Atlanta Rug Market News

Now we go live to the show…OK…not anymore. Home Textiles Today was reporting from the Atlanta market last week in Bulletins from Atlanta Rug Market. They had some interesting things to say. They have information on: Capel Inc., Shaw Living, Momeni, Balta US, Nourison, Sphinx by Oriental Weavers. Check It Out.

Size Matters…With Area Rugs

At least as far as Kate McIntyre is concerned. She says “The size of your rug depends on several factors.” and goes on to explain why in this brief but informative article.

You do not want your rug to touch the walls, nor do you want your rug to seem dwarfed by the rest of the room's interior decorating. A good rule of thumb is that your rug's length should be two feet shorter than the room's width. InteriorDesignSchoolReview.com

The article goes on to give a few more helpful hints. Kate has good tips on size and quality and her article is well worth the time.

After The Decorations Get Put Away…

Some people get a little glum after the holiday decorations get put away. It can be a bit of a depressing time for many people. There is an article in the Cape Cod Times that talks about just this problem.

It's always a shock for people when the sparkle and lights of holiday decorations are gone, says designer Diane Halunen, owner of As You Like It Interiors in Brewster. Cape Cod Times

Diane discusses some tricks she has for cheering up a room without depressing your bank account. This is actually a problem I can relate to. Both Christmas and my birthday come at about the same time so there is a big celebration high and then it all fades. Of course this all happens at a time of year when we are hunkered down in the house to get away from the cold bleak weather. Diane has some tips to help keep your house from being as bleak as the out doors.

Some options: chenille or velvet toss pillows; a fresh area rug (even on top of carpeting); a red candle on a table; a new lampshade; a woven throw on the back of a sofa; or extra vases. Cape Cod Times

Besides some texture from the pillows and rugs that Diane discusses some other designers also throw in there thoughts on “Adding cheer” and “A clean palette”. The article is worth a read if you’re feeling a little blue and could use to perk up your décor.

Rug Auction Breaks Records

Freeman's Auction, in Philadelphia PA, surpassed it greatest expectations with an auction that included some very expensive rugs. Many rugs sold for far beyond there expected price. An 18th century North Indian measuring 22’ x 13’-6” area rug brought in $17,925 when it was only expected to go for between $10,000 to $15,000. A 15’-5” x 11’-10” Northwest Persian Bakshaish from the late-19th-century went for $26,290, twice its estimated value. Here are a couple more examples.

“A late-19th-century 17-foot-six-inch-by-12-foot Haji Jalili Tabriz from North Persia wove to $46,605 (estimate $20,000-$30,000), while another 23-foot-seven-inch-by-15-foot-two-inch Northwest Persian Tabriz achieved $38,838 against its $8,000-$10,000 forecast.” ReadingEagle.com

The biggest surprise of all was a Chelaberd Kazak rug which sold for a record $341,625.

“The single medallion six-foot-one-inch-by-five-foot-four-inch rug, which only had a $15,000-$25,000 pre-sale estimate, was from the Robert Montgomery Scott estate “Androssan,” Radnor, Montgomery County. Freeman's said the price, which included a 19.5 percent buyer's fee on the first $75,000 and 12 percent on the balance, ‘represented a record for a Caucasian carpet of any kind at auction.’” ReadingEagle.com

That would have been a very exciting auction. Hopefully no one bid over there heads. I haven’t seen any picture of the pieces but I’m sure they were beautiful.

Iranian Rug Exports Running at Record Pace

The Mehr News Agency is reporting that the National Iranian Carpet Center has announced that Persian rug exports are already at $388 million in the first 9 months of the Iranian calendar year. Last years total was just $480 million. This means that they are at 81% of last years numbers with only 75% of the year gone. The centers chairman, Morteza Faraji, said he expected to see the number hit $500 million before the end of the year. This change comes from an effort by the NICC to turn around sagging sales numbers in the recent past.

"In light of the measures taken, we expect an upward trend worldwide in Persian rug business by the end of the current year, he reiterated. So far, we have identified ten target countries for Persian rug exports, he stipulated, adding that National Iranian Carpet Center is planning to begin negotiations with foreign marketing companies to that end." MEHRNEWS.com

It looks like the measures they have been taking are turning the corner on sluggish Persian rug sales.

