Rug makers add variety of fresh styles

Lissa Wyman -- Furniture Today, January 29, 2007

The January Atlanta International Rug Market is the most important fashion event of the rug industry. When a new trend strikes the imagination of buyers, it means big sales, greater market penetration and greater momentum for the entire year. Within the broad categories of traditional, transitional and contemporary designs, these are the directions that will set the mood for 2007.

Blue mood

As America's taste in furnishings swings to the blue palette, rug vendors are showing a wide range of this color family. Key tones run from blue-green teals to spa and sky blue.

1. EBISONS HAROUNIAN
   The Kabul collection is inspired by 19th-century Turkish carpets in updated, vegetable-dyed colors. Sky blue forms a subtle background to this classic design. Hand knotted in China. $1,499 in 6 by 9.

2. KAS
   Blue dominates this bold contemporary design in the Eternity collection. Hand tufted in India in multiple textures. Wool. $399 in 5 by 8.

3. RENAISSANCE CARPET & TAPESTRIES
   Blue-gray hues give this traditional Hadji Jalili Tabriz a new look. The design is a re-creation of a traditional antique design. Constructed of hard-twist wool on cotton. Hand knotted in India. $2,600 in 6 by 9.

4. TRANS OCEAN
   Trans Ocean introduces a faded denim hue to this Umbria collection design hand tufted of wool in China. $350 in 4′10″ by 7′10″.

Flourishing florals

Floral and botanical motifs are always near the top of rug best-seller lists. But this year, they are more prevalent than ever as the rug industry opts for pretty looks over hard-edged contemporary.

1. FEIZY
   This lively stylized floral from the Jochi collection is hand tufted of wool and faux silk, then luster washed. $390 in 5′6″ by 8.

2. GULISTAN
   Floral bouquets are strewn across this design from Gulistan's Archive collection. Machine-made of space-dyed, cross-woven nylon tactesse yarn backed with a Stainmaster guarantee. $349 in 5 by 8.

3. HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL
   This design, from the Camelot II collection, features a delicate leaf and vine motif. Hand hooked in China of modified acrylic. $399 in 3′6″ by 5′6″.

4. SPHINX BY ORIENTAL WEAVERS
   This design, from the Pembroke collection, features free-flowing botanical shapes set against a rich red background. Machine woven of space-dyed wool and viscose fibers. $399 in 5′3″ by 7′9″.

The name game

The rug industry has fallen in love with name-brand licensing. The commitment to branding programs has the added benefit of fueling companies' creativity as they develop new ways to work as part of a larger home fashions arena.

1. 828 INTERNATIONAL TRADING
   The Lauren Brooks collection is designed by Kathy Imes. Designs are patterned in soft, muted shades of gold, brown, tan and ivory. Hand tufted of wool. $699 in 5 by 8.

2. HELLENIC
   This damask design in dramatic charcoal shades is one of the highlights of Hellenic's Candice Olson collection. Multiple constructions and fibers are used in the transitional rug offering. $699 for a 6 by 9.

3. HOMEFIRES
   Home Fires' first April Cornell licensing program makes its debut at the Janaury market. Splendid Blossoms is hand hooked of wool and made in China. $290 in 5 by 8.

4. NOURISON
   Nourison's Calvin Klein CK 11 collection is hand tufted in India of dense wool yarns with subtle textures created by hand carving. $1,400 in 6 by 9.

5. SAFAVIEH
   The Safavieh/Martha Stewart Rugs collection is getting kicked off with lots of hoopla at the January rug market. Grasses is one of the designs created by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for the Safavieh program. Grasses is hand knotted in India using an Oushak weave. Made of hand-carded wool using natural vegetable dyes. $1,695 in 6 by 9.

6. SHAW LIVING
   Tommy Bahama Vintage Lei in subtle golds, grays and browns has the look of a faded print from the English Colonial period. Machine-made in the United States of EverTouch nylon. $700 in 5′5″ by 7′9″.

Walk on the wild side

Some designs defy description. They are big, bold and "in your face," creating an exciting art form for the floor.

1. CAPEL
   A patchwork of classic design snippets marks this design from the Crystalle collection. Nepalese weave construction with hand carving and a combination of cut-and-loop pile. Made in India of New Zealand wool. $1,139 in 5 by 8.

2. HOMESPICE DÉCOR
   Homespice Décor's SuperNova rug is hand braided in a circular pattern. As the braiding increases the width of the rug, the swirling lines create the look of a cosmic supernova. $89 in 2 by 3.

3. LIORA MANNE
   Hyper realism creates an eye-popping design from Liora Manne. The Lamontage rugs are hand made from custom-dyed acrylic fibers using a patented needle felting process. Treated with latex for increased durability, this rug is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. $675 in a 6-foot round.

4. PEKING HANDICRAFTS
   Brown/Pink Fragment rug, by designer DL Rhein, is hooked of wool with a cotton canvas backing. Made in China. $160 in 3 by 5.

Curlicues

Graceful curves can reflect the architectural detailing of iron work fences or the soft tendrils of a long-stemmed botanical. It's one of the softer directions in contemporary rug style.

1. COURISTAN
   Falling petals come to life in this Lotus Garden design. The design highlights the rich surface interest created by Couristan's 10-framepower-weaving system. Woven of semi-worsted New Zealand wool. $399 in 5′3″ by 7′6″.

2. DYNAMIC RUGS
   Birds form a part of this architectural swirl pattern in Dynamic's indoor-outdoor Piazza collection. Machine woven in high-resistance synthetic yarns. $130 in 5 by 8.

3. JAUNTY
   This classic Persian floral on a rich red background creates a dramatic but graceful rhythmic effect. The Melody collection is hand tufted in India of wool pile with mercerized cotton accents. $449 in 5 by 8.

Mellowing modern

New contemporary looks sport a softer, mellower look that covers a broader range of decorating choices. Lines tend to be curved or broken, while serene, Zen-like forms replace the hard edges of a few seasons back.

1. AMER RUGS
   Kinara is hand knotted in India of wool. A strong contemporary feel, with softly broken lines for a more relaxed look. $969 in 6 by 9.

2. ENDLESS KNOT RUG
   The serenity of a Japanese garden comes to life in the Mito design. Features 100-knot construction using hand-carded wool and silk. $3,699 in 6 by 9.

3. MOMENI
   Nolita consists of modern-transitional designs that go with today's relaxed home furnishings. Power loomed of New Zealand wool with hand-serged edges and hand carving. $439 in 5 by 8.

Golden age

Many traditional rug designs being introduced this winter have a rich burnished gold patina. It's one way to bring back the luxury and mystery to Oriental rugs, at every price point.

1. JAIPUR RUGS
   The Arcadia collection is hand tufted in India of hand-spun Gazni wool. The rich intricacy of the design is set off by the gold and brown colorway. $599 in 5 by 8.

2. MEGERIAN BROTHERS
   The Oushak collection is based on an original Turkish design and is made for the top end of the market using traditional weaving techniques. $3,700 to $3,900 in 6 by 9.

3. MIRESCO
   Miresco's aim is to bring hand knotted color, texture and patina to a machine-woven Wilton construction. Philosophy reproduces classic Peshawar looks. Made of wool. $499 in 5 by 8.

4. SURYA
   The Antolya collection was designed to create the impression of medieval Persia using the same symmetrical knots that were used in the original Turkish rugs. Hand washed and finished. Hand knotted in India. $999 in 6 by 9.

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