Celebrities, designers and retailers were spotted shopping and partying in area rug showrooms across the High
Point campus for spring 2024 market.
HIGH POINT, N.C. -- A flurry of events drew shoppers to area rug showrooms at the spring 2024 edition of High Point Market. They attended meet-and-greets with TV celebrities, acclaimed designers and influencers; they queued up for book signings and parties; and carved out time for informative panel discussions – even CEU courses. Finally, many made time to celebrate ribbon cuttings, anniversaries and retirements in between full schedules to shop the latest area rugs.
With each successive show, rug vendors perfect the art of educating and entertaining existing and potential customers – some, like Feizy and LR Home, sponsoring multiple events every day at market. Indeed, with subjects ranging from The Celebrity Factor: How to Get It, How to Show It, How to Sell It to Strategic Design and Merchandising: Creating Beautiful Spaces on a Budget area rug companies are becoming increasingly sophisticated with designer panels that help market shoppers grow their businesses with technology, merchandising and trend projections.
Follow along with RugNews.com editors as we race from showroom to showroom to bring you the highlights of this market’s most significant happenings.
AMER RUGS
In the Amer showroom, Ted Evans and Del Morales of Macy’s Fine Rugs with Raj Choudhary, Amer president.
CAPEL
The Country Willow team from Bedford Hills, New York, review Capel’s intros. From left, Jerry Noack,
regional manager, Capel, Corie Estrow, Cameron Capel, Jennifer Clifford, Michael Leibowitz, Michele
Swanson and Len Capel.
DALYN
In the Dalyn showroom, Brian VanderWerf and Eli McTee of Dalyn with Irene Matthews and Ashley Stinson
of Brown Squirrel Furniture in Knoxville, Tennessee.
CREATIVE ACCENTS
Creative Accents co-owners Linda and Andy Hensler flank their new licensing partner, artist Parker Heath
of PAR KER Made at the market launch of their first rug collection, held at Thayer Coggin’s High Point showroom.
FEIZY
Feizy’s Mike Riley and Cameron Feizy with designer and licensing partner Thom Filicia after the rug
maker’s standing-room only star-studded panel, “The Celebrity Factor,” featuring celeb designers Dann
Foley, Jenifer Farrell, Tamara Day and Filicia.
A panel entitled “The Value in Vendor Relationships” drew a crowd at the Feizy High Point showroom.
From left, Marci Schneider, Melissa Galt, Michael Bauer, Feizy, Tiffany Cassidy and Kristi Nelson.
(Photo by Glessner Photography)
JAIPUR LIVING
Melynda McNeil, Curt Langdon (holding the Tartan rug), Madison Byrd, Heather Johnson, Erin Walker,
all of McNeil & Co. in Wilmington, North Carolina, in the Jaipur showroom.
Asha Chaudhary of Jaipur Living with designer Nikki Chu, in front of an area rug from Chu's collaboration
with Jaipur.
HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL (HRI)
The crew at HRI poses with the Homework Interiors team from Birmingham, Michigan. From left: Lee
Harounian, David Grasse, Chuck Booth, Mike Campa, Sid Collins, Patti Kommel, Mark Magun and Greg Jordt.
KALATY
In the Kalaty showroom, Mike Kalaty with Stephen and Jan Lynch of Rustic Elegance in Kerrville, Texas.
Ashton Camp and Sharon Leonard of Bassett Furniture flank Maria Metropoulos-Ward of Orian as they
toast Mike Kalaty at the Kalaty party Tuesday after a successful week at market. Kalaty celebrated its
45th anniversary each night with customers and friends during market.
KALEEN
Jeff Forwood of Kaleen shows Paige Burt and Karen New of PBS Design Group the newest broadloom
options from the company's successful Hook & Beam collection.
LIORA MANNE
Carol Tisch of RugNews.com congratulates designer Liora Manne on her inspirational Outer Banks
installation using Lamontage and Lush products at Manne’s show-stopping InterHall stand.
LOLOI
Loloi’s Encore presentation at High Point Theater featured a panel discussion hosted by Dennis Scully with
three of the rug maker’s licensing partners. From left: Scully, Business of Home, designer Leanne Ford, Steven Loloi,
Cyrus Loloi, and Amir Loloi, flanked by licensing partners Joanna Gaines, Amber Lewis and Brigette Romanek.
Holly Dotherow of WBA Architecture with Loloi's licensing partner Anna Bond of Rifle Paper, and Adrienne
Colson of Colson Design Studio at a meet and greet in the Loloi showroom.
LR HOME
Vinamra and Vaibhav Laddha of LR home with members of the panel, "Creating Beautiful Spaces
on a Budget" which included Andrea Lillo, moderator, Noel Gatts, Antonio Deloatch, and LR Home
licensing partners Evette Rios and Stacy Garcia.
Vinamra and Vaibhav Laddha feted the career of long-time sales rep Wanda Lanzi with a celebratory party
on Sunday at HPMKT.
MOMENI
Momeni hosts a Monday night event for licensing partner Pure Salt. From left, Ali Momeni, Aly Morford of
Pure Salt, Katy Repetto of Momeni, and Leigh Lincoln of Pure Salt.
Bob and Courtney Novogratz join Reza Momeni to check out the lifestyle brand's newest additions at
Momen's showroom.
ORIENTAL WEAVERS
Jonathan Witt and Andy Brumlow of Oriental Weavers with Ted Evans and Del Morales of Macy’s Fine Rugs,
and Brett Finkelstein (OW) in the company's newly renovated showroom.
S&H RUGS
Rony Rodriguez of S&H Rugs with Jennifer Jimenez of B Studios in Woodside, New York, at the rug maker's
Suites at Market Square show space.
SURYA
At the Surya meet and greet party for licensing partner Becki Owens, Surya staffers strike a pose with
the guest of honor. From left: Laney Ashworth, Camille Abney, Meredith Mowry, Becki Owens, Megan
Bodhan, Morgan Tate and Emily Marshall.
UNIQUE LOOM
Lifestyle expert interior designer, and TV personality Sabrina Soto is joined by fans and customers as
she hosts a special event and debuts the expansion of her outdoor rug collection for Unique Loom.