High Point, N.C.—Hurricanes and rising material costs. These were two—of many—issues addressed at the International Home Furnishings Association’s annual opening day press breakfast. The importance of these factors could not be over stressed as they have not only affected floor covering retailers, but are current concerns by industry leaders on the whole.

Present at this annual press event were Jerry Epperson, managing director of Mann, Armistead & Epperson in Richmond, Va., who has been an analyst for 30 years; Nancy Webster, the newly appointed president and CEO at Thomasville Furniture; Tim Rosebrock, director of business development for Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., and Jay Reardon, president of Hickory Chair.

Epperson said prices are currently being affected at retail, but he explained that the price increases that the home furnishings industry is experiencing domestically are also affecting Chinese-made products. Also on the panel was Don Coleman, president and CEO of Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co. in Hickory, N.C. This is a privately-held company that produces components for the home furnishings industry.

Coleman enlightened those in attendance with some of the reasons there has been a shortage in manufac turing materials, such as foam, and why prices have increased. He blames hurricanes Katrina and Rita for causing transportation and production slowdowns in some areas. “The things that have happened in recent months have shaken our industry,” he said.

“The increases are legitimate. Some increases are double digits, more than 50%. Supply is tight and probably will remain tight through the end of the year.” Area rug exhibitors, however, were upbeat during the heavily trafficked High Point show. Jonathan Witt, vice president of marketing for Sphinx by Oriental Weavers, commented, “High Point is always such a good gauge.

Everyone is in touch with the fabrics and what’s happening in home furnishings.” Two specific color trends dominated this season’s fabric selections, and, consequently, area rugs as well. The silver-blue and chocolate combinations were everywhere—seen primarily in casual traditional, transitional and modern-themed settings. Another direction highlights Latin or salsa colors—the bright oranges, reds, and deep browns.

Michelle Lamb, senior editor for The Trend Curve, dubbed this latter trend “vibrant, full-bodied color that energizes the senses and enlivens the spirit.” Ray Ehsani believes Momeni, where he is vice president of national sales, is a trend setter where colors are concerned and noted the company has been focusing on the above mentioned color schemes for some months now.

For Momeni, these colors are most evident in its best selling New Wave contemporary line. “You have to capture the look with the colors,” said Ehsani. “Contemporary is not going away. It’s just getting more popular. But you have to hit it right, and I believe we’ve done that. It’s the colors that capture the female audience.”

He also pointed out that when consumers purchase contemporary furnishings, these pieces are often neutral or one solid color. “So they want a contemporary rug to show off their furnishings, and the main colors for that room are often in the rug,” he said. Added Witt, “In a contemporary decor, an area rug with color and pattern punches up the setting and makes a statement.”

Colors in the Masterloom lines are being “rethought” to include some of the fresher hues, including blues, chocolates, pinks, teals and fuchsias. Color is also a focus for Masland’s Moki rug line, inspired by the beauty of traditional American Indian blankets. The collection’s seven colorways include tones of teal, turquoise, cayenne, burgundy, hot pink and raspberry.

Likewise Foreign Accents touted its “cutting edge contemporary” grouping of area rugs as sporting vibrant pinks, teals and chocolate browns that are “all the rage,” reported Patricia Rempen, president. Achieving success with contemporary for Momeni means offering a variety of price points.

The New Wave 100% New Zealand Wool product hits a $499 price point in a 6X9-ft., while the more subdued modern styling of the hand-knotted Tibetan-weave Katrina caters to a higher-end customer with a price point of up to $899 for a 6X9-ft. Colors in the Jonathan Adler showroom space at Rowe Furniture were “right on” as well.

The up and coming New York designer, who has a line called Jonathan Adler Furniture that debuted in September, includes hand-loomed llama wool rugs that are dominated by chocolate and blue hues. There are hounds tooth, cross, geometric, and animal skin patterns; a 6X9-ft. sells for around $1,350. “These colors work with my line,” said Adler. “I have a consistent color palette throughout so that the upholstery fabrics work together with the rugs.”

The goal of Shaw Living was to find new patterns and colors to add to its Reverie collection that are still modern, but relaxed. Deep golds, browns, tans, rusts, and plums are the mainstay of these 22 modern and transitional rugs which are “intended to capture the sophistication of urban lifestyles.”