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Nature’s inherent beauty is difficult to compete with even as it is so often cited as inspiration for a wide range of interior furnishings. Not only rugs and carpets call Nature muse, but fabric, wallpaper, tchotchkes, and more. And, now, as more exterior living spaces seek to ‘transfer the warmth of interior spaces to the outside world,’ how can a rug chosen to define and transform an outdoor space into a comfortable living environment compete with the natural beauty that surrounds it?

A new endeavor spearheaded by Steve Cibor of Tamarian and already much discussed within the industry is set to go live this winter. With it comes the possibility of revolutionary change to the way retailers source and sell rugs from inventory. It is The Rug Club, and RUG INSIDER has the details.

According to Greek mythology, the Phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated, born again each time it rises from the fiery ashes of its demise. But the ancient Greeks do not hold exclusive domain over the myth; this reincarnating winged creature exists in cultures the world over.

According to company lore it all began in 1920 with eight rugs and a wheeled cart. That’s when Oscar Isberian, a young man from Wilmette, Illinois, co-founded Oscar Isberian Rugs with his brother Megerditch. Today the firm has grown from those humble beginnings into Chicagoland’s premier rug and carpet retailer, Oscar Isberian Rugs. As the firm nears its centenary, RUG INSIDER talks with the current principals of the firm, brothers Oscar Tatosian and Sarkis Tatosian (and others) about the secrets to their company’s enduring success.

Revered as deities, feared as harbingers of doom, or held as symbols of the inner struggles of man, animals have great significance in cultures around the globe. To thoroughly examine these varied interpretations of animals across the spectrum  of humanity, would be a herculean task requiring volumes, and perhaps a lifetime to comprehend.

In May of 2018 Rug Star and Christiane Millinger Oriental Rugs and Textiles collaborated on the inaugural North American version of Rug Star’s noted ‘Intimacy’ photography series which began in Berlin, Germany. This is a behind the scenes look at the making of “Intimacy Portland”—set in Portland, Oregon—with commentary regarding the effectiveness of such campaigns on the perception of handmade rugs and carpets.

Brian Robins and Rebecca Lurie are the dynamic business partners who own and operate Kush Rugs in Portland, Oregon. Self-described as a “labor of love,” Kush is the manifestation of the founders’ pursuit of that basic, yet elusive goal: Do what you love! The gallery offers a fresh perspective on a centuries-old art, representing modern, traditional, tribal and custom work from all over the world. This is Robins’ own account of part of that perspective.

A new collaborative project between the World Bank, LabelSTEP, and Turquoise Mountain seeks to empower women while simultaneously moving the Afghan carpet industry into the twenty-first century.

Turquoise Mountain is a non-profit organization founded in 2006, at the behest of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. Now working in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Middle East, Turquoise Mountain’s objective is to preserve and regenerate historic areas and communities with a rich cultural heritage and to revive traditional crafts in order to create employment, improve trade skills, and foster a renewed sense of regional and cultural pride. Its work is broad, encompassing myriad crafts and trades, from woodworking to ceramics to of course handmade carpet weaving. 

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