Rug Insider Magazine
News for the Rug and Carpet Professional 
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“Well it all depends on the individual requirements of the project.” Carol Sebert, President of Creative Matters said in response to my question regarding how to choose the right quality of rug or carpet. “As you know we do a considerable volume of work in hospitality and contract which has its own set of requirements outside of simply the aesthetic.
The family founded flooring company honors a century of heritage, evolution, and vision in shaping the floors and spaces where life unfolds. For 100 years, industry innovator Couristan has woven together tradition, design expertise, and forward-thinking innovation across area rugs, residential broadloom, and a full portfolio of contract and hospitality floor coverings. From its modest beginnings in New York City to a global presence today, the family owned and operated company has weathered wars, economic upheavals, and a global pandemic— emerging resilient and ever-evolving, with its legacy threaded through every area rug and carpet it produces.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the rug industry began to see an increased number of traditional broadloom showrooms expanding into the area rug market, thus adding another layer of competition to the specialty rug showroom that continues to this day. This was a logical next step—the natural progression if you will—as the broadloom industry sought to capture more sales.
As a former importer of hand-knotted carpets, I wanted to touch base with rug retailers to delve into what makes their multi-generational businesses continue and thrive over the years. Their stories and historic photos are enriched with their ancestors’ sweat, blood, and tears.
As we were celebrating Atiyeh Bros. family business established in 1900 in Portland, OR, last fall on a Willamette River dinner cruise, we enjoyed the sparkle of the city bridges and the dewy night air. Kevin Atiyeh, fourth-generation owner, shared fascinating statistics about family-run businesses in the United States. “Only 3–5 percent make it to 125 years as a continually managed/owned by the same family business.” His current employees have worked a total of 14 years on average.
By standard accounts felt made from wool is considered to be the oldest known textile. Multiple cultures spanning the nomadic Mongol and Turkic peoples as well as those of Sumer lay claim to legends of the origin of felt. Catholic tradition even tells the tale of Saint Clement and Saint Christopher who—while fleeing persecution— stuffed raw wool into their sandals to prevent blisters only to discover at the end of their journey the sweat and constant beating of their paces had felted the wool.
The design-build firm Vanillawood was founded by Kricken and James Yaker in 2006. Over nineteen years in business, they’ve perfected the integration of clean, modern design with practical livability, ensuring that each space reflects the client’s personality and lifestyle. The firm’s contemporary creations are visually stunning and provide a calming oasis in an ever-shifting world.
RUG INSIDER sat down with co-principal Kricken Yaker, for a refreshingly candid conversation about her design and business philosophies.
Using an antique carpet in an interior setting should not be an intimidating affair. Sure, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is filled with rare and early examples that aren’t suitable for day-to-day use, but there are enough available antique and vintage rugs on the market to cover the globe end to end.
Our family has a tradition of touring the rugged Oregon coast in winter. We love exploring the small, charming towns when tourism is low and the Pacific Ocean frothy and wild. During our last adventure, we fortuitously stumbled into Wanda’s Cafe + Bakery in Nehalem. It was the perfect spot to escape the blustery rain and omnipresent chill.