JAMES ROYCE WINS AT WESTEDGE

Photos by Michael Allen

Best of Competition in Booth Design by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA)

THE BARKER HANGAR in serene Santa Monica, CA came alive with the thrum of over 9,000 designers, homeowners, and trade professionals attending WestEdge Design Fair from November 14-16, 2024. 

Amid the bustle of the Opening Night Party and the near-deluge of wine, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) held its awards for best products and booth design.

James Royce Designer Rugs celebrated its WestEdge debut as the first awarded during the ceremony. James Mohaber, owner of James Royce, shared the stage with the booth’s designer, Chinmaya Misra, and James Royce showroom manager Emily Aron to accept the award for a category winner for Best in Booth Design. 

After an exciting showing of winners, including Best Product winner Paper Airplane, James Royce was honored again with the Best of Competition award for Booth Design.

Inspired by the origin of many of James Royce’s handmade rugs as well as her own roots, Chinmaya Misra of CHINCHIN Design utilized the dimensions and color palette of traditional Indian architecture to set the stage–or lay the booth’s foundation, to be more accurate.

Just as these beautiful hand-knotted rugs are made in more organic, down-to-earth settings–mostly little towns and villages with artisans using only their skill and their hands–we wanted to capture the essence of the rug-making process and bring that spirit forward. That is why we used rougher, earthier materials to showcase the booth instead of choosing a more polished look.

According to Mohaber, balance was the impetus in which rugs he chose to display. 

Homeowners still find comfort in soft ivory and beige tones while designers are headed into 2025 with color in mind–watch our Designer’s Corner interviews here for more on what designers predict for the coming year

Mohaber utilized the bold, teal, vintage-inspired rug as the focal point against Sherwin Williams Redend Point paint to draw attendees in, then framed it with rug samples that appealed to homeowners and designers alike. He also showcased a variety of  textures–plush, high-pile samples versus flat-weaves, silk versus wool–because, while a plush rug is perfect under a bed, it’s not everyone’s top choice to lay beneath a dining table.

 

When asked what he hoped to achieve at WestEdge, Mohaber said, “James Royce’s slogan is Luxury Loves Company. We aim to offer luxury products that everyone can fall in love with, and we do this by providing variety. I wanted to highlight that variety with colors, patterns, textures, and materials as much as possible without overwhelming the space and the attendees who visited our booth.”

 

James Royce Designer Rugs has a showroom at 522 N. La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood and is open to appointments and walk-ins.

James Mohaber | James Royce

Founder & CEO 

James Royce Designer Rugs

james@jamesroyce.com

310.402.0909

www.jamesroyce.com

 

522. N. La Cienega Blvd.,

West Hollywood, CA 90048

Chinmaya Misra | CHINCHIN Design

Founder & CEO 

Interior Design, Furnishings, Textiles

chin@chinchin.design

310.279.2891

www.chinchin.design