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"As the husband-and-wife team behind the 16-year-old firm the Rug Company, Christopher and Suzanne Sharp are used to blurring the line between their work and personal lives. It makes sense, then, that the couple wanted their latest Manhattan showroom to feel more like a home than a retail space.\n\nPoised on the southeast corner of Third Avenue and 59th Street, a half-block from the D&amp;amp;D Building, the three-story edifice has the bearing of a genteel brownstone, albeit with a fa\u00E7ade painted in the brand's signature teal. Inside, visitors are welcomed into a salon-inspired setting kitted out with plush tufted seating and rugs hung in frames like artworks. A gracefully curving stairway leads up to the main sales floor, where stacks of carpets await perusal. Handwoven in Nepal, the diverse offerings fuse traditional craftsmanship with contemporary designs, many of them created by such luminaries as Allegra Hicks, Paul Smith, and Vivienne Westwood.\n\nPinterestFacebookPinterestFacebook\u00A9Joshua McHugh\u00A9Joshua McHugh\n\nImmaculate though it is now, the property was initially deemed a dud by the pair's real-estate broker. \"She wasn't even going to show it to us, but all we cared about was the location,\" says Christopher, the brand's CEO. \"We knew we could make it work.\" Doing so necessitated a gut overhaul masterminded by Suzanne, who oversees the design of the company's products and of its 21 global showrooms (among them the original New York City outpost in SoHo). \"I wanted the building to feel private, to have its own personality,\" she explains. \"Work is such an important part of our lives, so we conceived the space to be warm and comfortable, not too obviously \u2018decorated.'\"\n\nThe exclusive townhouse vibe suits the function of the store, which very much caters to the trade but is open to the public. On the third floor, Hans J. Wegner Wishbone chairs surround an expansive table, providing a comfortable spot to plan bespoke creations with Rug Company experts. And for those in search of immediate gratification, many carpets are always kept in stock, ready for delivery. From the Sharps' house to yours, as it were. At 989 Third Ave., New York, NY; therugcompany.com\n\nPinterestFacebook\u00A9Joshua McHugh"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-rug-company-manhattan-showroom-new-york-city-article>