What a week! While the fashion industry has New York Fashion Week, home décor has High Point Market: a whirlwind week of designers, designs and lines. Setting the stage for what’s to come in 2013, we unveiled five new collections from our star designers, as well as making a bold introduction with our new line of shag rugs.

While all of our collections made major splashes at the market, the designer collections from Genevieve Gorder and Kevin O’Brien really hit the mark. These geometric prints drew rave reviews and generated an amazing amount of buzz throughout the week.

Genevieve Gorder

Genevieve Gorder was in the showroom to personally debut The Greek and L’Alhambra collections. Staying true to her style of global inspiration that draws on a range of graphic traditions, these new flat woven collections are vibrant with colorways that include salmon, lilac and turquoise.

Kevin O’Brien

Renowned for his urban influence and use of sophisticated graphic patterns, textile designer and artist Kevin O’Brien introduced three loop-hooked collections: Carbon, Petal and Treasure. The Petal and Treasure collections are available in a number of captivating colorways, while the Carbon collection features three distinct designs: Dot, Stripe and Link (an eye-catching kaleidoscope pattern).

Metro Retro Shag

Soft and plush, our new Metro Retro Shag rugs are available in ten colors, creating a spectrum of options that runs from subtle cream and rich mocha to red-hot cayenne and vivid violet.

Retailers, be sure to get your orders in for these fashion-forward collections. Look for these brilliant styles and designs from Capel in stores and on our website soon!

Vertical or horizontal, bold or subtle, stripes make a one-of-a-kind impact. This linear pattern adds an unexpected visual appeal to a space, introducing a unique design element that enlivens everything in a room: walls, furniture, bedding, and, of course, area rugs.

As you think about decorating with such a stylized pattern, keep the following parameters in mind. While vertical stripes create an illusion of height when incorporating them on a wall or window treatment, horizontal stripes make a hallway feel longer, which creates a very compelling placement for a striped area rug. Another great design rule of thumb when choosing a stripe for a room is to base the width of the stripe on the overall proportions of the room. The larger the room, the wider the bands should be in order to make the strongest design statement.

The colors used in striped patterns can create any manner of different moods. Multicolored stripes, with a cheery and whimsical vibe, are perfect for kids’ rooms. For a more sophisticated look, use tonal stripes, which work well in more neutral or classic spaces.

Capel Rugs offers an amazing selection of striped area rugs for traditional or contemporary styles, for a refined look or a whimsical appeal. We’ve featured a few or our favorites below — we hope you’ll search our site and tell us what you think. What are some of your favorite ways to design with stripes?

Puhalo Stripe

The stripes in this flat woven rug by designer Genevieve Gorder convey the feeling of a beautifully simple handcrafted tapestry.

Mesmerize Stripe

Designer Kevin O’Brien creates a playful, loop hooked rug, which lends to a multitude of layering options with the vibrant color palette and varied stripe widths.

Skyline Shag

Three color-coordinated stripes of Skyline Shag collection fashion an eye-catching design with texture from the shag rug’s signature deep pile, a soft touch, and a plush appearance.

Cabana Stripes

The wide bands of the braided Cabana Stripes collection create a foundation for a bold design.

Taffy

The bold, multi-colored stripes of Taffy are the perfect accent to a child’s room.

With summer winding down and everyone starting to spend more time indoors, it’s a great time to look around and find new ways to feather your nest. From piles of fallen leaves in the yard to that favorite knitted sweater, there’s something about fall that makes it the perfect time to think about designing with texture. Cozy up and add warmth and comfort to your space by adding rich textural elements with Capel’s great collection of area rugs.

Texture brings appeal to a room by creating depth and incorporating visually compelling materials. Whether it’s braided, knotted or woven, the rich textures of a Capel rug introduce a striking aesthetic without completely dominating a space. It becomes an especially important design element when it comes to decorating with neutral tones or a monochromatic color scheme.

We’ve highlighted some of our most popular shag, hand knotted and braided rugs below. Discover the impact texture can make in your space with these Capel favorites:

Haven
Sophisticated neutrals are on trend in Capel’s Haven collection. Created with a lovely textural appeal for visual interest, this collection evokes the warmth of a cable knit sweater.

Felicity Shag
Dreamy and luxurious, the new Felicity Shag from Capel begs to be walked on. Subdued in subtle ivory, it lays the groundwork for any sophisticated setting.

Skyline Shag
A modern vibe with an on-trend palette, Skyline Shag delivers high style in three color-coordinated stripes.

Barrister
Classically refined and handsomely hand knotted, Barrister lends a nod to the fashion-forward menswear look.

