SUGAR VALLEY, GA -- Karastan has taken the Multi Panel Kirman, the most popular rug it has ever made, and recreated it in a trendy fashion colorway.  The new limited edition rug, the latest addition to the Artisan Collection, is called Panel Kirman Granite, and will debut at the Atlanta Rug Market in January, 2016. Karastan will sponsor a Mugs N' Suds event to debut of the Panel Kirman Granite rug on January 13 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at its AmericasMart space, 3-A-1. 

"We have reimagined the 717 Multi Panel Kirman, the longest running line and top selling rug of all time," said Brandon Culpepper, vice president of specialty sales at Karastan. "Due to its complexity and intricacy, recreating such an iconic piece of American history is an intimidating task. The Multi Panel Kirman is an heirloom and has held a place of honor in generations of homes. And now we have taken this beautiful pattern and recolored it with the millennial buyer in mind: creams, grays, tans and bronze with accents of blue. With only 250 of these amazing rugs in production, these limited edition works of art are sure to become treasured collectibles."

Karastan's Panel Kirman Granite rug will be introduced at the 2016 Atlanta Rug Market, and no photos will be released before the market. Rug size is 8'8" x 12'.

This design, which eventually became the most in-demand rug in Karastan's history, was inspired by the work of shawl makers in Persia's Kirman region. They became famed around the world for the graceful style and intense coloration of their wares. The Multi Panel Kirman beautifully melds 50 colors in a complex pattern, and the original Karastan designers who created this rug had to hand-paint the design on graph paper, a laborious task that could take months, even years. This limited edition recreation has been painstakingly created to carry on the legacy of the original pattern while updating it for today's consumer. 

The Panel Kirman Granite is woven of 100 percent New Zealand wool on Axminster looms in the USA and features the same stunning display of cartouche patterns and elaborate floral border of the Multi Panel Kirman. One difference: striations have been added to give the rug more of a vegetal-dyed, hand-made appearance.

RugNews.com founder Lissa Wyman reported on the history of Karastan's Multi Panel Kirman in 2010 following a tour of Karastan's North Carolina facilities.