Carpet manufacturers honored in Atlanta

Annual awards event sponsored by Architectural Digest

-- Home Accents Today, 1/20/2009 9:28:00 AM

Several carpet manufacturers were honored by the area rug industry January 10th at the 2009 America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards event sponsored by Architectural Digest and held at the Marriott Marquis Atrium Ballroom in Atlanta.

The Awards, the signature event of the Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring The National Oriental Rug Show, brought more than 1,000 area rug industry buyers and manufacturers together to celebrate the triumph of design achievement, with more than 80 rugs competing for the industry’s highest honors. 

A team of independent judges selected the category winners from The Museum of Introductions, an exclusive showing of new product introductions in a museum setting. The 2009 winners, with judges’ comments, are:
 
Handmade, $0-$12 per sq. ft: Loloi
“beautiful soft tone color palette and design…could be mistaken for a hand-knotted rug”

Power-loomed, $0-$200: Marcella Fine Rugs
“fine design with a beautiful color palette…the softness of the pile was absolutely beautiful”

Handmade, $12.01-$23 per sq. ft.: Nourison
“nice color and pattern…complex coloring…successful with difficult technique”

Power-loomed, $200.01-$400: Couristan
“great coloring, sheen and textures…great value for size”

Handmade, $23.01-$35 per sq. ft.: Safavieh
“the simplicity and clean lines of this design make this rug special…the carved silk design adds to the uniqueness of this rug”

Power-loomed, $400.01-$1,000: Karastan
“beautiful design…exquisite use of symmetry and bordering…modern color palette”

Handmade, $35.01-46: French Accents
“vibrant coloring…fantastic pattern…excellent bordering…more versatile”

Power-loomed, $1,000.01+: Karastan
“Art brush technique…great coloring”

Handmade, $46.01-56 per sq. ft.: Creative Touch
“intense reds…beautiful size…immaculate pattern”

Antique: Chaman
“beautiful symmetry…nice shape…unusual fill color…elegant color dynamic…great scale of design elements”

Handmade, $56.01-65 per sq. ft.: Shalom Brothers
“nice graduation of coloring…beautiful background coloring”

Contemporary: Nalbandian
“extraordinary technique…well colored…asymmetry is sophisticated…back is as beautiful as front…well founded in classic textile design…respects it as a timeless design, but has taken that into contemporary”

Handmade, $65.01+ per sq. ft.: Capa Imports
“elegant…most exciting…crispness of color…exceptional three dimensions”

Buyer’s Choice Award: Capa Imports

In addition, one showroom on each of the area rug floors received a Visual Display Award for extraordinary visual merchandising innovations: Floor 3 - Nourison, Floor 4 - Loloi, Floor 5 - Marcella Fine Rugs, Floor 6 - Surya.