AmericasMart Atlanta

Press Release

Night Made Bright—The 2008 America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards

—Atlanta International Area Rug Market features industry’s most coveted awards ceremony—

ATLANTA (January 2008)—With 200 area rug exhibitors—of which more than half show exclusively at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market®--AmericasMart is the only place to host the industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony honoring the best area rug introductions. Themed “Night Made Bright”, the 2008 America’s Magnificent Carpets® Awards attracted 1,200 attendees to enjoy an evening of entertainment by magician James Brandon, a spectacular one-of-a-kind lightshow by LUMA and most importantly, the awards presentation.

Sponsored by Architectural Digest, the America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards featured 14 awards in the following categories: Handmade, Antique, Contemporary, Power-loomed and Buyers’ Choice—in which retailers from around the globe discovered and chose the best rug within their individual criteria. A team of independent judges hand-selected the winners from MOI: The Museum of Introductions—the area rug industry’s exclusive showing of new product introductions in a sophisticated museum setting in one complete presentation within AmericasMart’s walls.

The Awards ceremony—held on Saturday, January 19, in the Georgia Ballroom of The Georgia World Congress Center—was emceed by Cindy Simmons, co-host of the Cindy and Ray Show in the afternoons on STAR 94. The 2008 winners and judges’ comments follow:

Handmade $0—$12 (per square foot): Chandra Rugs “…design engineered intelligently…fresh graphics…dramatic look…wonderful use of two colors… ” (Accepted by Revi Tiwari)

Power-loomed $0—$200: Capel, Inc.
“…tight pile…good use for high traffic areas…nice neutral colors…vintage look…” (Accepted by Allen Robertson)

Handmade $12.01—$23 (per sq. foot): Pasargad Carpets, Inc. “…great variety of color…very strong border…good texture…” (Accepted by Beni Isfanany)

Power-loomed $200.01—$400: Shaw Living
“…like scale of pattern…nice balance of color…interesting geometry square and arabesque mix…” (Accepted by Guy Gazzilli and Ken Breithaupt)

Handmade $23.01—$35 (per sq. foot): F.J. Kashanian Rug Corporation “…innovative design…artfully executed…pleasing and useable colors…” (Accepted by Jonathan Kashanian)

Handmade $35.01—$46 (per sq. foot): Amici Imports “…traditional design with modern look…love the natural, raw linen of the field color..beautiful…refined…” (Accepted by Charles Cashian)

Power-loomed $400.01—$1000: Colonial Mills, Inc.
“…beautiful subtle colors…innovation…looks hand woven…very useable…” (Accepted by Donald Scarlata)

Handmade $46.01—$56 (per sq. foot): Paramount “…gusty design…makes statement…looks like a Japanese stencil…nice combination of wool and silk textures…matte and shine are good examples of the direction of upcoming trends…” (Accepted by Roshan Bhattarai)

Power-Loomed $1000.01+: Karastan “…nice pattern…true to the original source…interesting colors…traditional look…” (Accepted by Bill Roach and Ed McRae)

Handmade $56.01—$65 (per sq. foot): The Creative Touch “…charming…you can see the spirit of the weaver…totally new with an old motif…” (Accepted by Baki Ildiz)

Handmade $65.01+ (per sq. foot): Michaelian & Kohlberg “…wonderful design…speaks to your soul…ming and Turkish pattern combined…lovely patina…love the shot of indigo…sophisticated…” (Accepted by Stacey Chjavetta and Ali Chaudhry)

Contemporary: American Cottage “…looks like an English ‘ladies in waiting’ piece…beautiful craftsmanship…looks like a 17th century design…brilliant and original…eye catching…” (Accepted by Kevin Sleeper and Jodi Sleeper)

Buyer’s Choice: Capa Imports, Inc. (Accepted by Sonny Cicek and Mhehmet Cinar)

Antique: Chaman Oriental Rugs “…piece of art…great presence…unique…natural linen texture and beautiful colors…”
(accepted by Omid Chaman and Daryoosh Chaman)

Judging for America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards was conducted by Elisabeth Parker, vice president of Christie’s and the dept. head of the New York Rugs and Carpets Department; Sherri Donghia, executive vice president of Donghia Furniture/Textiles; and Junco Pollack, associate professor of Textiles the Earnest G. Welch School of Art and Design at Georgia State University.

Also honored were showrooms judged superior in the increasingly high profile Visual Display Awards Program, which celebrates extraordinary visual merchandising innovations. The January 2008 Visual Display Awards winners are: Balta US, 3rd floor; Caravan Couture Rugs, 4th floor; Momeni, 5th floor; and Monti Rugs, 6th floor.

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