The Rug Show | Show C atalog — New Yor k 2 017
INTERVIEW
JIM FFRENCH & STEVEN KING
J
oining Editor of COVER magazine Lucy Upward in a discussion about the US rug market are Jim Ffrench of Beauvais Carpets and Steven King of Steven King Decorative Carpets—a brand that was taken under the Beauvais wing in 2009. Considering the importance of The Rug Show for the US rug industry, both Jim and Steven agree that the beauty of the event is not only seeing the latest designs but also staying in touch with colleagues in the industry and solidifying relationships. Business for Beauvais is 90% custom work so for Jim it is way to spend time with producers going through potential adaptations of their designs
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but both he and Steven admit that the highlight is the possibility of seeing new faces with some unique rug designs. New and exciting is an obvious draw but as important buyers in the market, I wonder what they have an eye out for specifically at the moment. ‘Texture,’ Jim answers straight away. ‘I look for texture, not so much the design. For Beauvais clients the rugs are very much part of the backdrop, so we don’t need statement pieces. It’s about how things work in a room. At the high end decor becomes very refined, texture is a real focus.’ It seems this idea works for both companies as Steven is eager to concur with Jim’s sentiment. ‘It goes back a long way,’ he adds. ‘It started with antique texture. In the 1980s and 90s companies like Yayla were making rugs with texture that looked more authentic. Texture gives a rug more character and makes it look more expensive.’ Texture may be the focus for their buying but interestingly both Jim and Steven agree that the ’erased’ look— comprising designs with disintegrating patterns—has not been a focus for either company. With so many of those types of designs currently on the market, perhaps it is time for a new aesthetic. For Jim, while the overall design and color is obviously very important to a customer, he feels that clients also like to know the inspiration behind the design. ‘Clients like the context,’ he explains. For his Bostonbased brand Steven focuses on ‘subtlety and texture, harmony and balance’. While Beauvais works with a number of companies to create private-label custom designs and Steven King stocks a number of well-respected brands