns, which are selling especially well in tonal designs.

“Natural fibers, like wool, are increasing in popularity as people become more environmentally savvy,” she explained. “Aside from its green attributes, our wool carpets have health, safety, durability, comfort and styling advantages that are catching peoples’ interest. Our SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer is also attracting a lot of attention for its eco-friendly qualities.”

Karastan offers a wide variety of carpets that meet today’s trends. Some of the most popular examples include: Coastal Elegance—a textured frieze made from SmartStrand. It is offered in solid and berber-fleck colors; Consuelo—a tonal patterned tip-shear woven of New Zealand wool in a soft palette of colors, and Tristan—a woven loop, New Zealand wool carpet patterned in subtle striations of tonal hues.

Masland

Building on the success of its recent entry into the wool carpet market, Masland’s new styles make statements of color, texture and pattern. All introductions have been approved to carry the Wools of New Zealand brand. A level loop in seven colors, Frankfurt has a linear, needlepoint feel, rich with textural interest. Madrid and Sicily are low-profile woven looks. Sicily is available in 12 tonal colorways and Madrid in 17 solid colors.

Naples is a solid color, linear loop in nine colors. Lastly, Venice is a tightly constructed, ribbed product in nine colorways, including a two-color horizontal stripe and a three-color double stripe version in selected colors.

“The compact textures in these new wools have a sophisticated, urban feel,” said Kennedy Frierson, Masland’s president. “They are exquisitely detailed, yet completely useable, with the universal appeal that accompanies good design.” He added that consumer response to Masland’s wool product line has been positive on several levels.

Three new Masland carpets find inspiration in exotic landscapes from Southern Spain to Northern Africa. Alhambra, Casablanca and Tangier are dynamic, large-scale multilevel loop patterns that explore the exotic in high-fashion interior design. Alhambra, Casablanca and Tangier are offered in a shared palette of 12 colorways of Antron Legacy nylon.

Shaw

New from Shaw for the fall is Grand Via I and Grand Via II, which are constructed of 100% Evertouch Nylon with R2X stain-resistant protection. Recyclable at Shaw’s Evergreen recycling facility, the collections are designed with a twist construction. Available in 24 colors, Grand Via I and II are offered in a solid and berber fleck.

Also new from Shaw, Open House is constructed of 100% Evertouch Nylon with R2X. Recyclable at Shaw’s Evergreen recycling facility as well, Open House is available in six colors (berber) and 24 colors (solid).

According to Emily Morrow, Shaw’s director of color, style and design, beyond hard surface, the same textured trends are apparent in carpet and rugs. “When it comes to today’s broadloom, hand-touched visuals are achieved through the use of striated yarns, creating the sun-faded, hand-knotted and timeworn visuals of the hand-knotted heirloom rugs from middle-eastern origins. Again, the counter trend of the refined surface can be found in the renewed interest in ultra-soft, luxurious, velvet-saxony carpets.”

From the Shaw Hospitality Group, the new ReMix collection offers coordinated carpets for both guest rooms and public spaces and is inspired by Miami Modern Architecture, also known as MiMo. Also being offered from the company is the Floor Architecture Collection, drawing inspiration from Mid-Century Modern architectural structures and elements.

“The concepts of organic design and creating a sense of harmony with the surrounding environment are increasingly relevant to current design trends,” said Desiree Worsley, vice president of marketing, Shaw Hospitality Group. “This collection shows how Shaw Hospitality continually seeks to redefine the ever-evolving language of design.”

Created for guest rooms and public spaces, the Floor Architecture Collection is available in 17 patterns ranging from a small to large scale and designers can customize the color.