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I woke up today thinking, for some reason, the new day, the new week, the new month were all going to bring some different kind of stability not yet seen in the preceding six. Predictably, my current world has still been turned upside down—nothing new here—my freshly poured cup of coffee next to me probably my only constant during this remarkable “time of transition.” I refer to this year by that moniker, simply because it makes perfect sense to do so all things considered. Lest anyone think we are going back to the way things were, you shall be sadly awoken to a new reality. The business world has changed forever in 2020 in every way possible. We are living in the current version of a new normal right now. As for the future new normal… 

We are entering Fall 2024, with the sweltering summer heat behind us and the welcome return of more temperate weather. This comes along with the annual return of kids to school and of the workforce to a full-time schedule. For those of us in the area rug industry, the arrival of the Fall season also brings with it the return of our clients and colleagues from their summer vacations, the return to a jam-packed schedule of showroomsits, appointments, and product introductions, and perhaps most significantly, the return of the much-anticipated Fall Rug Market Shows.

What an incredibly strange world we live in currently. While it is true that among public health officials and epidemiologists the dangers of a pandemic have long been feared, who amongst the general population might have predicted one year ago that getting a haircut wouldn’t be possible?

The role, relevance—and registration rates of exhibitors, buyers and designers, alike—for home furnishings market events are on the rise again, post-pandemic. Even in today’s hyper-digital world, where it’s not just common but de rigueur to connect and conduct business remotely via screens, some exchanges and experiences are better left in person.

The boutique trade show for high-end rug brands returns to its premium position at the International Surface Event (TISE), Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, January 28–30, 2025. Here’s what you need to know …

From Saturday, September 9 through Monday, September 11, the New York/New Jersey area rug trade was abuzz with the arrival of the annual Autumn trade shows. Cover Connect New York took place in Manhattan, and The Rug Show was held in Secaucus, New Jersey. The two trade shows offered up a combined total of nearly 70 exhibitors, with area rug vendors from the United States and abroad convening on the shows, and displaying their freshest rug offerings.

It is the beginning of October, and the New York-New Jersey area rug industry is still abuzz from the excitement of the two major Fall Market trade shows that took place in September — Cover Connect in Midtown Manhattan and The Rug Show in Secaucus, New Jersey.

RUG INSIDER touches in with Julie Smith Vincenti, Nine Muses Media, who curates the Fall 2023 edition of ANDMORE’s TrendWatch program at High Point Market. #HPMKT

Hand-knotted, low-pile area rugs dominate at the close of 2023. Most examples have a worn appearance—think stonewash or sun-washed—which makes them a shoo-in for heavily trafficked areas in the home. Yarn combinations combine Tibetan wool and silk at the higher price points; look for wool and cotton in the mid-range. Texture is as engaging as color. The knots vary in size, so colors appear in soft focus. Plus, look for hand-serging and fringe treatments.