Innovative constructions, luxurious fibers and cutting-edge designs were on show at the 2023 ICFF.
NEW YORK -- Contemporary bespoke area rug exhibitors at the just held International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) report that interest in area rugs continues to be steady at the high-end of the market.
In fact, the rug category featured a larger roster of rug vendors than in 2022, with several young innovators making their market debuts, joining several long-time established participants returning to the event, some after a years-long hiatus.
The top trends at the premium end of the market are moving virtually in tandem with other market segments and the top looks and styles include texture rich neutrals, high-low styles, all-natural handmade pieces, updated traditional looks and contemporary geometric designs. Palettes feature tried and true grays and blues, though in a much smaller showing than in past years, earthy neutrals, with vibrant pinks, oranges and jewel tones making a bold appearance as well.
Setting apart ICFF area rugs from other domestic shows are the omni presence of luxurious materials, from mohair to silk to long-hair New Zealand wool and long-strand quality jute. Innovative designs and constructions also pushed the envelope at several booths at the event. And a handful of young innovators presented novel approaches to the category and introduced themselves and their labels to market-goes.
RugNews.com takes you on an exclusive tour of the top area rug designs debuting at ICFF.
APADANA
Moroccan rugs, especially textural neutrals, continue to be top sellers and Apadana showed off its range at ICFF.
Long-time ICFF participant Apadana Rugs and Carpets, based in Norwalk, Connecticut, brought an array the latest designs in top-selling categories and introduced new collections at ICFF. The company debuted samples of its new Fantasia collection, a line of geometric hand-knotted area rugs designed in collaboration with interior designer Laura Gottwald. Fantasia features mid-century inspired styles in muted pastels and also bolder color combinations hand-knotted in Nepal of 100 percent wool. But most of the booth display featured Apadana's growing assortment of Moroccan-inspired handmade rugs, which remain top-sellers, and introduced a new lineup of indoor-outdoor designs crafted from PET yarn, which received a strong response from attendees.
Apadana introduced its new hand-knotted Fantasia collection of colorful geometric designs.
ARMADILLO
Armadillo introduces its first colored solid area rugs with Eden , a step-up from its best-selling Agra collection.
The Australian-based rug-maker Armadillo, which debuted in the US at ICFF 2018, was busy introducing attendees to its hand-made all-natural line up of sustainable area rugs. Armadillo, headquartered in LA, earned Certified B Company status in 2021, and all its rugs carry a Declare Label.
Rolling out at ICFF was the company's new Eden collection, hand-knotted in India of wool with cotton warp. These rugs, the company's first foray into color, are hand-dyed, dried in the sun and hand-finished. The line of dense solid rugs offers a twisted knot tassel and is a step-up product from Armadillo’s best-selling Agra collection. The company also expanded its popular high-quality jute offering, introducing the Mohave lineup, crafted in an Indo-Nepali loop.
Armadillo's latest high-quality jute Mohave collection, handcrafted in an Indo-Nepali loop, debuts at ICFF.
AUDA SINDA
Artisan rug maker Auda Sinda weaved Horsham at its Washington area rug studio for its ICFF debut.
Pacific Northwest artisan studio Auda Sinda, which launched in 2014, debuted its locally crafted flatwoven rugs at ICFF. The company introduced Horsham, a geometric hand-woven pattern crafted of New Zealand wool on cotton foundation, and Lacamas, a global pattern that debuted a new green colorway. The atelier also showcased samples of a new collaboration alongside Lance Woven Leather, which features woven wool and leather designs, including some with metallic leather accents. Working on traditional American-made looms, the Washington company can turn around rugs in 10 to 14 days.
Auda Sinda crafts its rugs of New Zealand wool in its Washington facility. Shown, Lacamas
BESPOKE TIBETAN CARPETS
Bespoke Tibetan Carpet returned to ICFF and highlighted its shaped Trametes lineup, hand-knotted in Nepal.
New Jersey-based Bespoke Tibetan Carpets returns after a hiatus featuring two shaped hand-knotted designs and samples of neutral textural designs as well as bolder geometric styles. These rugs are hand-crafted of Tibetan wool, which is known for being lanolin-rich and very resilient. Founded in 2016 by Tsewang Lama, the rug maker debuted at ICFF in 2018 and returned this year after a break from the event.
Highlighted at the booth were two designs from the Trametes lineup by Brooke Darmetko, VP of design with US Home Brands. Trametes is inspired by the thin rounded shapes of this mushroom species and its bands of color fanning out in concentric rings. Bespoke Tibetan Carpets, which operates its own specialized Tibetan carpet mill in Nepal, carries the GoodWeave certification label, ensuring no child labor was used in the creation of its rugs.
BLACK OVEJA
Argentinian Black Oveja's felted wool textiles and rugs are created from simple geometric forms.
