Area Rugs in a range of styles and constructions topped the charts at the fall 2022 HPMKT.
HIGH POINT, N.C. -- With more than 30 High Point Market rug showrooms on our hit list, RugNews.com had lots of product debuts to cover -- and they didn’t disappoint. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the return to area rug classics with true Persian reproductions and authentic one of a kinds at one end of the spectrum, and reimagined traditional designs with fresh new colors, pattern placement, fibers and weaves also gaining ground.
And iconic rug motifs permiate performance rugs which continue to make inroads in good-better-best iterations, with washable rugs now a strong new category -- even showing up at showrooms known as designer sources.
Performance and eco-friendly fibers, as well as million- and two-million point machine-mades were growth drivers in a majority of rug showrooms as price, practicality and sustainability become increasingly important to consumers.
RugNews.com, in the industry's only area rug recap, visits 30+ area rug exhibitors to find out what resonated with buyers at the October event. Below are companies from Momeni to Unique Loom. Don't miss Part 1, where the coverage begins with Amer to LR Home.
MOMENI
Momeni's latest licensing program Pure Salt took center stage at the company's IHFC showroom. Shown, Menorca
collection
Momeni was focusing on its new Pure Salt licensed collection with designers Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln, of California interior design practice Pure Salt Interiors. The duo were on hand to walk customers through the collection and share what went into the creation of the collection, which included five different collections. “Everything we do is light, bright, airy, natural, and neutral,” explained Lincoln. “Our rugs are not printed, not manufactured… we wanted them to feel authentic.”
The Koukila collection, made of handwoven linen, is inspired by the vintage kilims the designers source for projects. Torquay is crafted from soft wool and jute woven together with colorways of walnut, bleach, and natural. Menorca was inspired by worn, antique rugs with character and has an earthy color palette. Cassis has a thicker weave and is a great base for layering, and Patara is the brand’s children’s collection, with highly textured, whimsical weaves in sophisticated neutrals. The Pure Salt area rugs have a wide range of sizes and shapes, including, in certain collections, runners and rounds.
Pure Salt x Momeni includes a children’s collection called Patara with 3-D poms in sophisticated neutrals.
NATCO
Natco's Stonington is domestically made with plush textural designs in an easy-to-decorate with palette.
“This has been a home run,” says Jim Thompson, VP of sales at Natco, about the company’s Stonington collection. With a neutral palette that has a mix of warm and cool tones, the rug features a detailed abstract pattern over a lighter background. The company also debuted a second domestic collection called Landscape, which was well-received. It’s machine-woven of polypropylene and has a geometric pattern with striping of various shades of earthy hues.
Natco introduces Landscape collection, made in the U.S., which offers an ultra-soft hand and contemporary palettes.
NEW MOON
The hand-knotted Papillon in the printemps colorway was best of market at New Moon SAMS booth.
A traditional wallpaper-look floral called Papillon captured the attention of shoppers, luring them into New Moon’s SAMS stand. With a ground of Tibetan wool and flowers in silk, it typified the “Return to Pretty” that was at the top of designers’ hit lists this market. New Moon did well in all rugs that fell into this category, which one company exec said is definitely trending. At the opposite end of the design scale, an all-wool black and white graphic animal patterned rug was also a conversation piece, with its intricate weave that ran from tonal ebony to ivory.
Kubla by New Moon is a bold graphic design with hidden leopards.
NOURISON
Nourison's successful hand-tufted Prismatic collection adds a fresh flora motif with gold accents.
Nourison introduced its first area rug with a sculptured edge, Scroll, which took home a 2022 Pinnacle Award. In addition, the company added to its popular and beautiful Prismatic collection. The latest design featuring oversized abstract flowers accented with a raised gold outline, while another intro is a swirling pattern of black and shades of gray with gold accents. The company also tackled color in a big way with its loom-woven Interweave rugs, which are woven in solid colors with a raised striping detail. The wool and cotton rugs come in bright hues like orange, yellow, blue and green, as well as neutral tones.
In the company’s licensed lines, new additions to the Nicole Curtis collection were also in focus, including fresh styles added to the Series 1 collection of machine-washable rugs, and the debut of Series 4, which features classic Persian designs constructed of polypropylene and polyester with a carved effect.
Rehab Addict star Nicole Curtis adds the Series 4 collection and the celebrity designer was in the Nourison to meet with buyers.
ORIAN
Orian featured its new Crochet Weave construction offering multi-level patterns. Shown, Glass House
Two constructions — Knit Weave and Crochet Weave — were in the spotlight at Orian. One of the rugs under the Knit Weave umbrella, Madico, can be used indoors or outdoors, and has a geometric pattern that almost has a 3D, optical-illusion effect when seen from afar. The pattern is reversible. A highlight from the Crochet collection is Glass House, constructed with a three-level effect of various weave styles that give it textural interest. This rug is also suitable for outdoor use. The company’s Simply Southern Cottage collection was also a highlight, with cheerful oversized florals as well as neutral geometric patterns on offer.
