Several rug manufacturers were honored by the area rug industry at the 2009 America's Magnificent Carpets Awards event during the January Atlanta market.

The awards, the signature event of theAtlanta 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.

he 2009 winners are:

HANDMADE (price per square foot)

• $0-$12: Loloi
• $12.01–$23: Nourison
• $23.01–$35: Safavieh
• $35.01–$46: French Accents
• $46.01–$56: Creative Touch
• $56.01–$65: Shalom Brothers
• $65.01+: Capa Imports

POWERLOOMED

• $0–$200: Marcella Fine Rugs
• $200.01–$400: Couristan
• $400.01–$1,000: Karastan
• $1,000.01+: Karastan

ANTIQUE

• Chaman

CONTEMPORARY

• Nalbandian

BUYER'S CHOICE:

• Capa Imports

In addition, one showroom on each of the area rug floors received a Visual Display Award for extraordinary visual merchandising innovations.

This year's Visual Display winners are:

• Floor 3: Nourison
• Floor 4: Loloi
• Floor 5: Marcella Fine Rugs
• Floor 6: Surya