The World's Best Rugs Under One Roof

Designers’ Rug Center in Naples sources fine rugs from around the globe to meet the needs of designers and homeowners here in Southwest Florida

Rugs adorn nearly every inch of Designers’ Rug Center, a Southwest Florida home décor destination for 25 years and a favorite source for many of the top interior designers in the region. Moving into its new Naples location this May, the 3,600-square-foot showroom—just up the road from its former site—offers gorgeous designs in every size, shape and color imaginable, representing a tapestry of the finest rugs the world has to offer. Chris Smith, a genial, gray-haired gentleman, founded Designers’ Rug Center and operates the store with his wife, Laura Swanson. An avid marathoner who exudes energy, Smith is a former school teacher who connected with the owner of a chain of rug stores in his native South Africa and became captivated by the business. “I started at the bottom,” says Smith. “I unloaded trucks, unwrapped rugs and learned the business.” When Smith heard of an opportunity to open a store in Tampa, he uprooted his family, including three young daughters, and moved from South Africa to Florida. The Tampa location didn’t work out, but Smith soon found a home for his rug store and his family in Naples. “I sold the store in Tampa and opened Designers’ Rug Center in 1993,” he explains. The store was first situated behind Andre’s Steak House before moving to its current home near Fifth Avenue South. Designers’ Rug Center has a large wall-to-wall department offering the finest rugs available, primarily to professional designers. “About 80 percent of our business is interior designers,”

says Smith. “It’s called Designers’ Rug Center for a reason, but we are also very welcoming of retail customers.” Smith travels the globe to source his inventory. “We have many one-ofa-kind rugs,” he says. Smith’s favorite sources include India, Turkey and Nepal. While he has traveled extensively in the Peshawar region on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, today, due to regional instability, he imports through his contacts. Smith explains that Nepal produces some of the world’s best rugs made of Himalayan wool, a distinction owed to the region’s altitude. “The higher the sheep graze, the higher the amount of lanolin in the sheep’s wool, the better the rug,” says Smith. Smith talks with pride about Designers’ Rug Center’s devotion to customer service, especially by creating custom rugs to suit any size, shape or style. “If you see a rug here that you love, but you want it in a different color, we can make it for you,” says Smith. The custom-design service goes much farther, and the customers’ wishes and imagination are the limit. “We offer custom-made Tibetan and Nepalese rugs,” says Smith, explaining that a rug can be special-ordered to be handmade abroad by expert artisans. Most custom rugs can be completed in three to four months, says Smith, citing as an example an especially elaborate custom order that was hand knotted, resulting in a massive

19-by-38 wool and silk Napalese rug in a bold, one-of-a-kind jewel-toned pattern. Adding to the custom experience is the fact that Smith’s wife, Laura Swanson, is an artist who can create original designs. “I majored in art and currently work as an artist in water color and oil and acrylic,” says the petite brunette. “I can create designs for custom rugs.” After almost three decades in the business, Smith says his favorite part of his job is the people. “I’ve met so many interesting people over 25 years in the business. I can count on the fingers on one hand the people I haven’t enjoyed working with.” Designers’ Rug Center's new location is 732 Ninth St. North, Naples. For more information call 239-434-9584 or visit designersrugcenter.com.

Chrissie Forbes, president of Accessories Etc. Design Group, an award-winning Bonita Springs-based interior design firm, has worked with Designers’ Rug Center for more than 20 years. “I love working with Designers’ Rug Center because they are very flexible when staging rugs in clients’ homes and are gracious about allowing clients to keep rugs overnight to test them out in different lighting. They are very accommodating and just very nice to work with.”

Moving into its new Naples location this May, the 3,600-square-foot showroom offers gorgeous designs in every size, shape and color imaginable, representing a tapestry of the finest rugs the world has to offer.