05012016 High Point Market Grand Tour - Part 1, IHFC

By Carol Tisch

5/3/2016

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Rug sources at the April market here went all out to demonstrate ways that retailers can benefit from the addition of rugs to their assortments, offering new licensed programs ranging from Joanna Gaines to Trisha Yearwood and other personalities well-known to the crucial rug-buying demographic of consumers who watch cooking shows and HGTV.

Gray and blue colorways still top the pile, but introductions were strong in every construction from those that retail at $250 to $6,000-plus, with lots of unexpected color including pink, green and navy. Navy was especially attractive married with rust shades, which were seen widely throughout the market. The "erased" effects that gives patterned rugs a vintage, worn look were still widespread, but densely patterned rugs featuring florals, butterflies, birds and sea life were important and appealing.

So many home brands tracked by RugNews.com have added rugs to round out their offerings (and conversely so many rug suppliers have added accessories and furniture), that for the first time we are presenting our spring market coverage in a three-part High Point Market Tour which is divided by building: Part 1 is IHFC, Part 2, Market Square, and Part 3, Showplace and More.

CURREY & COMPANY

Currey & Company officials, Brownlee Currey, president; Cecil Adams, vice president, creative direction; and Bob Ulrich, vice president of sales, cut the ribbon for their newly expanded IHFC showroom as Bob Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers, cheers them on.

The new Currey showroom, 4000 square feet larger, now has more space for a growing line of rugs including this Serapi. In an exclusive interview, Currey executives detail their rug strategy (read full story)

DALYN RUGS

Gordon Finnie of Dalyn Rugs and Sidney York of Carpetland USA, Flint, Michigan stand in front of a navy blue design from the best-selling Geneva collection.

Dalyn's new two dimensional Cabana collection indoor outdoor rugs take center stage at the High Point showroom.

HRI - HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL

From left: Greg Jordt, Lee Harounian, Bobby Shamsian and Deo Jugmohan of Harounian Rugs International, report a robust market with several best-selling introductions.

A detail shot shows the elaborate texture of HRI's popular Rosewood collection rugs, which are hand-knotted in India of wool and art silk.

JAUNTY

Jaunty's Karen Plaehn and Kami Navid flank Steven Ford of Steven Ford Interiors and Eveleigh Hughey of Brandon Davidson Interiors (both of Columbia, SC) at the bustling Jaunty showroom, which caters to fine furniture stores and designers.

From the Capella collection, this hand-tufted wool pile rug with accents of viscose was a hit in the platinum colorway shown. Suggested retail for 5x8 is $649.

KAS

The Kas team pose for a photo op with Donny Osmond following his performance at High Point Market's Stars Under the Stars event. From left: Brianne Coradini, Sandy Ford, Wendy Reiss, Donny Osmond, Santhi Yarlagadda, and Vee Curfman. Kas produces Donny Osmond Home rugs and co-sponsored his performance.

Wendy Reis and Julie Murray-Nizich of Kas Rugs & Home at the company's 35th Anniversary party during High Point Market with guest Cathy Headley of Sweet Dreams Home Furnishings in Brunswick, Maine.

A showstopper at Kas this market, this lustrous Generations collection rug is machine woven in Turkey of polyester with silky viscose highlights, and features a dimensional textured effect.

LOLOI

HGTV star Joanna Gaines cuts the ribbon for the new dedicated Magnolia Home showroom at Loloi. Shown are IMC exec Bob Maricich (far left) followed by Chip and Joanna Gaines with Loloi principals Amir, Steven and Cyrus Loloi.

Designed by Joanne Gaines, the vignettes in Loloi's Magnolia Home space drew rave reviews, including this set featuring the Brushstroke collection. Read RugNews.com's Joanna Gaines High Point Preview here.

MOE'S HOME

Cutting the ribbon at the new Moe's Home Collection showroom are (center left to right) Moe Samieian Jr., Moe Samieian Sr., and IMC's Bob Maricich. IMC's Lee Hershberg (far left) and RJ Maricich (far left) hold the ribbon and the Moe's Home team joins the festivities.

A new focus on texture and weave was on display with 18 rug introductions at the new Moe's Home showroom, where sales reps told RugNews.com the program provides a total home shopping experience for buyers. Rugs are offered only in 5x8 and 8x10 at retails from $391 in 5x8.

MOMENI

Reza Momeni, left, and Kipp Livingston, right, of Momeni, review an impressive lineup of new collections with Tom Leighton of Stonington's Furniture, Brewer, Maine at Momeni's IHFC showroom.

Among Momeni's High Point Market hits, the Lima collection, with nine designs machine-made in Israel of 100 percent polypropylene, resonated with buyers for its sophisticated global style and texture.

NATCO - CENTRAL ORIENTAL

The Trisha Yearwood Home Collection launches at Natco's Central Oriental group with 24 new rugs featuring subtle colors and softness (read full story). The rugs are tied to Yearwood's furniture collection with Klaussner.

NOURISON

Owen Baker, left, and Gerard O'Keefe, both of Nourison, review new offerings with Rich Schell of Rich Designs Home, Colorado Springs, Colorado at the expansive Nourison showroom in Interhall at IHFC.

Kathy Ireland Weddings debuts the Bliss collection with embellished bridal pillows at Nourison, which also expands the Kathy Ireland Home collection of rugs with items like the white Fluffy Shag, shown right, (read story).

ORIENTAL WEAVERS

Buyers joined the Oriental Weavers team at a High Point Market party to celebrate the retirement of Jim Minter (left) after 20 years as a sales rep with the company. Ahmed Salama, CEO of Oriental Weavers USA, congratulates Minter in front of a display of OW's best-selling Andorra collection rugs.

Navy and gray are high on buyers' shopping lists in 2016, and Oriental Weavers pulls together a trend display from various collections featuring tones from deep navy to indigo and silver blue to charcoal.

TAYSE

Jay Dogan, COO of Tayse, poses with a Denim blue rug from the new Serenity collection, added this market at retailers' request to the company's indoor-outdoor polypropylene series. "Serenity gives a wool loop effect and fills a gap in our product line for plains -- which buyers have asked for," Dogan says.

The Expressions collection by Tayse, printed with the company's proprietary high definition ink jet technology, allows unlimited color and design possibilities and fine line detail. Retail is $249 for a 5x7.

TRANS OCEAN/ LIORA MANNE

Designer Liora Manne's line for Trans Ocean takes on a soft and elegant new look with pale blues and a revival of green in hand-tufted collections. She also does several ombre designs in gradations of fashion colors.

Trans Ocean's hot-selling line of surfboard-shaped scatter rugs, originally introduced in life size in Las Vegas in January, was expanded at buyers' request in miniature size for use as door mats, kitchen rugs and more.

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