Orian rolled out a new licensing program with influencer Simply Southern Cottage.
ORIENTAL WEAVERS
Sumter by Oriental Weavers expands its machine-washable assortment. It features a nonskid backing.
Highlights from Oriental Weavers were collections Reed and Sumter. Reed is power-loomed from shrink polyester and polypropylene and comprises 12 designs in all. It has a beautiful high-low texture and features abstract geometric designs that would be at home in a contemporary setting. Sumter, meanwhile, is part of the company’s machine-washable offerings. It has a nonskid backing and distressed, traditional designs.
Also getting a lot of buzz in the Oriental Weavers showroom was Caicos, which has a natural sisal look but is woven of a performance fiber for the ultimate in durability and easy care. The rugs come in a range of options, including a runner and programmed sizes ranging up to 9’10” x 12’10”. Another in the company’s Ultimate Performance Rug line, Tortuga comes in a versatile greige with the pattern rendered in black or multicolored yarn.
Oriental Weavers debuts Reed power-loomed from shrink polyester and polypropylene.
ORIENTALIST HOME
Orientalist Home's booth was full of designers and buyers scooping up its Oushak rugs and traditional designs.
The oversized SAMS stands for Orientalist Home were overflowing with area rug shoppers, both designers and buyers from upscale stores. According to Gady Yesilcay, owner, Oushak rugs and Persian traditional designs in fashion colors were best sellers, receiving a larger proportion of total sales that at previous High Point Markets. Still, the company continued to score with its go-to Moroccan rugs in unique designs – sometimes with overblown Persian elemental motifs – others in minimalistic patterns and natural colors.
Traditional patterns were the top sellers at the Orientalist Home SAMS booth.
RIZZY HOME
Rizzy introduces its wool-hybrid concept with Bolero, which is machine-woven but hand finished.
In the focus at Rizzy was its unique wool hybrid concept: rugs that are machine-woven, and “treated like a hand-knot once it leaves the loom,” says Wes Milstead, national sales manager. The rugs are paddle-washed, then stretched, serged and carved by hand. The finished rug is difficult to differentiate from an entirely handmade rug and can reduce the price by as much as half. Bolero features a bold abstract pattern with shades of gray, black, and cream, accented with gold. The company is also increasing the number of sizes in its Lancaster collection to up to 10x14. It features an over-tufted outlined design.
RUG & KILIM
Tiger rugs of all shapes, sizes and fashion colors were big hits at the Rug & Kilim booth.
Imagine a flash sale with frenzied shoppers, and you get the picture of the scene at Rug & Kilim’s SAMS showroom space. The big draw was a series of tiger rugs commissioned by rug industry legend Teddy Sumner and made to his specifications in Afghanistan. Every tiger rug Josh Nazmiyal of Rug & Kilim bought to High Point was spoken for by the end of the show, yet those rugs were rivaled in sales with the company’s ever-popular Scandinavian Modern collection for its best of show.
Scandinavian design is a signature look at Rug & Kilim (left foreground) and popular with shoppers at HPMKT.
SAFAVIEH
Safavieh introduces the hand-knotted Paseo collection, which offers Southwest styling.
A hit from Safavieh was Paseo, a collection of hand-knotted cotton and viscose rugs. With a neutral colorway heavy on cream and taupe, the rugs have a Southwest or tribal feel to them, many with wide, intricately patterned borders.
A Fifth Avenue collection rug (FTV148B) with Mid-Century vibe was “Style Spotted” for High Point Market by chief interior designer Monika Nessbach of Designbar at Safavieh’s showroom, hyping the attention of market shoppers. The collection is hand-tufted of wool and cotton and several designs feature on-trend freeform edges. Safavieh also received kudos for its 2 million point rugs in zero pile traditional patterns and soft washed colors. The power-loomed rugs, displayed in stacks as if they were vintage one-of-kinds, got plenty of thumbs up from retailers and designers.
Safavieh’s Fifth Avenue collection rug with free-form edges (FTV148B) is Style Spotted by designer Monika Nessback for HPMKT.
SAMAD
Hermes from the Olympic collection was a HPMKT winner at Samad in this slate and ivory colorway.
Samad greeted market shoppers hailing from diverse cities like Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Charlottesville, Virginia, but the rugs they sought were strikingly similar. The global trend to softened traditional motifs was a winner at the company’s Market Square Tower showroom, with the Olympic collection garnering best of market in the transitional category.
The thick-pile rugs in the Bohemian collection were also popular with market shoppers. Available in natural earth-tones, these rugs are hand-knotted using the Senneh knot and natural un-dyed Australian wool. The modern geometric designs, inspired by 70s fashion, can easily suit a minimalist aesthetic, or lay the groundwork for busier decor.
