Tufenkian New Arrivals

We have just received a new Tufenkian shipment, with some great designs and colourways. Highlights include pieces from fabric designer Mark Pollack's collection, which feature high-low-pile construction in wool and silk. We have also received some pieces from Tufenkian's core collection, which are very well-priced and come in beautiful colours, like the Stones Sundial carpet shown above.

The pieces shown above are:

Top Row: Tiki Moondust (Mark Pollack), Box Step Slate (Mark Pollack) and Tranquility Sand (Mark Pollack)

Bottom Row: Ven Tides (Vincente Wolf), Tingpa Grenadine (Core), and Stones Sundial (Core)

We are exhibiting at IDSwest again this year - if you are attending the show, please do drop by our booth #700 and say hello.

The show runs from Thursday evening, September 17th, to Sunday, September 20th. Highlights include the opening night Pecha Kucha event, as well as great speakers throughout the show.

If you have never been to Pecha Kucha, it is a must-see for anyone interested in local design - the events are always packed with interesting speakers and attendees, and there is a great energy throughout the evening.

We have 5 pairs of tickets to give away to IDSwest - just e-mail us with your name and address, and we will send them your way (or you can pick them up in our showroom prior to the show.)

Paulig: Monza Multi-shag

We are pleased to introduce woven pieces by Paulig, a new contemporary and textured addition to our collection.

Paulig of Germany has been active in carpet production for over 60 years. In the 1980s, the company began producing handwoven carpets in Northern Morocco. These carpets, in a combination of wool and jute, showcase a beautiful variation in colours, due to the handmade nature of the products.

Always experimenting with different textures, Paulig's reversible and one-sided creations are available in a multitude of colours and sizes. Their efficient logistics enable quick turnaround on custom-orders, and sizes up to 20' in width are possible.

Please explore the different textures and designs by clicking on subheadings in the Paulig section of our website.

In addition to quick custom order options, we also carry some pieces in stock. Please see our Paulig Stock Page for our current inventory on these pieces.

HJR 4: 14' x 18'

We are pleased to announce a number of additions to our HJR collection inventory. One of the highlights is the piece shown above, a classic Tabriz design with a very subtle central medallion, making the design appear almost like an overall pattern.

The HJR carpets do look their best in large sizes, and this 14' x 18' piece certainly proves that point. The design is also available in 10' x 14', 12' x 16', 15' x 22' and 17' x 21', all with short delivery times.

We have also received a 10' x 14' version of HJR 2 (see the gallery page for more information) and a number of runners, ranging in length from 10' to 16'.

Shanghai with Hemp: Sheepskin (l) and Tweed (r)

We have just received two of Tufenkian's newest colourways of the Shanghai design. These feature a combination of wool and hemp, giving the carpets a very unique texture.

The hemp is coarser than wool, and its use makes the carpet feel a little rough, almost like a sisal. In the Sheepskin colourway, the hemp is only used in the lines of the design, which is recessed below the luxuriously-plush cream pile.

On the Tweed colourway, the hemp is mixed in throughout the whole carpet, so it is the 'rougher' of the two, and would be ideal in a family room or high-traffic area.

Our instock pieces are 6' x 9' for Sheepskin, and 3' x 5' for Tweed. Both designs can be ordered for quick delivery in the following standard sizes: 3' x 5', 6' x 9', 8' x 10', 9' x 12', 10' x 14' and 12' x 16'. Please contact us for availability and pricing.

From RugMark's Faces of Freedom Exhibition (c) U. Roberto Romano

Today is World Day against Child Labour, drawing attention to a problem which is particularly widespread in the carpet industry in countries such as Nepal, Pakistan and India.

Fortunately, organizations such as RugMark and Care & Fair are actively working against these practices, and are rescuing and educating children who previously had no other options.

According to their website, since 1994 RugMark has helped to reduce the number of child carpet weavers in South Asia from one million to 300,000. You can do your part by ensuring that the rugs you purchase are certified to be free of child labour. Rugs by ethical producers, such as Lapchi, Creative Matters, Diurne, Satia, are all certified by RugMark, guaranteeing that no child labour is employed in their production.

For more information, see a related story by Unicef, or visit the RugMark website.

Sutra in Colourway Ginger

We are pleased to introduce the 2009 New Editions from Lapchi, a collection of 16 new visually diverse and aesthetically appealing patterns, including formal, tribal, Asian-inspired, and contemporary designs.

By taking inspiration from period textiles, paintings, and poetry, the designs complement today’s trends, but also create new classics.

The 2009 New Editions represent the first collection produced using Lapchi’s newest proprietary dyeing techniques, creating a deep, layered patina that emerges from the carpet field. This includes the calming shades of platinum, mist blue, and aubergine, as well as a lively, Indian-influenced palette featuring spicy hues of curry, lime, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Lapchi has kindly sent us select full-size pieces from the collection on temporary loan, which we are showcasing in our showroom during the month of May. Our own pieces are currently in production, and will arrive later this summer.

As Lapchi's designs are fully-customizable, the carpets can be adapted to sizes from 3' x 5' to 18' x 30'.

We have just received our latest Tufenkian shipment, in a great mix of styles and colours. Choose from designs by Barbara Barry, Kevin Walz and Mark Pollack, as well as pieces from Tufenkian's Core Modern collection.

View our Gallery for a look at the current designs in stock.

We are delighted to announce that our showroom renovation won a Gold Award in retail design at the 2008 Interior Design Institute of British Columbia (IDIBC) Awards of Excellence, which took place on February 10 at the Playhouse Theatre.

Designed by Vancouver-based Splyce Design, the Salari showroom features a theatre-style gallery of rugs that are hung individually from the ceiling - a concept that breaks dramatically from the conventional carpet store. A bright white backdrop and mahogany-coloured benches add to the contemporary ambiance of the space.

Splyce Design also won three additional awards, including Best in Show for the Salari showroom, which took the top honour in a field of more than 70 entries.

The IDIBC Awards of Excellence celebrate the best in interior design across British Columbia. Local designers and architects are honoured for their work in a number of categories including residential, retail, and hospitality. A distinguished panel of judges with expertise in a number of disciplines selected the winners for the event.

The Architectural Institute of BC Gallery will showcase the award winners in an exhibit running from February 24 to March 19, 8:30am to 5pm daily. For more information on IDIBC, please visit www.idibc.org.

Thalia in Frosted Green

We are pleased to announce that we received our showroom pieces from the Lapchi collection just before the holidays. All are now unpacked and ready for viewing.

Our current selection consists of twenty full-size (8' x 10'), three 5' x 7' pieces, and over 140 samples which can be borrowed to match fabric and wall colours.

We have also created a Lapchi section under the "Modern" menu for more information on the collection, and a gallery showing a few of the large-size pieces in our showroom.

Lapchi's collection contains some of the most sophisticated and elegant carpets currently available. Feel free to visit our showroom to view these pieces in person, as the texture and subtlety of the weave cannot be captured in an image.