DALTON, GA, January 25, 2009— Karastan is a 12-time winner of America’s Magnificent Carpet Awards, an annual contest held during the Atlanta Rug Market in January. This year, Karastan was a double winner, taking home Best Overall in the power-loomed $1,000+ (retail) category with Eastport from the Original Karastan Collection and Best Overall in the power-loomed $400-$1,000 (retail) category with French Quarter in Bluestone from the Sierra Mar Collection. The awards were presented to Karastan at a ceremony held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, GA.

The annual event is sponsored by Architectural Digest magazine and hosted by both Architectural Digest and AmericasMart Atlanta. Judges representing designers, retailers and museum curators chose the winning rugs in various categories based on quality of construction, value, design and salability.

“Our design, development and manufacturing team has once again produced outstanding results,” says Anne Carley, Director of Marketing for Karastan rugs. “Most significant is the artistic use of color in both rugs. The meticulously placement of multiple hues gives textural depth to the intense, Prussian blue field of Eastport. A mélange of colors also creates the striated underlay of French Quarter, which is topped with an ornamental design inspired by the hand-forged ironworks of New Orleans.”

Retailers visiting Karastan’s showroom during the Atlanta Rug market were extremely impressed with the handmade appearance and versatile beauty of Karastan’s designs. Both winning rugs are woven of pure New Zealand worsted wool and offered in a vast array of sizes.