07012015 Fashion Guide to Atlanta International Rug Market

ATLANTA - A flurry of activity characterizes the lead up to next week's Atlanta International Rug Market, with rug importers and manufacturers going wide and deep in their assortments and price points. Fashion looks are up to the minute with a democracy of design that allows retailers to present their customers with the latest colors, patterns and weaves in all channels of distribution.  As in European and fashion-forward U.S. shows, the grey and blue color palettes are particularly strong in debuting lines, though RugNews.com editors are beginning to see movement toward deep saturated jewel tones.  Distressed and erased looks continue in importance and new iterations push the envelope in recreating heirloom patinas. Many of the geometric and abstract art patterns that made news at Domotex 2015 in Hannover have influenced new collections at AmericasMart showrooms as well, but in designs and palettes geared to American consumers.

AMER RUGS

Amer Rugs has had a busy 2015 as the company refines its focus in the rug market, seeking to grow its luxury collections with a diverse assortment of weaves, and designs and a resulting expanded range of price points. A new catalog featuring 29 collections will premiere at the Atlanta International Rug Market, all lines added within the last year, five of them debuting next week. "We've changed our direction: 70 percent of our collections are transitional and soft contemporary now. Our rugs are brighter, more colorful, and there is more excitement over our new designs going into market," Amer president Tanuj Gupta told RugNews.com. "We've added another spectacular collection to our assortment this summer market called Kanoka.” This hand-tufted looped range, crafted of New Zealand wool with art silk motifs and crafted with a tie-dyed technique that evolved from the popular Shiburi collection. Made in India, Kanoka retails at $299. 5-D-2.
 

AMERICAN RUG CRAFTSMEN

Georgia-based American Rug Craftsmen debuts a super-plush shag collection named Berkshire at the July edition of the Atlanta International Rug Market. Comprised of 11 contemporary designs ranging from abstract to transitional and floral, the line pairs a palette of soft neutrals with sun-washed hues. Woven in .9-inch pile height on Van De Weile looms of EverStrand recycled polyester fiber. $278 in 5x8. For more details, read RugNews.com's in-depth coverage here. 3-A-1.

CAPEL

Capel Rugs will introduce a range of looks and weaves at summer markets and expand existing collections with refreshed colors and additional patterns. Three new colorways have been added to the Eloquent Garden collection, a Capel classic featuring a fusion of Oriental and Persian design. The neo-traditional collection, hand tufted in India, offers classic floral motifs rendered in pure wool that is washed for added sheen. Capel's best-value tufted rug collection retails at $449 in 5x8.  

Capel's best-selling, natural-toned Montauk collection has evolved into the colorful debuting Montauk II. Handcrafted from pure, durable wool in six brand new colorways: seafoam, lichen grey, coal, cloud, denim, and cream, Montauk is backed with heavy canvas for extra stability ($349 in 5x8). The new nature-inspired Daisy Chain collection by Kevin O'Brien for Capel features stunning floral pattern crafted in India with a loop pile and cut pile mix. The feminine and bold designs made from 90% wool and 10% viscose in three colorways: dusty yellow, castle grey and red ($699 5x8).

The new Bloomsbury design makes a bold statement with rich with multi-tones of purple, pink, red, yellow and teal in a tufted 100% wool rug crafted in India ($449 in 5x8). Finally, the next generation of braided rugs is epitomized by Capel's oval Nu Way collection, in which rugs are sewn tightly for maximum durability. Offered in five brilliant colorways - straw, green, blue, red and tan - Nu Way is made in the USA in North Caroline from polypropylene and nylon.  A 5x8 oval retails for $249. 3-C-15.
 

CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL

New York City-based Concepts International, a division of Prestige Mills, continues to showcase new designs in its abstracted wool and silk Tibetan Rhythm and Vogue collections, both hand knotted in Nepal, at market. Available in 6x9, 8x10, 9x12, 10x14 and custom sizes. 3-D-18.
 

COURISTAN

Couristan, which added 1,400 square feet of space to its AmericasMart showroom in January, presents two new collections and some fresh additions to existing ranges at the summer 2015 edition of the Atlanta International Rug Market. The debuting Landmark collection features five modern geometric and abstract designs made of 85% wool and 15% acrylic with viscose.  All face-to-face woven Wiltons, and most hand-carved, Landmark rugs are power-loomed in China.

The soft vintage-inspired Provincia collection, power-loomed in Bulgaria of 100% heat-set Courtron polypropylene, are also face-to-face woven Wiltons with one million points of yarn per square meter. The in/out Painted Fern in fern-red gets added to the Covington collection, which is hand-hooked in China of Courtron polypropylene. The ethically sourced cowhide leather Chalet range is refreshed with the modern stripe and block design of Meander in black-ivory. Chalet rugs feature a felt backing and are hand-crafted in India. 6-D-11.

DYNAMIC RUGS

Dynamic Rugs debuts 12 collections and grows the color and pattern assortment of several of its best-selling lines at the Atlanta International Rug Market. The Casual collection features what the company says is an exclusive new cutting edge construction with a tight loop surface across the rug to create a resilient pile with sustainable jute fiber, while bringing durability and performance to the natural fiber category.  Offered in four patterns and six colorways, Casual includes designs from transitional to global-inspired. (MSRP $11/square foot).

The new hand-tufted Vogue collection, a blend of 90% viscose and 10% wool is distinguished by a silken finish and soft luster with a bright contrasting color palette that plays with light for a luxe look. Introduced in three patterns and five colorways, the line retails at MSRP $18/square foot. The abstract designs of Flair ($10/square foot), a plush pile, are machine made from polypropylene in Belgium in trend-right colors; and the luminous viscose Regal ($10/square foot, made in Belgium), a line of seven distressed vintage patterns in 16 colorways, includes key tones such as blue, teal, grey and neutrals.

