Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Expansions, Programming at Atlanta Rug Show
December 18,
2014 by in Carpets / Rugs, Market, Product 
A new enclosed bridge at AmericasMart connecting the Home & Rug collection in Building 1 to the Gift collection on Floor 6 of Building 2 will make it easier for buyers to visit an expanded number of showrooms at the Jan. 8-10 Atlanta International Area Rug Market.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of Home & Rug,” said Kevin Malkiewicz, vice president of Leasing for the collection. “New, diverse lines are bringing a renewed energy to floors while established collections are updating, renovating and reimagining their spaces in a way we’ve never seen before. Buyers will not be able to miss this contagious energy at the Market.”
New showrooms include on Floor 5, where Devgiri Exports will 12,000-square-foot showroom; while ELK Group International will open a 10,000-plus-square-foot showroom to showcase its family of home décor, home accents, furniture and lighting lines together for the first time. Also new to the collection are Light Garden, showcasing a wide assortment of innovative, versatile lighting concepts and home décor, and Rizzy Home with handmade and machine made rugs on Floor 6; and exclusively designed Oriental rugs by Neman International on Floor 3.
Expanded showrooms include Couristan, Inc. (Floor 6), Kashee & Sons (Floor 4) and Pasargad Carpets (Floor 3). Capel Rugs, Shalom and Smyrna Trading are relocating to Floor 3.
Also relocating is the Market Club Lounge on Floor 6.
AmericasMart Atlanta again celebrates the creativity, artistry and passion of the Area Rug industry at its annual America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards on Friday, Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Peachtree Ballroom at the Westin Peachtree Plaza.
Industry leaders will gather for a cocktail reception and light entertainment followed by the awards ceremony. Thirteen winners will be named in the hand-hooked/hand-tufted, hand-knotted, flat weave, machine-made and outdoor rugs categories as decided by a panel of industry experts.
All rugs in consideration for the Awards will hang in the Museum of Introductions on Building 1, Floor 4 Jan. 7-Jan. 10. On Saturday, January 10 at 10 a.m. buyers are invited to personally view the winning rugs and meet the designers at the Breakfast of Champions.
AmericasMart’s Market programming for Home & Rug buyers offers diverse and exciting educational opportunities. Highlights of the January 2015 programming includes Pantone presenting color trends and the methodology of its color of the year; Stylebeat blogger Marisa Marcantonio leading a discussion of building home brands in the digital world; creating emotional design environments with Jamie Durie of HGTV’s “The Outdoor Room"; and home decorating tips from celebrity wedding and entertainment expert David Tutera. Oriental Rug Retailers of America again presents exclusive at-Market programming including a discussion of the future of the rug industry, educational programs and walking tours of the Market.