The plush Bohemian collection's Genesis rug in natural colorway attracted attention at Samad’s showroom.
STARK
The Eira stripe rug from Ashley Stark Home for Stark Studio Rugs pairs primary colors with undyed naturals.
At Stark Studio Rugs, the Ashley Stark Home collection of wool flatweaves was a hit at HPMKT as were the custom tufted Spa collection rugs under the Stark Performance program, which features designer styling in contemporary area rugs made from acrylic and cleanable with bleach.
Ashley Stark Home rugs are curated by Ashley Stark and had previously been launched in Stark showrooms and on her website alongside several other interior furnishings product categories bearing the Ashley Stark Home label. As of the fall 2022 High Point Market, the line of hand-knotted and flatweave rugs will be distributed through Stark’s wholesale group.
Stark's Stark Performance program rugs were market hits for their designer styling and cleanability.
SURYA
Surya showcased its growing range of PET pillows and rugs including its popular Revere and Piazza collections.
Surya is playing up its performance offerings, which are mainly made of 100 percent recycled PET and feature hand-woven and hand-knotted constructions. Durable, easy to clean, and good for high-traffic areas, these rugs marry luxury looks with durability. Among the many popular collections are Revere and Piazza. Shown above, Revere is a vintage-looking line with subtle traditional designs and authentic-looking weaving, and Piazza has a textural feel of a center medallion and a wide border. The new rugs in the Lykke and Lyna collections are machine washable. Lykke is made of 100 percent polyester, machine-woven in Turkey, and features a diamond pattern over a lush pile. Lyna is polypropylene and polyester, with tonal stripes making straight and curved patterns.
For handmade shoppers, the Tunis collection offers nine new designs, with a focus on large-scale patterns rendered in earthy neutrals. And the Castillo collection features two neutral colorways and a patchwork-like tonal pattern hand-knotted in a nubby low pile in 100 percent wool. Buyers flocked to the new Lavish collection of luxuriously plush solid color rugs hand-knotted of pure mohair, another Surya best seller.
Surya debuts the luxurious Lavish collection of hand-knotted rugs crafted of pure mohair.
TRANS-OCEAN
A HPMKT hit was the cheery Sunflowers pattern by designer Liora Manne -- a new addition to Trans-Ocean's Marina series.
Of the many new Liora Manné for Trans Ocean designs, one standout was the Sunflowers pattern, part of the company’s popular Marina line. Made of polypropylene and polyester and power-loomed in Egypt, the design features oversized sunflowers and foliage on a black background. Other introductions in the ever-growing Marina collection included Disco, a tromp l’oeil effect design of a spiral cord; Acacia, which has a basket weave motif; and Cirque, a splashy abstract pattern.
Another highlight was Collage, in the Carmel collection. This unusual pattern depicts white line drawings of fish and other ocean creatures juxtaposed with potted plants, on a marled solid-colored background. The Carmel collection also expanded with Porto, a pattern featuring geometric shapes dissolving into a border, and Botanical, an oversized floral.
The company also filled in its new Monterey indoor/outdoor rug collection with extended colorways. This collection features natural-look yarn, with different colors woven into geometric patterns. Finally, a machine-made collection of 100 percent wool, Sofia, included a tribal design of light and dark neutrals flecked with color.
Trans-Ocean adds the Collage design by Liora Manne to its Carmel collection, which features a marled solid-colored ground.
THE PERSIAN CARPET
Arts & Crafts sales proved what’s old is new again at The Persian Carpet. Shown, a Stained Glass collection design.
Cynthia McLaren of The Persian Carpet and Southwest Looms reported a big spike in sales of the rug maker’s Arts & Crafts designs. RugNews.com watched as retailers snapped up all on hand inventory on rounds and runners in everything from Voysey to Prairie School styles. The company’s Southwest Looms western looks usually outpace the Arts & Crafts line in High Point, but the trend to classic and traditional sales held true at the fall event even in this specialized category of rugs.
Buyers loved the Streatham Park design in hand-spun wool at The Persian Carpet’s SAMS suite.
UNIQUE LOOM
Unique Loom racked up lots of sales of Oushak and other classic Turkish hand-knotted rug designs.
At Unique Loom, the most popular category this market were new hand-knotted rugs from Turkey in hand-spun wool, particularly the stacks of Oushak designs, which designers scoured for specific clients and buyers shopped for specialty stores. Also popular with market shoppers looking for unique designs was the Ultra Vintage collection of vintage Persian rugs which are refurbished by shaving the pile and acid washing – often renewing the designs with fashion colors.
The Ultra Vintage collection scored with High Point Market shoppers stopping by Unique Loom.
--Make sure not to miss Best-Selling Area Rugs at Fall High Point Market, Part 1