Animal Rights or Animal Rugs

There is a rise in the use of animal rugs even in this age of animal rights. An article in the Kane County Chronicle, of suburban Chicago, points to a “new acceptance of cowhide and sheepskin rugs, especially in exotic patterns, unusual colors and different shapes.”

When the discussion of the acceptability of animal skins comes up, Frank Conn, an industry insider says “these are products that many of those same people eat and wear. They eat lamb chops, hamburgers and steaks.” He goes on to point out that these rugs are just byproducts of those acceptable consumer goods.

Some people say that the dramatic growth in the use of animal rugs is because so many decorating magazines have been highlighting animal-pattern rugs in their pages as of late. But Jim Muller, the manager of wholesaler Pacific Hide & Leather in L.A. sees it much differently.

“This is no trend for us; it’s a steady business that’s important to high-end designers who want an exotic look. We consistently do well with zebra-stenciled cowhide pieces that look like the real deal.”

If you do think it is a short term trend or just feel a little uncomfortable about animal rugs there are still many traditional and modern area rugs that can give a room a real exotic feel.

New Years Decorating Article

The Sun News in Myrtle Beach has some advice for a “New Year New look”. Design consultant Wayne Graffius has some creative tips like, fresh fruit being a “great and inexpensive way to add pops of color throughout a space.” The article is full of thoughts for brightening things up.

“Other ways to inject new life in a room are by adding throw pillows, changing out the area rug or adding a swag of fabric to an existing window treatment, Graffius suggested.” The Sun News

The article also has quite a few specific tips for picking area rugs. As they say “Another easy and inexpensive way to liven up a room and add texture and warmth is with throw and area rugs.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

What's New In Rug Fashions

An article in OCRegister.com takes a look at “what's afoot in rug fashions”.

Upscale, downright bold attitudes are expressed in florals that are sassy rather than sweet, stripes that don't follow conventional palettes, and gutsy geometrics as kinetic as pop art. There are retro looks with bubbles or squiggles but not stuck in 1950s or '60s color schemes. OCRegister.com

Though the article deals for the most part with bright and unconventional colors and patterns it rightly warns of the obvious problems that can arise if you think of the area rug as secondary to other furnishings.

But most people buy furniture first, considering rugs an accessory. With the more visually provocative rugs, that can be a challenge. OCRegister.com

This is why professional designers pick the rug first to define the palette of colors for the rest of the room.

…designers like to start with the rug when outfitting an interior, pulling out one or more of its colors for upholstery, walls and window treatments, as well as accessories such as pillows, lamp shades and even flowers in a vase. OCRegister.com

This is a long and important article. Everyone should take a few minutes to read it over.

Shake-Up at Shaw

Jeff Meadows, the man who moved Shaw Living aggressively into home textiles, has left the company. Furniture Today is reporting that Jeff Brown, the former director of operations, has assumed his position as vice president, on an interim basis.

Meadows had been head of the rug division of Shaw Inds. since 2000. Under his leadership, the division broadened its product range to include bath and kitchen rugs as well as room-size and accent rugs. FurnitureToday.com

Jeff also helped deepened Shaw’s commitment to the very popular Mary Kate & Ashley and Kathy Ireland lines. His are mighty big shoes to have to fill. Having come to Shaw directly from college he seemed to be a fixture at the company. It will be tough to replace his understanding of Shaw’s relationship with their customers and the distribution network that he gained from his experience as sales and marketing executive in the broadloom division.

People Choose Area Rugs Over Carpet

The carpet industry is off from its sales last year. It looks like people are opting for hardwood and ceramic tile floors and area rugs over carpeting.

“Carpet makers tried to address the increase in popularity of hard surface products, such as wood, laminate and ceramic tile, over carpet.” News 11

This is not surprising considering the amount of diversity flooring and rug combinations can provide. The colors and contrasts can give a room a much more dynamic feel than a wall to wall carpet.