Argentina-based Black Oveja featured its locally sourced and crafted wool felted products in a small stand for its first time participating in ICFF. The small business produces home textiles, wall panels and area rugs all created from geometric forms joined together. Each piece is cut and dyed by hand, and then assembled to specification.
CICIL
ICFF Newcomer CICIL showed of its contemporary-styled domestically made braided rugs, crafted from East Coast wool.
Nascent rug maker CICIL, launched in 2021 and based in North Carolina, introduced its contemporary braided all natural wool rugs at its first ICFF event. The rugs are crafted in North Carolina of wool from New England sheep, which are carefully cared for and sheared by regional wool advocates. CICIL featured its modernist braided rugs and rolled out its brand-new Shuttle Weave collection. These rugs are made using revitalized shuttle looms from the mid-1900s. Part machine-made and part handwork, these woven rugs provide angular, clean designs crafted of 100 percent East Coast wool.
JAN KATH
Jan Kath grows its top-selling Polonaise collection with a fresh, vibrant coloration. Shown Eastcote
Jan Kath returns to ICFF showcasing its latest additions to its top two selling collections: Erased Heritage and Spectrum. The latest addition from the Polonaise series, Eastcote, crafted of wool and silk in light brown/multi colorway, captivated show attendees with its striking design and vibrant colorations, which include lavender, orange and hot pink tassel. A complementary colored yet polar-opposite design from the ombre-styled Spectrum lineup, Stavanger, continues to attract devotees for its rich colorations and abstract styling. Finally, the Watteau design from the Common Threads series served as a midway point offering a contemporary, more structured rendition of folk motifs incorporated in an inventive border design.
On the ground, Jan Kath showcased a contemporary take on a bordered design from its Common Threads collection.
In the rear, right is a design from its popular Spectrum series.
JD STARON
JD Staron, which took home an ICFF Editors Award in flooring, introduced a needlepoint area rug collection. Shown, Lisbon
New York rug studio JD Staron, which earned the ICFF Editors Award for Best in Flooring, rolled out several showstoppers including Lisbon, a handmade needlepoint collection that reinvents the embroidery technique for eye-catching effect. These rugs are designed and created with a mix of textures and colors, giving each a distinct personality.
As a counterpoint style, the studio introduced PURE, a completely chemical-free, hand-knotted and hand-washed assortment of organic designs. These rugs are woven of wool yarn that comes from free-grazing sheep, which are hand-clipped, and yarn is then hand-washed, and hand-spun without chemicals, dye or soap. To finish the process and soften the pile, Staron rewashes the rugs in pure water and organic oil from neem plants. Finally, the company's innovative approach to classic rug motifs with its new Modern Antiques collection was a favorite at the event.
JD
Staron debuted its ultra-textural Modern Antiques collection and a coral design stopped buyers in their tracks.
MANTARA
Mantara, an Argentinian maker of locally crafted wool rugs, showed off a playful ultra plush minimalist design.
Argentinian Mantara also introduces its fledgling brand to international audiences at its premier ICFF. Offering a unique story that embraces sustainability, circular economics and fair trade, Mantara featured its hand-crafted rugs with geometric motifs and floral styles in vibrant colors. In addition the company displayed a playful contemporary solid ecru ground with a minimalist-styled ultra-long cut pile accent. These pieces are all natural, crafted by artisans from Santiago del Estero of local sheep wool without chemical dyes.
Mantara's Phytomorphs collection features artisan designed floral motifs, crafted by local Santiago del Estero weavers.
MARC PHILLIPS DECORATIVE RUGS
Marc Phillips displayed a bold geometric from its program alongside LA interior design practice Kes Studio.
Marc Phillips, with showrooms in LA and NYC, returns to ICFF featuring a vibrant bold blue modern geometric design created in collaboration with LA interior design firm Kes Studio, headed by designer Kara Smith. The made-to-order Prism is hand-knotted of wool, silk and aloe. Another rug on show was a distressed Moroccan design, which features the natural colorations and texture sought after by designers today. In addition, the company received a thumbs up for its striated sumptuous hand-knotted Mohair in solid colored jewel-tones.
Updated textural Moroccan styles remain a top choice for their neutral colorations and tactile styling.
MY MOROCCAN RUG
Swiss-based My Moroccan Rug featured its plush, modernist interpretation of Moroccan rugs, all crafted by Berber
female weavers.
The Swiss-based contemporary rug design studio My Moroccan Rug, showcased its plush multi-level Lima collection, crafted by female weavers from Moroccan Berber tribes. Lima, designed by owner Khalida Toukkani, re-invents the genre with soft organic shaped motifs and high-low detailing for an ultra tactile look and feel. Toukkani also showcased Lima's Moon design, a simple round rug offering plush minimalist geometric styling in earthy neutral tones.
NASIRI CARPETS
Nasiri's new Art Deco Berlin design, hand-knotted of wool, was an ICFF hit for its mid-century styled geometric motif
colored in a fashion-forward color.
