LOS ANGELES - After a thirty-year career with ABC Carpet & Home, Alex Kimia attended his first trade show as an exhibitor this week.  Interviewed at The Rug Show in L.A., the founder of bespoke rug line Banu Home said his hands-on experience at ABC included everything from design and product development to importing, buying, exporting, marketing and sales.  Now that expertise is channeled into his own line, which Kimia designs and colors himself in his Los Angeles studio.

Following the successful L.A. show, Kimia will present Banu Home rugs to east coast designers and wholesalers with his first exhibit space at High Point Market, April 18 to 23, 2015.  The company's High Point space is located on the first floor at the Suites at Market Square (SMS 1-802), where visitors will see an assortment of mid-priced and high-end rug samples. Kimia sources in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Thailand and South America, seeking the right weaves and yarns to bring his designs to life. His rugs are the result of long standing partnerships with manufacturers in these countries.

"Banu is the Persian word for 'lady' that is used throughout Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and India. I thought it was fitting to combine Banu with Home [for the company name] because many of our designs are inspired by the ancient arts of these rug weaving cultures," Kimia explained.  Other inspiration comes from world travel, nature, architectural elements and ancient textiles.

Though he imbues the collection with vintage charm, Kimia modernizes old and familiar motifs with a refreshing take on floor covering design. Patterns are translated for a sophisticated consumer with dramatic color and scale, and Kimia specifies the proper weaving technique and finishing for each piece.

Rugs are hand-knotted and hand-tufted. Prices start at $20 a square foot, but Kimia will introduce a lower price point range in fall, 2015.

The brand presently offers eight collections: Moroccan, Tibetan, Transitional, Traditional, Modern, Solids/textures, Shags and Hides. He works one on one with designer clients and his weavers to customize designs. "One hundred percent of our production is one-of-a-kind," he said.

04.02.15