The passion for pink has become one of the biggest trends in recent years, popping up everywhere from fashion to advertising. All of this got us thinking about all the ways pink can work as part of your home’s décor, especially the way the various tones and shades of this perky color evoke a wide range of moods when incorporated into the home. Deeper shades of pink convey feminine sophistication, hot pink is bold and sassy, and a blush pink presents a neutral nod to the color trend.

With so many variations, it’s easy to find a shade that works with any room or design styles. From bedrooms to kitchens, from accents to primary themes, pink is a perfect palette for any space.

Capel Rugs has you covered when it comes to pink perfection…take a look at some of our favorite rugs below:

Uzbek in Blush

Spring Bouquet in Azalea

Snø in Peony

Taffy in Hot Pink

Ridgeway in Petal Pink

Check out our Pinterest board “Pink Passion” and discover some of our favorite ways pink is incorporated into homes – http://pinterest.com/capelrugs/pink-passion/.

It’s a question homeowners have been confronted with for years – when selecting an area rug, do you go with solid color or pattern? With so many great style options in both categories, how do you choose?

One place to start is by taking a look at what’s already around. If there are a lot of patterns in the room from your upholstered furniture or window treatments, look for a rug with minimal, tonal pattern or a solid color. This will create a rich but subtle foundation for the space. Here are a few of our favorite area rugs that provide the perfect base for more complicated patterns.

On the other hand, if there is little or no pattern in your room and you want to introduce additional elements of color and texture, select an area rug with a striking pattern to serve as the focal point. Whether it’s a decorative, traditional-style rug, a classic motif from the Middle East or a modern take on a tribal design, the right pattern can transform any room. Take a look at a few of the designs we’re most excited about below:

Still can’t decide which is better for your room? Then avoid the choice altogether and get best of both worlds by layering your area rugs instead. Layering rugs is a recent trend in interior decorating that has established itself as one of the must-have looks. It combines a lush, updated sense of style with an amazing depth of design.

Start by creating a warm, inviting base with a single-colored rug. This will allow you to incorporate any color you would like in the layers to follow. Next, introduce a patterned rug, which will bring a sense of energy into the space. We suggest one of our contemporary rugs or transitional styles to add further color and rich textures while connecting your new vignette with the rest of the elements in the room.

Let us know which look you prefer – we’d love to hear your thoughts! Post your Capel Rug room pics to our Facebook page at facebook.com/CapelRugs.

With Fall right around the corner and Back-to-School mode in full swing, it’s a great time of year to get kids excited about revamping their rooms! Starting a new year, getting back into the school routine, doing homework, hanging out with friends… as the daylight hours become shorter, the kids will be spending more and more time inside — whether studying or playing. So take advantage of this opportunity to find the perfect décor to inspire your kids with some of the ideas (and great Capel rugs!) we’ve featured below.

As you think about new ways to arrange your child’s room, a couple of key areas to consider are zoning and organization.

Define your child’s space by creating zones, such as a reading or study area, a play area, a dressing area and (of course) the sleeping area. Area rugs from the Capel Kidz collection are a great way to visually define these zones, while also incorporating bright colors, texture and warmth to the room.

Our Cutting Garden designs are vibrant, braided rugs that energize any space. We’ve highlighted our classic buttercup colorway here:

The casual, cotton design of our Taffy rugs creates a playful mood that’s perfect for a kid’s room:

The Ridgeway collection is an assortment of solid-color rugs, available in array of colors. These rugs are perfect for establishing a base for your design choices and the bright colors are ideal for kids:

By providing sufficient storage for each zone, you can make it easy for your child to find things and (perhaps more importantly) put them all away. Shelves and baskets are a great way to encourage cleaning up after all the fun is done. Capel’s braided baskets are a stylish and durable way to store toys, blankets or just about anything else that might be piling up on floors and furniture.

Start this school year with an A+ in style and organization and make life easier and more fun for the whole family.

Looking for design inspiration? Our colorways offer a tremendous selection of stylish colors that bring warmth and story and nuance into any home. Our array of designs complement any lifestyle or look, from sophisticated to casual, formal to relaxed, textured to patterned — all in rich, harmonizing hues.

Our Creative Director has crafted the various lines in Capel’s collections to work together throughout the home. Whether looking to pair the perfect rugs in your living room or to layer varying styles within the same color palette to create a cohesive, visual flow from room to room, Capel has all the accents to coordinate the home and express a distinct design personality.

Imagine a family room layered in a graphic lattice-patterned flat woven rug with the texture of shag. Then, carry that same color palette into the kitchen with a casual braid. Next, find the perfect outdoor rug to transition onto the porch and…. As you can see, the options are endless and the design style you create will be uniquely yours.

