Kathy Ireland, Shaw covering more ground

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/5/2001 12:00:00 AM

DALTON, GA -Two years after introducing her line of area rugs with Shaw Rugs, home furnishings designer and former model Kathy Ireland has partnered with Shaw again, this time to produce her new Shades of America carpeting collection.

"We want to provide solutions for moms, especially busy moms like myself," Ireland said. "If something doesn't provide a solution, I don't want it. But Shades of America does in so many ways."

The line includes a palette of 90 solid colors that are showcased on the Shades of America Colorwall and are divided up into four styles: essential plush, essential platinum, essential gold and essential silver.

The carpets are made of 100 percent nylon and contain the stain-resistant treatment R2X.

"I had my kids try it out. I told them to get the most disgusting stuff in the fridge and go for it, and they looked at me like I was crazy," Ireland said. "But the carpet cleaned up beautifully. This collection is family friendly, which is very important to me."

All the colors are named "in such a way that they conjure up emotion and make it easy for people to understand and coordinate with. For example, if a customer buys 'Cinnamon toast,' she should know that any furniture and accessories with earth tone colors will work in that room."

Ireland said that because of its breadth of colors, the new carpet collection coordinates with the eight pieces in her existing line of area rugs with Shaw, as well as the home accessories and furniture she produces with other manufacturers.

Shades of America carpets is rolling out now at retailers aligned with Shaw Industries. Price points range from $20 to $30 per square yard.