| ATLANTA RUG MARKET SHOWROOM TOUR - PEOPLE & PARTIES, JULY 2018
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ATLANTA -- The summer 2018 edition of the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, held at AmericasMart from July 11-15, was a success according to rug vendors, who measured results based on the quality of retailers in attendance and orders written.
In fact, several exhibitors pointed out a changing strategy among retailers, telling RugNews.com that many of their customers opted to arrive on Friday or Saturday to work over the weekend, instead of scheduling appointments earlier in the week as they typically do.
Lifestyle icon Martha Stewart fills the 750-seat AmericasMart Live amphitheater in Building 3 (with many watching from floors above) as she shares gardening wisdom from her new book, Martha's Flowers.
With a flurry of ribbon cuttings on opening day (read story) and appearances by the likes of Martha Stewart and Arianna Huffington (who presented this summer's ICON Honors Awards), there was plenty to cover at AmericasMart showrooms, including an opening night party at Momeni, popular CEU events at Jaipur Living, a new licensing program at KAS (Hang Ten), and news of Karastan's collaboration with Drew and Jonathan Scott from HGTV's Property Brothers.
In this exclusive Atlanta Market People & Parties roundup, we present an insider's look at the retailers shopping the rug floors on the hunt for the newest colors, patterns and textures.
AMER
In the Amer showroom, Raj Choudhary and Tanuj Gupta of Amer, Ryan Willians of Artisan Design Studio in Cumming, Georgia, John Mendez and Bret Baker of Amer.
CAPEL
Capel's Paula Johnson shows the Wisconsin-based Sergenian team (Kelly Leary, Niko Papadopoulos and Geneva Seeger) some top looks, including Metropolis Ushak, one of Capel's best sellers, in a new navy colorway.
Paula Johnson, Capel's Southeast regional manager, with David Buffington of Brentwood Interiors in Nashville and Cameron Capel, VP.
HRI
The HRI team in their new AmericasMart showroom with their hit Intrigue collection behind them. From, left: Deo Jugmohan, David Grasse, Bob Ball, Lee Harounian, David Harounian, Diana Samuels and Greg Jordt.
Jeff Hagedorn of HRI, Paige Howard-Drummond and Jim Howard of Eighteenth Street Oriental in Birmingham, Alabama, and Greg Jordt, HRI, pose in front of a Rosewood collection abstract design.
KALATY
Mike Kalaty of Kalaty Rugs, Paige Lyden and Kelly Putman of Designers Carpet & Rug Source in Roswell, Georgia, and Ramin Kalaty of Kalaty Rugs are photographed with two of the company's popular hand-knotted modern abstract designs behind them.
KALEEN
Monty Rathi and Blake Dennard of Kaleen in front of a debut design from the new Alzada collection, which is hand-tufted of wool in a patchwork of multi-textured and blended yarns.
KARASTAN
Kelly Moore of Karastan with Rakesh Agarwal and Casey Bleier of Rug & Home, with stores in North and South Carolina.
KAS RUGS
Celebrating the launch of Hang Ten Rugs by KAS are Lacy Estes of KAS, Greg Wyman and Ilana Wilensky of Jewel Branding & Licensing, and Santhi Yarlagadda of KAS. Shown are rugs from the Hang Ten Palm Beach collection.
LIBERTY RUGS
Mary and Richard Amatulli of Amatulli & Sons, in Landrum, South Carolina, flank Jim Rash of Liberty Rugs at his new AmericasMart showroom. Shown, one of Liberty's latest Peshawar designs.
LINON
Max Green of Greens Bath & Home Accessories in Brooklyn, New York, poses in front of the hot-selling machine-made Prisma Electric rug with Steve Mazarakis of Linon Home.
LOLOI
Loloi's Amir Loloi and Juliana Vargas flank buyers Molly Stephenson and Jamie Snyder of Magnolia, part of the Chip and Joanna Gaines lifestyle empire for which Loloi produces rugs and more.
Russ Jones of Loloi with designers Kathy Kuo and Katie Knapp of Kathy Kuo Home in New York City, a curated e-commerce source for designer home furnishings.
LR RESOURCES
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Mike Thompson of LR Resources and Becky Ison of OHCO in Covington, Georgia, stand in front of premiering designs in the Bleached Naturals collection made of bleached jute interwoven with chenille.
MOMENI
Reza Momeni of Momeni, Igor Yakovenko of East Coast retailer Airbase Carpet & Tile Mart, Momeni's Betty Ann Gildea and Aria Momeni at the rug maker's showroom party on opening night of the Atlanta International Area Rug Market.
David Buffington and Marsha Buffington of Brentwood Interiors in Nashville, Tennessee, pose with Aria Momeni in front of a colorful new tribal design at the company's Atlanta market showroom party.
NOURISON
John Ward of Kanes Furniture in Florida with Steven Peykar and Jeff Gonzalez, both of Nourison. Ward found a perfect color match in this new Twilight collection abstract rug and Mina Victory ombre shag pillow.
Susan Cromier of Nourison with Miriam and Katie Thompson, both of Rug Rack in Chattanooga, pose in front of elegant Christopher Guy area rugs.
ORIAN
Joy Gearo of Orian, Adrienne Wooddell of Rugs Direct, Maria Metropoulos-Ward of Orian, and Brittany Rickett of Rugs Direct pose in front of Orian's new machine-woven Persian Forest Silverton rug from the Aria collection.
RIZZY HOME
Shamsu Ansari and Steve Roan of Rizzy Home show off one of their best-selling rugs from the machine-made, 100 percent wool Gossamer collection at the company's AmericasMart showroom.
SAFAVIEH
Cyrus Yaraghi of Safavieh takes Carmen Herndon of Ballard Designs in Atlanta on a tour of the new Safavieh showroom at AmericasMart, and the new Marrakesh Casa collection behind them.
SURYA
Isa Rice and Sharon Pind of Surya pause from a line review with Liana Runco of Country Willow in Bedford Hills, New York, with a striking abstract modern design behind them.
TAMARIAN
Lots of action at the Tamarian AmericasMart showroom with Shane Cibor of Tamarian, Rob Leahy of Fine Rugs of Charleston, Steve Cibor of Tamarian, Charlann Joyner of Oasis Rugs in Florida, Ryan Higgins of Tamarian, David Truett of Truett Fine Carpet & Rugs in Dallas, and Ned Baker, Tamarian.
UNITED WEAVERS
Michelle Curtin of United Weavers with Sharon Leonard of Bassett Furniture pose for RugNews.com in front of a new design from the rug maker's Panama Jack licensed collection.