Showroom

>>> David E. Adler, Inc. Oriental Rugs Scottsdale, Arizona
         Photography by Scott Sandler

Contemporary and traditional rugs are displayed on showroom walls as well as the floor.

Hung from a wall, Tufenkian’s “Assumed Arabesque” rug is a study in subtle sophistication, a tone-on-tone traditional pattern, enlarged to assume modern graphic proportions, done in wool and silk. Atop a large stack on the floor, a Barbara Barry-designed area rug is an architectural statement, a three-dimensional work in loop and cut pile. On another wall, a traditional Oriental rug takes center stage, in rich red, gold and black, its pattern layered outward from a classic central medallion.

At the David E. Adler, Inc. Oriental Rugs showroom, interior designers and architects can find everything from 2’x3’ rugs for powder rooms to statement-sized 15’x25’ rugs for lobbies or large living rooms, in patterns that range from traditional to contemporary. The common denominator? High-quality product, painstakingly knotted by hand from weavers in countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Romania, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, India, China and Nepal.

The showroom was founded in 1973 by Oriental rug and antiques expert David Adler, who opened his first retail/trade location in a historic house in downtown Scottsdale. In 2005, he opted to focus on the trade by moving to a 6,000-square-foot showroom at the Arizona Design Center, where he could display thousands of rugs in a space marked by polished concrete floors, tall white walls and a grid of track spotlights.

Design professionals visiting the showroom these days are likely to be greeted by showroom director Lainey Pizanis or Lindsay Bowman, who are in charge of sales and inventory. Both enjoy working with designers to find the perfect rug for a specific project.


Pizanis and Bowman will steer designers through an inventory of rugs from firms such as Odegard, New Moon, Tibetano and Rugs by Robinson, as well as Tufenkian, which features styles by high-profile designers such as Barry, Kevin Walz, Clodagh and Vicente Wolf. If it’s not in the showroom, Bowman and Pizanis will help track down the perfect rug (new or antique) from sources around the globe, or help a designer execute a custom design. A custom rug, depending on the size and complexity, has a delivery time of four to 12 months. “Fantastic takes time,” says Pizanis with a smile. Adds Bowman, “We’ll spend a lot of time educating designers about the rug-making process. It’s sometimes hard for people to grasp how rugs are made–for example, that a 9’x12’ rug might have 650,000 to 1.5 million knots.”

David E. Adler, Inc. rugs have found their way into Arizona homes, Lake Tahoe lodges, Minnesota mansions and, recently, into resorts such as Miraval and The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, both in Tucson. “Our designers work all over the country,” says Pizanis, noting that more traditional rugs and patterns are often specified for Midwestern or East Coast homes, rustic patterns usually find their way into mountain resort locales, and casual, contemporary styles seem a bit more prevalent in desert houses.

In any case, the caliber of rugs sold by the showroom is such that they last a lifetime (or more), and, as such, David E. Adler, Inc. also offers in-house cleaning and repair services.

Beyond the quality and quantity of the product, the showroom’s other greatest asset is a is a knowledgeable staff. “We try to be the designer’s advocate,” says Pizanis, “and find the solution for any particular space.”

David E. Adler, Inc. Oriental Rugs, 7350 N. Dobson Road, Suite 108, Scottsdale, AZ 85256; (480) 513-3200 or www.davideadler.com.