Flatweave expert Nasiri returns after a hiatus from ICFF. The company's Berlin design from its Art Deco collection of hand-knotted rugs made its first public appearance and the response to the design was strong. Berlin is hand-knotted in Turkey of hand-spun wools using natural dyes. Another top look was the company's latest addition to Mazandaran kilims, hand-woven of imported Persian wool in Turkey with panels available in widths up to two-and-a-half feet.
Returning to ICFF after a break, Nasiri's popular Mazandaran kilims, hand-woven of imported Persian wool, remain a top seller.
SCANDECOR RUGS
Business remains strong at Scandecor, which offers a lineup of sustainable designs crafted in Scandinavia.
Regular ICFF participant Scandecor had steady traffic at ICFF and said that business remains brisk for its custom area rugs and carpets. Crafted in Scandinavia by professional weavers, all of the company's power-loomed rugs are 100 percent carbon-neutral, produced entirely by wind and solar power. Among the debuts that attracted attendees were Positano, crafted of long-hair felted New Zealand wool mixed with wood-fiber for added durability and its stain-repellant qualities. Also resonating is Fresco, made of all wood fiber, and safe for sheltered outdoor settings.
Fresco is Scandecor's first washable collection crafted of wood fiber and safe for sheltered outdoors. In the rear, Tempo,
crafted of New Zealand wool, makes a debut as well.
SLOW TIGER
Japanese Tibetan Tiger area rug maker Slow Tiger introduces its colorful tiger designs to international shoppers at ICFF.
The young Japanese Slow Tiger area rug label made its ICFF debut, using the show as a launchpad to introduce its Tibetan Tiger rugs to an international audience. Each tiger rug, hand-knotted of wool and silk, is hand-knotted by weavers in Nepal and available in numerous sizes from small to extra-large. The company is part of GoodWeave International to ensure no child labor is used in the creation of area rugs and the studio's founder Yoji visits Nepal every year to donate a portion of rug sales to the organization, and also to each individual weaver. His top selling design is a hand-knotted silk tiger in a lavender coloration with winking eye.
TANTUVI
Brooklyn studio Tantuvi returns to ICFF showcasing its first outdoor rugs. On the ground is Tidal, a top choice for its
grid-inspired motif.
Tantuvi returns to ICFF after a break from the show and rolls out the label’s first indoor-outdoor designs in its signature style. Handmade in India, Tantuvi's contemporary rugs, crafted of cotton, hemp or silk, are produced in close collaboration with seventh generation weavers. The new outdoor rugs, made of PET fiber derived from plastic bottle caps, feature playful color pops and minimalist geometric and organic motifs. A popular choice for the Brooklyn-studio's visitors was its new Outdoor Tidal grid design.
TIBETANO
ICFF veteran Tibetano featured its latest Moroccan-inspired design and Lucia, in espresso, was a fair favorite
Another veteran ICFF exhibitor, Tibetano featured its range of Moroccan-inspired rugs, all featuring various high-low designs. These styles are a constant top seller at the New Jersey area rug studio, and among the ICFF crowd Lucia, a geometric high-low motif in espresso, and Toscana, a hand-woven geometric motif with a nubby styling in neutral tones, proved the market hits.
Buyers gave a thumbs ut to Tibetano's naturally styled, nubby-textured Toscana rug.
WARP & WEFT
Warp & Weft showcased its Aerial Series, a trio of rugs designed in collaboration with renowned architecture and interior
design practice Gabellini Sheppard.
ICFF stalwart area rug exhibitor Warp & Weft returns with its signature minimalist booth showcasing three designs from its collaboration with Gabellini Sheppard. The new Aerial Series, depicting the ephemeral beauty of water and atmospheric light, consists of a trio of soft abstract hand-knotted designs. Based on original artwork by Tomoko Hirose, senior interior designer at the Award-winning architecture and interior design practice, the rugs are handcrafted in Nepal. Aerial 1 is woven of wool and silk, while both Ariel 2 and 3 are made of machine-spun wool.
Gabellini Sheppard and Warp & Weft debuted the Aerial series, No. 2 above, hand-knotted of natural wool with a
variegated texture.
WENDY MORRISON DESIGN
Scottish designer designer Wendy Morrison returns to ICFF showcasing her award winning Talisman rug.
Scottish designer Wendy Morrison is known for creating extraordinary rugs, luxury walls and fantastical fabrics with distinctive style and a quality attention to detail. Inspired by the beauty of nature, maximalism and chinoiserie, Morrison's design passions is to keep traditional techniques alive; and breathe new life into old ways. On display was her award-winning Talisman area rug featuring a dragon motif, crafted of wool and silk in Nepal. This classic motif gets a contemporary update with its fresh colorations and playful, colorful chevron style border on its ends.
Wendy Morison features her One Hundred Birds One Hundred Flowers area rug, hanging rear, and new textiles.