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People, Show Recap

Exclusive 20+ Rug Showroom Tour: Las Vegas Market Buzzing with Buyers, Part 1

The winter 2020 edition of Las Vegas Market had showrooms bustling with retailers and designers scoping out the latest looks to help them cash in on the success of the category.

Carol Tisch
2/4/2020
montage of market buyers
LAS VEGAS -- The winter 2020 edition of Las Vegas Market proved a bonanza for area rug companies with most showrooms bustling with retailers and designers scoping out the latest looks to help them cash in on the success of the category.

 

From machine-made vendors to high-end hand-knotted rug makers, the show's exhibitors reported gains in traffic and order writing. In fact, for many of the surveyed rug executives the winter 2020 show was among the top to date. "This was one of the best markets we've ever had," said Steve Couri of Couristan. "We were constantly busy with appointments."


Likewise, Kaleen, which introduced Vegas shoppers to its new Hilary Farr collection, had a strong turnout. "Market was outstanding," said Monty Rathi, COO. "We broke our 2019 record -- we have seen more customers this year than 2019 and had more customers writing orders. And with over 10 new collections, we had an awesome reaction and positive feedback from customers. Also, I was excited to see customers are looking for better end products, which is encouraging for the industry."

At Dalyn Rugs, Brian Vander Werf said market was "off-the-charts fabulous. It was really exciting: A lot of energy; a lot of people - just a lot of fun."  He added that, "the new collections and the new TailoreD program for custom rugs were tremendously received."

 

And HRI reported exceptional activity, primarily due to its West Coast launch of Sunbrella Performance Rugs, with a showroom overflowing with big names from Macy's to ABC Carpet to Rug Studio at a Monday night launch party.


The roll out of a new licensed program at Dynamic Rugs also drew in buyers hoping to meet designer and TV celeb Angelo Surmelis."Traffic this winter in Vegas was the best it's been in a while - - that seemed to be the general consensus among everyone: buyers, resellers and distributors alike," said Matthew Rouhanian, founder, Dynamic Rugs. "You could definitely feel that uptick in energy throughout market; it translated to just an overall positivity about the consumer market. We're hoping this is a sign of what's to come for the remainder of 2020."

 

Feizy's Instagram giveaway boosted traffic and had buyers stopping in and being wowed by a vibrant OAK vignette that took center stage during the challenge. "We're so happy," said Justin Yeck, vice president of sales and marketing at Feizy, of traffic at the show, and the response to the Instagram contest. "Clients were coming in and taking photos. It's been a really great promotion."


 

In this two-part showroom tour, RugNews.com takes you behind the scenes for a peek at the action. Below are Part 1 companies Caravan Rug to Kaleen. The tour continues in Part 2 with companies Karastan to Unique Loom here.
 
Caravan

Debra Freelove, Ken Gurley and Heather Harhay of Landry& Arcari in Boston and Salem, Massachusettes, with Jay Nehouray, managing director at Caravan Rug Corp. Behind them is the best-selling Ecstasy collection hand-knotted rug.

Company C

Christine Chapin, founder and 'colorful living officer' of Company C -- which shows in Las Vegas at the Norwalk Furniture showroom -- is sitting in a display featuring rugs and accessories from both Company C and the popular priced Colorfields collections. 
 
Couristan

 
Couristan's new Brocatelle collection designs are a textural background for this Las Vegas Market photo of Ron Couri and Lynn Dunn of Couristan with Rhonda McMann of Jordan's Furniture in Boston (center).

 
Steve Couri of Couristan with Allan Alexanian of Alexanian Carpet & Flooring in Toronto, Canada, pose in front of the hit Argos collection, a 2-million point range that's so soft, it folds like a handmade rug.
 
Creative Touch

 
Baki Ildiz of Creative Touch Rugs shows the newest designs to Holly Davis and Sara Mingus of Shades of Design in Las Vegas with Chelsea Novakoski of Creative Touch at the rug maker's Las Vegas Market showroom.
 
Dalyn

 
Susan Buehner of The Studio Interior Design in St George Utah, Angie Haymond of Expression by Design in Salt Lake City, Brian Vander Werf and Dave Babb of Dalyn, and Ali Harman of Expression by Design scope out the hot new TailoreD custom program launched at Vegas Market.
 
Dynamic Rugs


Dynamic Rugs's Anoosha Rouhanian and license partner Angelo Surmelis show Saeideh Omidghaemi and Mo Omidghaemi from Aladdin Rugs & Fine Arts Gallery the celebrity designer's debut rug collection.


Dynamic Rugs' Anoosha and Matthew Rouhanian flank new license partner Angelo Surmelis at the Las Vegas Market Launch of  the Angelo Surmelis for Dynamic Rugs collection.

Feizy Rugs

 
Eric Schoenherr and Katie Milam of Lands' End in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, flank John Feizy in front of the textural new Kyra collection machine woven at Feizy's own Covetex facility in Turkey.

Denise Reily of Feizy, Niko Papadopoulos and Kelly Leary of Sergenian Rugs in Madison, Wisconsin, John Feizy and Kathryn Sergenian in front of boldly colored sari silk one of a kind rugs at the entrance to Feizy's Vegas showroom.

 
Patricia Garza Orta, John Feizy, Alberto Rodriguez of Ambience Interiores of Mexico with a backdrop of intricately hand-knotted designs from the rug maker's curated collection of one-of-a-kind rugs.
 
Harounian Rugs International

 
At the HRI Las Vegas Market Sunbrella launch party, Lee Harounian and Jennifer Harounian of HRI pose with Rich Jacobs of ABC Carpet & Home in NYC in front of the new hand loomed wool and viscose Latitude collection.

 
Lee Harounian of HRI, Ted Evans of The Fine Rug Gallery at Macy's, David Harounian, HRI and David Mink, The Fine Rug Gallery at Macy's in front of the Performance Rugs by Sunbrella collection.

 
Greg Jordt of HRI, Tom Munroe of Rug Studio in San Antonio, Texas, David Harounian, HRI, Karla Sawdon of Rug Studio, Travis Sawdon, Sawdon Homes, San Antonio, and Will Munroe, Rug Studio.
 
Jaunty

 
Courtni Dore, global buyer at First & Main in Bothell, Washington, checks out popular cowhide designs with Larry Haines of Jaunty, First & Main owner, Chelsea Coryell, and Kami Navid of Jaunty.
 
Kalaty

 
Sam Presnell, Arlene Presnell and Beau Presnell of The Rug Gallery in Cincinnati with Kalaty's Sheryl Watts and Farshad Kalaty in front of a design from the super thick shag pile hand-knotted Polaris collection.

 
Kalaty's Mike Kalaty and Jim Hines pose in front of Natori designs from the hand-knotted wool and Silkette Lasha series with Jan Lynch and Stephen Lynch of Rustic Elegance in Kerrville, Texas.

Kaleen

 
Kaleen's show stopping "melted rug" on display to illustrate the company's custom capabilities, is the background for Las Vegas Market VIP Nora Gomez of Nebraska Furniture, and Kaleen's Monty Rathi.


Fans of celeb designer Hilary Farr, Janis and Will Lehman of Lehman Design check out Farr's new rugs at the Kaleen showroom, shown for the first time to western buyers at Las Vegas Market.

Safavieh HRI Tower