Get started by looking at some of the collections we’ve featured below. Mix and match, layer, put together vignettes…end enjoy!

Beautiful Blue

Gorgeous Grey

Radiant Red

Graceful Golds

Beguiling Brown

Illuminating Ivory

Glorious Green

Bold Black

When it comes to patterns in home décor, timeless designs like stripes and chevrons are always at the top of the list. But for a striking new look this season, we recommend one of the summer’s best trends: polka dots!

From hand-knotted to flat-woven, from casual to elegant, polka dot rugs from Capel create a chic, eye-catching look. Even in a sophisticated style, polka dots evoke a whimsical vibe, instantly adding a bubbly personality to any room.

A fun way to incorporate the classic polka dot pattern into the home is through stylish accent pieces – check out the selections we’ve featured below to give your room a “spot” of style.

Andes Charcoal – Rich colors and concentric designs combine for contemporary flair with hand-tufted style.

NY Dot – Bright, bold and eccentric, this is another spot-on design from Genevieve Gorder.

Bowden Scallop – A contemporary hand-tufted interpretation of the historic Bowden Scallop pattern from Williamsburg, this dotted print creates an inspiring sense of movement.

Lovely Grace – This collection connects the dots in an elegant and graceful way through a hand-knotted style.

Spinning Wheels – This collection depicts circles organically arranged for serious floor amour. The Spinning Wheels collection is hand tufted.

There’s a lot to plan for as you prepare for college – classes, supplies,
roommates…and don’t forget about the all-important dorm décor! Of course you
need the basics: sheets, towels and blankets. Then you need the functional
items: laundry hamper, lamps and storage ottomans. And finally, you need the
personality – a style that says, “this space represents me!”

Vibrant colors and bold patterns are a great way to personalize your home away
from home. And the perfect way to incorporate that style and add cozy warmth to
a small space is with area rugs. They easily introduce color and texture into any
design, and will immediately brighten and transform any space.

Capel offers a great assortment of rugs that will give a sense of energy and
excitement to your dorm (and minimize the institutional feel). Here are a few
selections that feature great all-around combinations of style, function and
durability.

Opal – Handcrafted from cozy cotton chenille in soothing spa colors, Opal
is reversible for twice the wear.

Key West – Inspired by the festive atmosphere of Key West. The collection
is the perfect decorating solution for an extra pop of color.

Seabreeze – The design presents depth and texture to complement
a variety of design styles, while the construction makes this offering
exceptionally durable and easy to clean.

Grassy Island – A stunning neutral palette to complement both you and
your roommates discerning tastes!

Skyline Shag – Fashionable and functional, this collection adds texture
and visual interest to your room. And it’s stain-resistant, making it ideal for
high-traffic areas.

NY Dot – Fun and fresh, designer Genevieve Gorder’s artful designs
create a casual, eclectic look that enlivens any room.

There aren’t many styles that can be both a quintessential classic and one of the hottest trends of the season, but that’s exactly how we feel about all of the great black-and-white designs we’ve been seeing. And Capel is right there when it comes to incorporating this essential style into your home, with striking new interpretations of this timeless colorway.

Formal yet modern, elegant but bold — these are the ideas at the heart of our newest designs in black and white. With area rugs that are simultaneously sophisticated and inviting, Capel is putting the latest runway trends to work for you. Whether it’s finding the right base to suit the rest of a room’s decor, or locating that look which will work perfectly as a centerpiece, we’ve got exactly what you need to get in on one of the hottest trends of this season…or any season!

Genevieve Gorder’s one-of-a-kind designs are always captivating — and her Moor collection for Capel is no different. Taking its cue from the breathtaking patterns used in traditional Middle Eastern rugmaking, the Moor collection takes typical forms and brings them into a twenty-first century context. The stunning Kettle colorway, in particular, captures the classic-yet-modern mood that the entire collection evokes.

Combining the elegance of a black-tie affair with a color-block approach reminiscent of a Rothko painting, the tuxedo colorway from our Cabana Stripes collection is one of our most intriguing designs. Designed for indoor or outdoor use and intended to blend perfectly with other outdoor fabrics, this braided rug truly represents the spirit of the Capel Anywhere™ idea.

With high-quality wool and loop hooked construction that embody Capel’s industry leading craftsmanship, the Hannah collection from Williamsburg® contains one of our most popular contemporary rugs. The ebony colorway from this collection is an especially compelling style, with its nature-inspired motifs dramatically set in a big-city color scheme.

We hope the rugs we’ve featured here inspire you as much as they’ve inspired us. And take a look at our entire collection of area rugs that feature the black-and-white color scheme here. Take a look around and revel in designing with black and white…the one style that never goes out of style.