Apr 2, 2011

IFDA And Safavieh Announce Winner Of International Rug Design Competition

New York, New York : The New York Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association and renowned area rug manufacturer Safavieh announce the winner of the 2011 rug design competition sponsored by the company. First place winner of the contest, which was open to all IFDA members worldwide, is Deirdre M. Cimino, a member of the Philadelphia chapter. She will receive a check for $500 from Safavieh and will be presented with a 6′ x 9′ rug fabricated in her design.

Judges for the contest were celebrity designer Jamie Drake and Arash Yaraghi, a Safavieh principal. Drake, a Hall of Fame Interior Designer, has been a licensing partner of the home furnishings company since 2009 and his rug designs are marketed under the Safavieh Couture label. Cimino’s design, Konichiwa Spring, stood out for several reasons, Drake says.

“The design enchanted me from the moment I saw it: Classical motifs of cherry blossoms and fretwork are charmingly updated with a soft yet mod mood that seems right for today and will mix well with updated classics as well as mid-century modern,” Drake explains, noting, “the palette of brown, white and pinks is especially chic and timely.”

Cimino, presently a full time graduate student at Drexel University, is working toward a master’s of science degree in interior architecture, and credits the uniqueness of her design in part to one of her instructors. “She teaches you to see things in new ways, and to develop a sense of mystery by taking what is predictable and then breaking it out of that routine,” Cimino explains.

With Konichiwa Spring the predictable elements were cherry blossoms, fretwork and ikebana baskets. “I tried to push the envelope to create something that would be unexpected. I think that every time you enter a room you should see a rug in a different way-that creates interest. Chocolate browns are always contemporary and elegant. To achieve that with the addition of pinks is bold, but hard to do because I wanted to be sensitive to everyone in the home, not just females,” she says.

One of the criteria for judging the entries was the designer’s ability to use the ancient craft of rug-weaving to express his or her own unique aesthetic. But the design also had to represent current trends in color and pattern,” explains Arash Yaraghi. “Also critical was the originality of the design, its production potential and its marketability to a broad base of consumers. Deirdre’s design best met all of the contest’s objectives,” he adds.

The idea for the rug design competition came to Yaraghi during IFDA’s 2010 Rising Stars of Interior Design Event, an annual program of the New York Chapter which has been hosted by Jamie Drake for the past four years. Held on November 16 at the Safavieh Home Furnishings flagship retail showroom on Broadway, the event celebrated Drake’s picks of three young designers (Rising Stars recognized for their professional work, style and vision) and four “Starlets” selected from New York City design schools.

“We were so impressed with the work IFDA and Jamie were doing on behalf of young talent and future designers, that we wanted to do our part-hopefully to interest more young people in product design,” Yaraghi says. Indeed, that dedication is what attracted Cimino to the organization and later to the contest.

“I am fulfilling a lifelong dream to earn a master’s degree in interior architecture, but I have been a designer for almost 20 years as well as a professor of interior design. IFDA has always had a place in my heart because of their work with students, and I’ve always had a passion for product design. When I learned of the competition, I thought I had nothing to lose and decided to throw my design in the hat. It was a great challenge,” she concludes.

Founded in New York City, IFDA has 15 chapters nationwide and one in Japan. Providing a professional forum for communication and interaction among its high-profile members, the IFDA promotes career advancement and educational opportunities. Now celebrating its 64th year, the association is structured to increase public awareness of the furnishings and design industry through specialized programming and service to the community.