Several area rug showrooms cut the ribbon celebrating new or expanded spaces at the fall High Point Market.
HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Rug exhibitors at the fall 2021 edition of High Point Market were on the move with a bevy of new showroom openings, relocations and expansions across the city's home furnishings industry campus.
From first-timers like Balta Rugs and Area by Edward Fields, which marked their entry to the market, to longtime exhibitors, including Chandra, Feizy (with a second showroom), HRI, Kaleen, Karastan, Loloi, LR Home, Momeni, celebrating new, relocated or dramatically expanded spaces, area rug players are doubling-down on the semi-annual furniture show.
What's more, companies which entered the High Point scene less than five years ago also increased their commitments with names Exquisite Rugs quadrupling its space to 6,000 square feet on the second floor of IHFC, and Stark Studio Rugs and Unique Loom relocating within Historic Market Square.
“Premier décor and furniture brands are continuing to select IMC’s properties as their gateway to the unmatched designer and retail buying power at High Point Market,” said Scott Eckman, International Market Centers (IMC) chief revenue officer. “The commitments of these new brands and investments by existing exhibitors indicates optimism.”
The October rug showroom moves come on the heels of a number of summer High Point Market ribbon-cutting ceremonies and expansions. The changes at Market Square were notable at the June High Point Market. Bokara Rug is now in a coveted spot long occupied by Asia Minor, and Art Resources took over Togar Rugs' showroom and sprawled into a couple more spaces down the hall. By October 2021, those looking for Stark Studio Rugs found them in a prime location once held by Due Process, and Unique Loom moved into Stark's previous space. High-end brand Tamarian left Market Square to open a showroom with street level entrance at the Centers of High Point on Russell and expects to formally fete the move once all the renovations are complete next spring. Finally two rug participants located at Suites at Market Square also gained ground at the June show, with S&H Rugs doubling the size of its footprint, and Rug & Kilim presenting in both IHFC and SAMS.
Below, RugNews.com takes you on a tour of the seven area rug showrooms celebrating a new, expanded or relocated space at the October 2021 High Point Market, and an update on impressive renovations since the show's June edition.
BALTA RUGS
Balta Rugs celebrates the opening of its new IHFC showroom. Brandon Gavic of Balta Rugs and Mark Furlet
of IMC hold the ribbon as Balta Rugs U.S. president Hans Fossez, center, makes the cut.
BaltaRug's showroom is entirely new, representing the company's first foray into High Point. The U.S. arm of Belgium-based parent company Balta Group, has been fine-tuning its area rug collections for furniture stores in recent years, and officially launched these products at its premier High Point Market space, IHFC, D401 - D409. Balta Rugs opened an Atlanta showroom in 2020 in AmericasMart.
Balta Rugs continues to strengthen its US operation with a second showroom at High Point Market.
EXQUISITE RUGS
President Hersel Bani-Esraili cuts the ribbon for Exquisite Rugs' new 6,000 square foot space IHFC H-220 and IMC
executives join the celebration.
Los Angeles-based Exquisite Rugs feted its new showroom at IHFC H-220 where it quadrupled its space to 6,000 square feet, with daily breakfast and afternoon meet and greet events with company principals. President Hersel Bani-Esraili and staff introduced guests to the design inspiration behind Exquisite Rugs' newest collections.
The LA-based Exquisite Rugs quadruples its High Point footprint with a new IHFC showroom.
FEIZY RUGS
Cameron Feizy cuts the ribbon for Feizy's brand new Showplace showroom augmenting its longtime Market Square
space. From left are Kevin Malkiewicz of IMC, Feizy, Valerie Feizy and Justin Yeck, all Feizy Rugs.
Feizy, an award-winning manufacturer of area rugs, opened a second High Point Market showroom at Showplace, Suite 2300, for the fall event. The 5,000 square feet space bolsters Feizy's presence at the home furnishings market.
High Point attendees now will have the opportunity to enjoy double the showroom experience as Feizy displays the full breadth of its various rug collections. The company used its second showroom to connect with new buyers and designers through displays of new and best-selling collections.
