5 Toronto Hot Spots for Luxury Rugs
With an eclectic tapestry of culture and edgy design, Toronto’s rug selection spans the globe from functional shags to hand-knotted, silk Turkish rugs and couture kilim flatweaves. There is a rug for every taste and budget in this world-class metropolis of tight-knit neighbourhoods.
The city’s small rug community is made up of family members and people who have been in the industry a long time. Following are a few of Toronto’s most well-known rug stores, each with their own specialty. We’ll leave Big Box out of it and zero in on a few of the locally-found rug boutiques. Most Toronto rug stores showcase pieces from all over the world, with hundreds of designs, colours, weaves, textures, and sizes. Only a few super-niche shops are exclusively about one style of rug.
Amala Carpets in Toronto’s Yorkdale neighbourhood was founded by the Shrestha Family–six generations of wool producers and handmade rug manufacturers. Their area rugs are crafted in Nepal and Thailand using traditional methods and materials through environmentally and socially sustainable programs.
Allan Rug Co. houses the largest carpet warehouse in Toronto in the Briar Hill / North Fairbank area. In the business for over 50 years, Eli Montekio founded Allan Rug Co. and was later joined by his sons, Alan and Robert. Their flooring options include vintage Persian area rugs, modern rugs with abstract designs, shags, and animal hides.
Founded by Mark Nozari in March 2006, Avenue Rug in Yorkdale imports a vast selection of oriental and contemporary rugs. Their traditional and accent designer rugs are handcrafted or machine made, originating in Persia, Tibet, and parts of Europe. Check out their website for a peek at the fascinating history of the rug.
This upscale, multi-departmental home design store houses a whole lot of modern rhythm and very little of the blues when it comes to rugs. Their contemporary, functional rugs are made from durable broadloom that is also non-toxic and hypoallergenic. They offer 14 curated selections in a variety of colours and sizes. If you’re after a practical esthetic design, check them out.
Established in 2016 after a sabbatical-turned-love-affair with Morocco, husband and wife team John and Miriam opened Mellah on College Street West and joined the fabric of Toronto’s rug store history. With an impressive showcase of vintage and contemporary area rugs, Mellah’s the only boutique rug store in Toronto that exclusively carries Moroccan rugs. Each rug is handmade using traditional methods and exquisite details. Contact Mellah for an in-home rug consultation or to discuss customization.