From antique rugs with a rich history to modern accouterment in a palette of bold colors, the husband-wife duo behind Abrash Rugs (abrashrugs.com) do it all—and do it even better from their newly opened second showroom, Abrash Modern. Here, we chat with designers Fara and Alireza Abrash, whose beautiful pieces always make us want to cut a rug.
Endless opportunities are presented to loyal clientele at the new space
Tell us about your entry into the design world.
FA: Our path to Abrash Rugs is anything but traditional. Although we both have a deep appreciation for design, only Alireza pursued a formal design education. Our passion stems from our families’ deep-rooted history in the design industry. Early in my career, I was a registered nurse. I consider myself as a ‘designer outsider,’ which I find a bit liberating. I know so many talented designers whose career paths have taken nine lives, so to speak. After all, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier all lacked formal training!
What is it like working with your spouse?
AA: Some days are not always the easiest when working together, but at the end of the day, we raised a family and built a business that we love and are so proud of. Twenty years later, we still enjoy going into work every day together. One thing I always tell others about our success as a husband and wife in business together is that you should always remember to say ‘yes, dear’ and do not forget that she is always right!
Fara and Alireza Abrash
What kind of rugs do you create and sell at your showrooms?
AA: We find beauty in any style of rug, so we naturally have a very diverse collection from modern to that weave and one-of-a-kind antique rugs. We handpick every rug that comes into the showroom. Our goal is for our customers to walk into the showroom and be inspired to create a beautiful home. Every room starts with a rug.
Tell us about the process for a client picking out a rug at one of your showrooms.
FA: The typical process entails two showroom visits and one house call—in theory, of course. And as most have experienced, 2020 has given us the opportunity to get creative in the way we work with our clients. We pride ourselves in our customer service and creativity. We love to explore different ways we can assist each designer and architect who walks in the door. Abrash is to the trade only, so depending on the client, we have rounds of preselections before install day. It has become a fairly seamless process as we have long-standing working relationships with our designers and architects; sometimes it feels like we can read each other’s minds. At the end of the process, we have created a beautiful yet livable room.
Color options galore.
What is it like creating a custom rug with you?
FA: Pure joy! With our new brainchild, Abrash Modern, we’ve been able to really indulge our clients with this bespoke niche. It’s similar to commissioning a painting. The process is very hands on and quite enjoyable. Once we have a color palette and inspiration from the designer, we are able to create samples. Like any other commissioned piece, there is a lot of time and passion that goes into the creation.
Are you seeing any trends right now?
FA: Our belief is that there will always be a trend, but we aim for timeless beauty. A beautiful rug is just as important as an investment in art. It is as if you are layering art on your floor. A rug can be a major design element in the space and anchor the room. There are no rules when picking your rug—mix contemporary furniture with a traditional rug or vice versa; it is all about personal style.
