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Colors: Orange Color

In the Winter 2022 issue of RUG INSIDER Magazine, one of the questions explored is that of the New Traditionals, as the question is asked, are today’s buyers sticking with Modern designs and colors, or are they returning to more Traditional styles?

For many years, the trend in the area rug trade has been to move away from Classic Traditional Designs, with their bolder colors, centralized stylistic elements, and busy fields, and to move toward more Modern designs, which tend to be characterized by softer, more subdued colors, and decentralized, uncluttered designs, often taking an Abstract form.

Interior designers talk about rug trends and explain how manufacturers can better help designers with rug needs.

There are rug people—those who love funky designs and bright colors—and then there are not rug people—people who enjoy a simple, solid design with a nice border. But regardless of the person, rugs have graduated from simply being an accent to being a full-on statement piece in most people’s homes; They change the entire look of a room.

Redone. Restored. Brought back. Revisited. Choose your own synonym for borrowing from classic style. Whether rugs, furniture or fashion, designers adapt traditional patterns in new colors, materials, finishes or techniques to suit modern tastes and to meet consumer demands.

Samad’s Kuma in Oyster from the Caspian Collection is a perfect example of such an adaptation in a new colorway. The reimagined Khotan from French Accents, which keeps true to antique weaving techniques, is modernized by “simplifying core patterns, colors and weaves.” Majestic Oushak from Harounian Rugs International (HRI) includes four classic designs from the company’s library of traditional designs—vibrantly recolored. 

out·spo·ken  /ˌoutˈspōkən/
direct and open in speech or expression

Launched in April 2020, the inspirational hair-on-hide artistic rugs of Be OUTSPOKEN gained fast recognition—garnering five coveted home decor awards. This fall in High Point, the company will debut a special edition monochromatic series for its CHOOSE TO SHINE signature art design. Gold hues to warm light browns were created in custom pigments specifically for the colorway of the hide.

It seems like yesterday my child was still sitting on my lap while watching cartoons. Though it saddens me to be helpless in slowing the clock hands of time down, I find new pleasure hearing his future thoughts and plans. Today he is a fine young man ready to enter this next phase of life. The business guy within me can already see the emerging marketing campaigns geared specifically in his direction. For those risk-takers, I offer up great kudos. They are the ones who realize today’s casual spending youths are tomorrow’s growth sustainers.  

In most industries, targeting and forecasting comprise the foundation for potential spending, both planned and unplanned. Actually, there is a certain excitement when we peel the various layers of potential back from two current generational sales onions. 

In an industry where the rectangle reigns supreme, is there room to invite some diversity of form? From lavish ovals such as the memphis-inspired Kolb by Hommés Studio to freeform flowers fresh from Inigo Elizalde there is much more to explore. Whether traditional round, runner, crescent, geometric or purely abstract, these trending silhouettes aren’t just trying to fit in!

“There are not many original shapes or silhouettes— only a million variations.“ ~ CHARLE JAMES

­­The women in top executive posts within the area rug industry make up a small but mighty group. A historically male-dominated field across domestic manufacturing to importing firms alike, our industry has been slow to promote female leadership into the C-suite.

Sadly, we’re not alone.

Female participation in the workforce hit its lowest rate this year since 1988 due in part to the pandemic. In the U.S., COVID-19’s impacts translated to five million-plus women pushed from their jobs.

Antique Persian Lavar, Kerman-Shah & Kerman Rugs

There are endless debates among vendors, collectors and enthusiasts of vintage and antique rugs as to which of these styles is the best. We have discussed in previous issues the differences in the fineness of the weave of a rug, with some defining fineness based on weave density, others defining it based on intricacy of design, and yet others defining based on the unique artistry of a given carpet. Thus, there are many different opinions as to which antique rug style can definitively be called the finest.

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