|
BUSTLING BOUTIQUE DESIGN SHOW
ATTRACTS RUG AND CARPET EXHIBITORS
TO CONTRACT HOSPITALITY MARKET
Surya was a first time exhibitor at the Boutique Design Show, bringing the company's multi-product merchandising to the hospitality market. Show. Robert Unger, right, buyer for the design firm Brown, Inc. in Nottingham, MD, visits with Satya Tiwari, Surya president, center, and Seth King, right, Surya vp of sales and marketing. |
By Lissa Wyman
New York -- The Fourth Annual Boutique Design New York, co-located with the long-running International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant show was a bustling event that attracted approximately 5,000 visitors to view the high design offerings of 325 exhibitors. Carpets and rugs were an important part of the Boutique Design Show, with nearly 20 companies showing both carpets and rugs.
Full business story and people pix, click here.
"We have exhibited at thid dhow since it began four years ago, and it has seen significant growth in the past four years,:" said Jonathan Peykar, who heads the Nourison hospitality division.
"New York is center of the design industry and we see a lot of key design firms here," he added.
Nourison introduced Indiginie, a new collection of Axminster broadloom carpeting enhanced by hand carving. The collection is inapired by native American designs and demonstrates the design direction that is both modern and traditional," noted Elliot Steel, design director for Nourison Hospitality. "Indigine is Nourison's first collection designated specificially for the hospitality market, Steel noted."It is the first of many hospitality collections to come."
The OW Hospitality booth featured Axminster carpeting, hand tufted carpet and area rigs, according to Jonathon Young, director of global sales. "OW is growing as a hospitality brand and we are introducing several new custom collection aimed specifically at this market."
This was the first Boutique Design show for Feizy, which produced custom broadloom, hand tufted and machine made rugs. "We are getting our name out there as a source for custom floor covering in the hospitality business," said. Dale Sweary, vice president of sales for Feizy. "As hard surface becomes more important in hotel bedrooms as well as public areas, there is a greater need for rugs to soften the look," added Corbin Perkins, who heads teh Feizy custom team.
"We have always had a presence in the hospitality market, but now we are in that category in full force," said Satya Tiwari, president of Surya. Surya recently named Tom Etheridge as vice president of hospitality to broaden Surya's scope in that market. This was the first time Surya has shown at the Boutique Design Show and the company showed its products in an eclectic settting that included seating, pillows, lighting and rugs. "We want to bring our message of coordinated products to the hospitality market, as we have with our retail business," said Tiwari. "The key to success in this market, as in retail is service, and our goal is to be the service leader in this field."
Liora Manne brought her lamontage process to the Boutique Design show in the form of both floor and wall textiles art. "Our message is to bring colorful and dramatic textiles for floors, wall, pillows and furniture to this specialized market," sje said.
Couristan has been a long-time leader in the world of hospitality deisgn, and the company continues to aggressively grow this part of the business, according to George Couri, chief operating offiicer.
"We have a lot of projects going on now, but we are always trying to meet new people as well as saying hellp to the people we already know," said Couri.
Michael Mandapati, founder and president of Warp & Weft, specializes in high end Nepalese rugs. "We are doing well in the hospitality business. This is our second year at this show, and we've seen a lot of interesting in high end hand tufted products for this category," he said. |