“We are excited to offer an additional location for our clients to shop Feizy at High Point Market. We know our customers have tight schedules and the ability to be conveniently located both at Showplace and Market Square is just one added benefit of this additional space. This also allows us to capture additional clients who may not have traveled over to Market Square before, giving us visibility to a whole new Feizy customer and continuing to solidify our commitment to High Point Market,” said Justin Yeck, VP of omnichannel sales, marketing, product development & design.
F
eizy opened a second 5,000 square foot showroom at Showplace to bolster its presence at the home furnishings market.
HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL (HRI)
HRI principals, brothers David Harounian and Lee Harounian (center) cut the ribbon for the company's new IHFC
Design Center showroom, just before the grand opening celebration.
In step with its mission to grow its market share with interior designers, HRI moved from the Hamilton wing to IHFC's heavily trafficked Design Center (D-431). The new space is more than double the size of any of the previous HRI showrooms at HPMKT, making it the company's largest space. The showroom now allows for not only unique displays and the presentation of its entire line in full size 6x9, 8x10 and 9x12 rugs, but also wall space featuring waterfalls of sample swatches of the entire HRI assortment.
The new location is at the intersection of two busy hallways and is completely open on two sides, creating easy
access and flow throughout the showroom space.
KALEEN
Kaleen, which doubles its footprint, held off on a ribbon cutting until Spring '22 High Point Market, when it will unveil
the complete architectural buildout of its new space.
Kaleen hosted High Point Market shoppers in its Showplace 2345 space, which was vastly expanded by the integration of a larger adjacent showroom. The company plans a complete remodel for an official grand opening at the spring 2022 High Point Market and the finished suite more than doubles Kaleen's showroom space.
"This is a soft launch," said Monty Rathi, Kaleen COO. "We have approved our architect's plans but decided to wait until spring so as not to rush; we want to create the best possible build-out for the space and our products." The final expansion seamlessly integrates the next-door showroom, S-2350, forming a spacious, cohesive unit for presentation of the company's area rugs.
Added Brian Brigham, Kaleen's director of marketing & public relations, "Buyers can expect to see an entirely new design focused on creating easy shopping spaces for our customers. The new Kaleen showroom will be a fusion of fun and traditional style -- giving our shoppers and guests a space to relax and unwind."
Kaleen more than double in size with the incorporation of a second showroom customers previewed at the fall market.
KARASTAN
Just ahead of the grand opening reception, IMC execs Bill Colquhoun (far left) and Kevin Malkiewicz (far right) at the
ribbon cutting with Mohawk/Karastan's Mike Riley, Rocky Casteel (center), and Bart Hill.
Karastan feted its new Stacy Garcia and Bobby Berk collections at the official grand opening of the Karastan Rugs showroom at IHFC D443 on Oct. 17. A cocktail party/reception for customers included a step-and-repeat photo op with Berk and giveaway from the designer, as well as a meet and greet with Garcia at the vast and impressive 22,000 square foot showroom.
Karastan's new showroom played up the growing importance of its licensed programs, including the new Bobby Berk
collaboration, launched at October market.
MOMENI
Kevin Malkiewicz (far left) and Bill Colquhoun (far right) of IMC celebrate with brothers Aria Momeni and Ali Momeni
(cutting ribbon) at the grand opening of Momeni's new one-of-a- kind rug showroom, which opens to the company's
running line showroom.
Momeni cut the ribbon on an integrated one-of-a-kind rug gallery at the October High Point show. The new space brings together Momeni's running line and its OAKs, which were formally housed in a distinct location nearby. For the Fall market, shoppers could easily browse Momeni's newest additions alongside its growing assortment of OAKs.
"OAK has always been an important part of Momeni’ s history," said Aria Momeni, executive VP, who leads the company's OAK merchandising program. "The company started with the OAK and evolved to what it’s today: an area rug, broadloom and OAK supplier. Our OAK category continues to be an important part of our business model and that was the reason to expand our HP showroom to dedicate a section for the category.
