By Andrea Lillo

Known for offering high-end collections with such renowned designers as Alexander McQueen, David Rockwell and Diane von Furstenberg, The Rug Company looks to become accessible to more consumers, with plans for a new e-commerce site and a lower-priced line later this year. In addition, it continues to open showrooms, with a location on New York City’s Upper East Side next on its list, which will be its 18th worldwide. 

“We’re control freaks,” said Chris Sharp, who co-founded The Rug Company with his wife Suzanne in London in 1997. “We want to control every aspect of the business” — which is why the company only sells its product in its stores, and not to other retailers. And Sharp’s hesitation to sell rugs online stems from how his company services its customers. With a website, one can’t have a personal interaction with the consumer, he said, which may include visiting her house to consult on the right type of rug for the room.

But times have changed. “You have to sell online now,” Sharp said.

And for those consumers who can’t afford The Rug Company’s existing line—a 6-by-9 starts at $2,200 and goes up to $16,500, depending on the quality and materials—the company will debut a lower-priced line this fall. The new handmade tufted line will have a looser weave, Sharp said, so it’s quicker to make. Initially, it will consist of a licensed group of about eight designs with Jonathan Adler—the designer’s first collection with The Rug Company—as well as an in-house collection of about 12 designs, designed by Suzanne Sharp. They will retail for about $2,000 for a 6-by-9.

“We wanted to keep the same quality and design aesthetic,” Sharp said. “It allows someone to buy into the brand.”

But Sharp believes the existing line is worth every penny. Each rug takes four months to weave and will last for hundreds of years, he said, and many are designed by top designers. “Compared to the price of a sofa, it’s worth it. To me, it’s not expensive. There’s a perceived value.”

So it’s no surprise that The Rug Company will never put any of its products on sale. “That’s a suicidal ploy,” Sharp said. “It’s better to get the price right and say, ‘That’s its value.’” The new New York location, scheduled to open this fall, was chosen because of its close proximity to interior designers, Sharp said. (About 80 percent of The Rug Company’s business is to the trade such as interior designers and architects, while the rest is retail.)

Right now, the company works with more than 35 designers for its collections and they all create different looks, Sharp said. Its line with designer Paul Smith has sold consistently well over the years, he said, while industrial designer David Rockwell’s line can fit into many home environments. “We try to avoid crossover.”

Besides the upcoming Jonathan Adler collection, The Rug Company released designs from Spanish designer Jaime Hayon this past spring and will develop a line with Sarah Burton, who took over the Alexander McQueen label after the designer’s death last year and who famously designed Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress.

While the company doesn’t need—or want—to rush new collections, it always has about 20 designs in development, Sharp said, and everything is made in Nepal.