Dynamic is also highlighting the reversible, hand-tufted Topaz ($8/square foot), hand crafted in India of pure wool with small detailed patterns and rich surface texture. Across the flat wool pile, braided yarns and woven textures add dimension and depth to the Topaz series, available in eight patterns. Dynamic Rugs will also release several new colors to existing best-selling collections, including the popular Ancient Garden. The traditional designs are refreshed and updated with a new soft color palette of grey, neutrals, and blues. This extremely popular and on trend distressed designs gives this rich traditional collection an edge of antique flair. 3-A-11

HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL (HRI)

HRI bolsters its offering and grows its best-selling Rustic-Luxe category with Canterbury in cream ($799 in 5x8). Hand knotted in India of 100% fine Bikaner wool, the series updates traditional designs in trending hues. The classic, all-over borderless design Logan ($1,499 in 6x9) in camel features a thick dense pile.  Crafted in India, it is hand knotted of hand spun New Zealand wool.

Another popular HRI collection, Vogue adds several new colorways in trending blues and grey. This transitional range, which features updated elements of traditional Persian designs, is hand knotted in India of New Zealand wool with an opening price of $2,799 for the 6x9

HRI adds Willow - a high/low combination of linen and art silk. Willow ($899 in 5x8) includes six geometric designs in soft washed colorations and is also available in 8x10. HRI beefs up its best-selling promotionally priced hand-knotted Antique Natural, a range of rugs that use a special sheering and finishing wash process to produce a vintage, distressed look. Hand knotted, from India of 100% wool, the series retails at $599 for 5x8. 5-C-10.

HOMEFIRES RUGS

"Outdoor Living rugs are becoming our hottest sellers," says Denise Newlon, with the Atlanta based rug maker, adding that "buyers love the nautical and coastal in/out Lighthouse Brigade by the artist Anne Tavoletti and La Mer by the artist Andrea Brooks. Another favorite outdoor living rug design Sunflower Impression by the artist Maret Hensick is also a best seller. All are available in five sizes: 22x34, 3x5, 8x10, and a 26x60 runner. Made of hand-hooked polypropylene in China, with retail price starting at $ 49.95 to $759.95. B2 4-314.
 

JAIPUR RUGS

Jaipur will showcase its April-released National Geographic Home licensing program, which it debuted at High Point Market earlier this year. To read about all about it, click here. Based on the magazine's rich archives, the rugs feature designs ranging from animal hide prints to florals and microscopic elements.

For example, Organism ($1,169 in 5x8) is a premium hand-tufted wool rug in the Microscopic line; Ocelot ($802 in 5x8) is crafted of hand-tufted wool and is part of the Big Cats line; Plume, also a premium hand-tufted wool rug, is from Feathers and retails for $1,169 in 5x8.

Jaipur is also adding to its updated transitional Devine collection with Leo and Taurus, both hand-tufted of polyester ($554 in 5x8). The Etched collection ($902 in 5x8), made of hand-tufted wool, features a new construction that blends flatweave and tufted; and the machine-made indoor/outdoor polypropylene Mobile and Scrolled ($295 in 5x8) get added to the Bloom collection, characterized by bright colors and made of a looped construction for a softer feel. 12-F-9.

JAUNTY

The Los Angeles-based Jaunty brings new textural looks to summer markets with its Dimensions collections hand crafted in India of wool pile with accents of viscose.  This multi-dimensional line a neutral palette featuring tones like smoke grey ($799 for 5x8).

The company is also introducing Tuscany, a hand-tufted line from India with wool pile and viscose accents in traditional classics such as a damask medallion in fashion shades such as silver and turquoise ($699 for 5x8).  The Capella collection, also of wool pile with accents of viscose and hand tufted in India, rounds out the summer offerings at $649 for 5x8.  5-F-1
 

KALATY

Multi-dimensional patterns are the signature of Caspian, a range of handwoven  premium wool rugs in a flat Soumak-style weave. A combination of flat and herringbone weaves imparts a three-dimensional look and feel to both sides of the rug, which retails for $1,650 in 6x9. Magnolia - a collection inspired by classic Oushak rug designs - is updated in soft colors for a vintage look. Magnolia ($2,200 in 6x9) is hand knotted using premium hand-spun wool, sheared to a low pile. Another multi-level design is being offered by Kalaty called Avalon ($1,000 in 6x9). This collection of contemporary loop-and-pile area rugs is hand knotted in a Lori-Loom weave using premium wool and Silkette.

Kalaty will launch a new accent pillow program designed to coordinate with the company's popular flatweave Soumak area rugs. The pillow program is the company's first home accent introduction outside of high-end handcrafted area rugs. Click here for full story.  4-G-14.

KALEEN

Intent on bringing style innovation and quality to the $299 to $399 hand-tufted wool price point that is so much in demand with a broad swath of retailers today, Kaleen introduces the new Colinas and Luminary collections at the Atlanta International Rug Market in July. Handmade in India of a combination jute and soft felted wool, Colinas ($299 in 5'x7'6") is a fresh twist in the natural fiber category with a touch of luxury, though still organic and "green."

The Luminary range, a vivid collection of solid rugs with a touch of sparkle, is handmade in India combining subtle touches of viscose blended with wool for extra luxury. A range of fashion hues takes a bold approach to color ($399 in 5'x7'6"). 3-C-9

KARASTAN

Karastan bolsters its Pacifica and Euphoria collections this summer. Ten new designs, including updated colorways of existing designs and new casual traditional patterns, are added to Pacifica ($400 in 5x8), a range woven of the company's recycled polyester