Zebra Skin Rugs - Tips on Buying Zebra Hide Rugs

If you are searching for eye catching rugs for decorating your home, the zebra skin rug could be a great item to purchase. Zebra rugs often provide a wild look and appeal to your room decor. It has found favor among many connoisseurs. The rug can personalize your room with an added flair without necessitating any change to existing furnishings.

A rug from zebra felt can be an ideal purchase should you intend to bring about that exotic look to your room. Nevertheless, before you pay for the rug, you can follow these easy steps to avail the finest product perfectly complementing your taste.

African lineage

Authentic zebra rugs can come only from the African countries. Though there are not many variations in size, an archetypal zebra pelt rug measures about 8 feet x 5 feet approximately. Ahead of selecting a particular size, please ensure that you have sufficient space to lay or hang the rug.

The price

Every zebra skin rug has its own unique characteristics. They are usually graded in a number of methods and each grade is available at a distinctive price which typically ranges from $ 1500 to $ 2300. The color of the rug must always be in black and white. To ensure durability, you can border the rug with a felt lining. These usually cost around $ 150. Ensure that its shade matches the rug

Gradation of the skin

Zebra pelts typically have blemishes and scars. These scars can crop naturally or may occur during the manufacturing process. Trophy grade is the finest quality of zebra rugs available and are likely to sport little or nearly no scars. The rugs are however rare and not easily available for purchase. Grade A zebra hides often appear similar to the trophy grade but might just sport some marks. A zebra skin rug from the grade B category is usually chosen by those having a taut budget. Rugs from these grades are quite affordable, though they are likely to show some scars. While these two grades are the ones from which the most selected rugs come from, you may also come across rugs from the grade C category. There are noticeable scars on this category of rugs. However, they often make a good purchase and should never be discarded as unworthy. They are considerably cheaper than other grades and could still be enough striking.

Seller's reputation

Ahead of buying the rug ensure the dealer's reputation. While majority of all sellers deal with skin of the African Burchell zebra only, which has not been classified as endangered, many unscrupulous dealers sell protected zebra rugs. Buying such a zebra skin rug could land you up on the wrong side of the law.

Before you make the purchase, ensure that qualified tanners have tanned the skin for making the best quality zebra skin rug possible.

Read more >>

Furnish Your Home With Choice Contemporary Rugs

Are you trying to furnish your new home? You tried everything. The walls are beautifully decorated. The best antique frames are adorning the walls. The fancy lights and chandeliers make the wall paints more aesthetic and attractive. The luxurious wooden sleigh beds are making the rooms even more beautiful. Carpets imported from Turkey add to the pomp and show of the house. Still you feel that there is something missing that could have made the house complete and would have furnished the home completely. Here what you miss is the designer rugs. Yes, the handmade wool rugs or the shaggy wool rugs that cover the tiny spaces of your floor make the house look more complete.

Gone are the days when the traditional rugs were brought into picture only when they were to be used. Nowadays, fancy rugs are sold everywhere. There are several leading stores that sale various kinds of rugs like hot cakes. You may buy them for cheap or get them imported from the best manufacturers of the world. The various forms of rugs are -

. Handmade rugs

. Shaggy wool rugs

. Fancy baby rugs

. Kitchen rugs

. Hand knotted silk rugs

. Sheepskin rugs

Hence you get variety of rugs to choose from.

The handmade rugs are the ones which are prepared most artistically. You, sometimes, get to put your inputs too. If the rug is for your baby, you may get his/her favorite character painted on it. If it's for the bathroom then the rug would be then they would be of the color of the washbasin or the bathing tub. This may revitalize your bathroom. The handmade wool rugs are very common in the bathrooms. They may also suit the color and the lights in the bathroom. You may also go for the colors that contrast the color of the tiles.

The kitchen rugs may be of several kinds. It may be of various sizes. Depending up on the kind of the utensil, the rugs can be different types. Again kitchen rags can be for the children and adults. You may place them on the kitchen shelves, the tea table or the dining table. This would surely increase the decoration of the table. To welcome the guest into the living room you may put the welcome rug at the entrance.

The contemporary rugs may consist of various prints like flower, leaves, bulls, bears, hut, baby, etc., Moreover, you may get them custom made too. All these rugs come for reasonable price. You may even purchase the rugs online. Buying online may be preferable as you get them delivered free of cost. You get to choose from the fanciest rugs. The rugs you choose would surely make your house look complete. They may even make your neighbors notice your sense of furnishing. This would of course please you the most.

Read more >>

Choosing and Buying - Contemporary Rugs

Browsing for the rugs on the World Wide Web will let you come up with a huge assortment of rugs of varied categories and designs. The most attractive of them will the ancient art works of the pure Egyptian rugs, the traditional Persian rugs and the most updated version - the contemporary rugs. The category of the contemporary rugs includes the rugs of wide range of designs and themes that have the transcendental ability to complement the modern trend of interior decoration and also to fit the wide range of taste and culture of the different purchasers.

