ATLANTA—AmericasMart officials are currently gearing up for the Jan. 7 opening of the next installment of the nation’s biggest rug event, the Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show (NORS), which includes the opening of a new building, Two West Wing. The show runs through Jan. 12 and includes both showrooms and temporaries.

“The debut of Building Two West Wing will add to the overall excitement and energy—and, more importantly, the breadth of product diversity— of the January Market—the first market of the year,” said Chas Sydney, senior vice president of area rugs. “Buyers will have new and newly expanded product center destinations to discover.

“Additionally,” he explained, “the move of two floors (featuring Living, Outdoor/Indoor, and The Gardens) has increased the emphasis on Home products solely housed within Building One. This offers the area rug industry added value with cross- erchandising opportunities with home furnishings buyers, as the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, opening Jan. 6, will run concurrently with the rug market, ending on Jan. 14 (showrooms: Jan. 6 to 14; temporaries: Jan. 9 to 13).”

The area rug industry continues to support and recommit to AmericasMart, noted Sydney. Several firms are currently undergoing major showroom expansions at AmericasMart:

• Momeni (located in Building One, 5-A-2) is building a new showroom on the 5th floor. This expansion has allowed other firms located in the same area to also remodel and expand.

• Asmara (Building One, 5-C-1), Amerr Rugs (Building One, 5-B-1) and Chandra Rugs (Building One, 5-A-7) will open their new showrooms in January.

• Loloi Rugs (Building One, 4-C-7) is also undergoing a major expansion and redevelopment of its showroom.

• Smyrna Trading (Building One, 6-D-1) has expanded and relocated to the sixth floor of AmericasMart Building One. This showroom will also be open daily to take advantage of the local design community.

• Capa Rug (Building One, 4-D-4) has also expanded its space and will showcase decorative accessories in addition to their established area rug line this January.

• Colonial Mills (CMI) (Building One, 6-E-1) has relocated and expanded to its new location on the sixth floor. This braided rug manufacturer will unveil its professionally designed space on Jan.7.

• Aminco (Building One, 3-E- 5) has relocated to the third floor.

• J.D. Staron Galleries will showcase its designs for the first time in showroom 4-E-10.

Also at the market, celebrated designer Barry Dixon will unveil his exclusive new area rug designs with Megerian Oriental Rugs in the presentation, Barry Dixon Designs For Living, a signature area rug and home furnishings collection world introduction.

Focused on environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and dyes, the Megerian rug collection by Dixon offers unique pieces as no two are alike, noted Sydney. Dixon will make a special appearance for four days at AmericasMart to showcase his new collection, sign his latest book “Barry Dixon Interiors,” and participate in the American Designers Roundtable moderated by Traditional Home magazine.

All in all, attendees to the market will be treated to more than 450,000 square feet of area rug product, noted Syndey, with more than one-half of exhibitors showing exclusively in Atlanta; five floors of permanent area rug showrooms and temporary booth, home to more than 125 importers and manufacturers, as well as the 27th annual-and-growing edition of NORS sponsored by the Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA).

“All this,” he concluded, “together with the 2009 Area Rug Museum of Introductions, America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards and AmericasMart exclusive interior designer events, make the January 2009 Markets the epicenter of area rug and home furnishings buying and selling.”

For more information on the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, call 404.220.2384.