THE RUG GALLERY’S LUX OFFERINGS

Cincinnati’s Premier Flooring Boutique Offers Custom Designs and So Much More

Written by Sheree Allgood / Photography by Andrew Kung

There is an ancient fascination with art as floor covering, the enduring allure of hand-knotted rugs in mesmerizing shapes and patterns, or intricate mosaic tiles encrusted with gold, telling enchanted tales of antiquity. Artistry of this kind is truly an exquisite thing to behold and is not so rare as you may think in our fair city.

The Rug Gallery in Blue Ash is a multi-faceted flooring retailer which runs the gamut of trends, styles, prices, media, patterns, prints and inlays. In fact, so revered is The Rug Gallery that it has won accolades and recognition from around the world including the Gold Standard Award: Best Rug Retailer in the U.S. from World Floor Covering Association and the International Design Guild Leadership Award. It shouldn’t surprise anyone, then, that The Rug Gallery is the leading retailer of luxury flooring in Greater Cincinnati, with over 4,000 rugs, over 6,000 styles of carpet, and an impressive line of Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT).

The Rug Gallery’s owner, Sam Presnell, and his son and heir apparent, Beau Presnell, are as engaged and knowledgeable as they are involved with every customer in the wire to wire process of design, detail and delivery, all of whom will receive expert attention from these flooring-savvy gurus.

The genesis of The Rug Gallery is itself worthy of a neomodern mosaic. Like Marco Polo, Sam took a journey east…in his case from the Mt. Healthy neighborhood in Cincinnati to New York City at age 20, seeking …enlightenment. Along the way at a shop with blinding, flickering strobe lights, Sam and a friend haggled with the Persian shop owner for a machine-made cotton rug, finally settling on a $25 price. On his return home, the rug adorned his apartment floor, and friends would ask him how they could get one. He began to contact merchandisers, schooling himself in the intricacies of rugs and their artistry and opened his first storefront operation in Clifton in 1972. The rest, as they say, is history.

Beau Presnell, Sam’s son, is poised to take the business in hand and has, in his lifetime, been keen to acquire the depth and knowledge of his father. To this end, Beau has upped the ante on reaching a newer, younger market with a plethora of tweaks in social media and flooring options. Even through the new world lockdowns and social distancing, The Rug Gallery can conduct virtual consultations or private design sessions in-store and ensure that each purchase is masterfully attended to.

The Rug Gallery’s high-quality selection of exquisite rugs is truly unmatched in Cincinnati, with offerings that fit any taste, from transitional to contemporary to modern. A skillfully chosen and placed rug can elevate any space. If the right rug seems unattainable, The Rug Gallery experts offer custom fabrication and are totally dedicated to their customer’s satisfaction. And there are many fabulous looks within myriad price points and materials, the hottest traditional trend now being inspired silk designs from India, and the always unique and elegant Haj-Jailili, which are a hand-knotted, classic design from Northern Persia. Hot trends in transitional and modern/contemporary design include plaid, animal, and geometric patterns, in addition to textural concepts. The Rug Gallery’s expert weavers/suppliers have even woven modern art masterpieces and self-portraits into custom purchases.

The Rug Gallery is also home to an amazing selection of Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) for areas in your living space that require durability and can also speak to a lux flooring option. It can mimic hardwood, tile, concrete, even marble, and is scratch-, stain-, and water-resistant. The Rug Gallery carries its own line of LVT called Luxury Performance Flooring, and in addition to its great durability, it sports a very popular cork backing, which makes it much more forgiving, especially when standing for long periods, a perfect choice for a cook’s kitchen. This flooring process comes in finishes which include barn wood to tile to marble, and even concrete and granite. Customizable inlays are also available with this incredible product.

While carpet has been usurped over the past decade or so, The Rug Gallery’s experts still see carpet as a good solid option in many homes today. It adds extra warmth, sound insulation, and like the carpets and LVT, can be customized to fit tastes, lifestyles, and themes that particular homeowners desire. The trend in carpeting, like area rugs, is toward more personalized and custom approaches. Also popular in homes today are stair runners which are not only sophisticated additions to a home’s entry but also a safety feature and natural sound barrier.

Finally, it must be stressed that The Rug Gallery is an establishment replete with deep and abiding values. While their product knowledge is unsurpassed, and their personal relationships with their weavers spanning the globe are unparalleled, their dedication to ensuring total customer satisfaction is paramount to their success. The Presnell family is involved in every aspect of client satisfaction, helping select and design the perfect flooring, and guaranteeing utmost enjoyment. Unlike other lesser operations, The Rug Gallery also has on-staff design consultants, finishers, and installers, whom they train meticulously at well-respected programs across the country. They also have in-house repair and cleaning services to ensure the investment made is always in pristine shape.

This jewel of luxury and sophistication should decidedly be your next stop for flooring, whether you are a first-time buyer, a new homeowner, a decorator, or a connoisseur seeking to enhance your collection. The Rug Gallery is rife with expertise and elegance, yet still very approachable.

The Rug Gallery is located at 9350 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45242, or contact sam@ theruggallery.com, or visit them online at theruggallery.com or call 1-513-793-9505. The Rug Gallery is open by appointment during the current Covid-19 restrictions. For a private consultation, contact them by email or telephone or use the contact page online.