"When we shop for OAK in overseas we try to find unique and interesting rugs. Our assortment of Oak is made up of vintage rugs, tribal and geometric look from Pakistan and some modern rugs from India as well as decorative rugs like Oushak and Chobi styles -- and our dealers look forward to visit our showrooms in NJ or at HP to select the rugs for their stores. OAKs can offer an edge to the independent rug stores. We continue to see growth the category."
Momeni's new one-of-a-kind showroom allows customers to shop OAKs and new programmed collections in one
contiguous space.
MORE OPENINGS IN OCTOBER, 2021
AREA by Edward Fields
Area by Edward Fields, the company's debut area rug line, was launched officially at the Suites at Market Square at
the fall 2021 HPMKT.
Edward Fields, a high end carpet company that is part of the prestigious Tai Ping group, chose High Point Market for the launch of its new rug label named Area. The debut line includes eight patterns hand-tufted of New Zealand wool, including 60s-inspired designs that were the inspiration for vignettes featuring mid-century modern furnishings and the theme of an opening party in 'full soigné sixties style'.
TAMARIAN
Longtime Suites at Market Square exhibitor Tamarian gets its own permanent location at the Centers of High Point
on Russell.
Tamarian, one of the largest importers of Tibetan hand-knotted rugs in the U.S., continues expansions and improvements to its new High Point showroom to offer a more in-depth and enhanced experience with its product and services. The upgraded location at the Centers of High Point on Russell, offered fall market attendees a relaxing respite at Tamarian's spacious new outdoor patio.
REMODELS SINCE JUNE OPENINGS
Another signal that business is getting back to normal, showrooms debuting with ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the June 2021 High Point Market returned with remodeled or redesigned area rug showrooms.
ART RESOURCES
Max Moussavi and Eddie Simantob of Art Resources at the company's new and larger Historic Market Square
showroom opposite its former space.
Art Resources, which hosted a ribbon cutting for its new space in June, greeted many first-time guests to a spacious showroom located at Market Square 278. "We moved across from our last showroom. It's a better showroom and it has more showing space for our expanding programmed rugs," said Max Moussavi. Art Resources also had ancillary showrooms adjacent to the main space, including one for its popular Southwestern rugs.
Buyers shop the latest Art Resources designs in a spacious Market Square showroom, opened in the summer.
LOLOI
Loloi showcases the 16-piece inaugural wall art collection by Amber Lewis at the entrance to its art gallery.
Loloi, which added even more onto its sprawling IHFC Design Center suite, D-320 in June, used the new 3,000-foot addition to create a designated art gallery this market. Featured upfront, across the entrance wall of the gallery was framed textile art from Loloi's newest licensing partner, Amber Lewis - who was on hand for a book signing and meet-and-greet to celebrate her October 21 area rug and textile art launch. Lewis is Loloi's first license partner in the art category.
LR HOME
The Laddha family - Vaibhav, Krishna, Megha and Vinamra - pose in their new rug LR Home showroom, which
features vignettes of its rugs, furniture and accessories.
LR Home (accessories, furniture, rugs) expanded its space by 48 percent with a move into a 6,786-square-foot showroom for its growing line of home accents and furniture. Directly across the aisle from the company's dedicated rug showroom, the home accents space simplifies the shopping experience for buyers of all LR Home products. [RugNews.com spied LR's new licensing partner, Stacy Garcia at a product development meeting at the showroom.
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LR Home's larger High Point presence allows more room for accessories across the hall from its dedicated area rug
showroom.
RUG & KILIM
Rug & Kilim's Josh and Cyrus Nazmiyal at their IHFC showroom, which showcases its popular mid-century and
Scandinavian area rugs.
High-end rug studio Rug & Kilim opened a showroom at IHFC G-373 in June but continues to man a busy spot at the Suites at Market Square. The company's presence adds to the designer cachet at both locations, which feature luxe hand knotted rugs. Specialists in Scandinavian classic mid-century and modern looks, Rug & Kilim also offers a wide range of new design styles and vintage carpets.
Cyrus Nazmiyal walks rug buyers through the company's new High Point showroom.