The manufacturers of the contemporary rugs have recently developed the trend of blending the most modern concept of interior decoration with the unique fervor of traditionalism. This unique step taken by the modern rug makers have lead them to give birth to some very inspirational artworks for the drab floor of the modern houses. Starting form the Mexican style rugs and the Indian style rugs to the exclusive Santa Fe style rugs, the manufacturers of the contemporary rugs have come up with an awesome variety of the themes and conceptual designs as well. The linear and the geometrical patterned contemporary rugs are facing high demand at the moment, although the traditional ornamental designs are also very alluring as far as the contemporary rugs are concerned.

Tips for selecting the contemporary rugs for your home or office

The contemporary rugs come in varied shapes and sizes and the most commonly found sizes are 4 X 6 and 6 X 9 feet. But you can also find the contemporary rugs of 8 X 11 or even larger for the huge halls and the conference rooms. This helps the general flock to choose from the wide assortment. It is important to measure your room at the outset prior top setting out to purchase a rug form the broad collection of the contemporary rugs.

When it comes to selection of the contemporary rugs for your home, always pick the one that will be durable and perform well for years. The better rugs come up with the denser pile. This means closer the tufts better the quality, as the density of the piles depends directly on the stitches of tufts.

While selecting the contemporary rugs it is always advisable to watch out for the fringe elements. The contemporary rugs sometimes come with the fancy fringes. It will be wise to see if the fringes are properly sewn on. These artistic fringes were absent in the ancient models of rugs, while are very commonly found in the contemporary rugs class.

The World Wide Web has come up with the awe-inspiring collection of the contemporary rugs from the top ranking brands of the world. The majority of the renowned online rug sellers offer attractive discount schemes for their products. These are usually of good quality and are available at affordable rates and also allow the general middle class section of the population to place orders. Before placing orders to the for the online contemporary rugs it is important to know their shipping schemes, drop ship facilities and the exchange or return policy.

Read more >>

Area Rugs - Orientals to Cheap Contemporary Rug

Oriental Chinese Rugs: How to Set the Difference? Don't be misled by Oriental Chinese rugs. They are completely different from other area rugs manufactured by other Asian countries. The variation comes from the patterns as well as the manner of creating the rugs. That's why when you're shopping for Oriental Chinese rugs, you should ensure that you know what you're looking for and you get the right one:

1. These rugs are very durable. The Oriental Chinese rug a long time ago has been a source of headache for the sellers. This is because there is the issue of its durability. You have to make sure that you make use of a light chemical in cleaning or washing it so you can remove its stiffness. This way, the rug will become more salable to customers. Nevertheless, because of the changes happening in this rug, as well as the shift of material used, you can expect the Chinese Oriental rug to last as long as the Persian rugs. As a matter of fact, those that are sold in the middle of the 1920s until the 1930s can still be seen in very good condition. Only few of them really exhibit wear or deterioration.

2. There is difference in texture and design. Commonly, an area rug such as the Persian rug showcases a different kind of weaving, which is characterized by countless tied knots for every square inch. The Chinese rugs, on the other hand, are in relation to foot. This means that there are prescribed number of knots that need to be done for each foot of the material.

3. Beware of Indian rugs. Indian rug makers have tried to emulate the process of the Oriental Chinese, especially in their design and the manner of tying the knots. Hence, you may mistake an Indian rug into an Oriental Chinese rug. It would be best to stick with local Chinese rug dealers. At least you are a lot sure that you can purchase the rug that you definitely want.

4. There are different sizes of Chinese Oriental rugs. It doesn't matter where you are going to place the rug. The good thing is you are sure that you can find one that will add more beauty and substance to your home. Today there are more than 150 sizes of Chinese rugs, ranging from big to small. The prices, of course, differ depending on the intricacy of the design as well as the size of the rug.

It is well known that the Oriental rugs are going to cost you some money if they are hand knotted. And they should as it's a work of art and takes many months to make one fine rug. On the other hand you can find some very nice looking machine made Oriental designed rugs at a fraction of the cost. Many refer to these rugs as cheap contemporary rugs. They are inexpensive, but the quality is there with these rugs, too.

It's nice to have a choice about whether to spend thousands on a rug or a little over a hundred for a fine looking rug for your rooms. Nice to have the choices that don't cost an arm and a leg.

Read more >>

Sisal Rugs - What's So Great About Sisal?

It is important to realize that using sisal rugs in your home or workplace helps to promote sustainability in developing countries. Likewise, you are providing a healthier environment for yourself and also those around you.

For us to begin discussing the benefits of sisal rugs we need to first look at the plant itself, sisal growth patterns, and the processing of the plant into usable fibers. All of these factors help to make this type of floor covering rapidly renewable, environmentally sustainable and uniquely beautiful!

The sisal plant used for rug manufacture is Agave Sisalana, a relative of the well known aloe plant. Sisal is extremely drought resistant, making it the perfect cash crop for areas unable to profit from other types of farming. Pesticides are not needed and rarely used. Weeding is usually done by hand. The lifespan of this sisal plant is about 10-12 years and one plant produces up to 250 usable leaves in its lifetime. Each leaf contains an average of 1000 fibers. Five to ten percent of the leave is fiber. Harvesting usually begins when the plant is around two years old.

The process of extracting the fibers from the sisal plant is called decortication. The leaves are crushed by a rotating wheel fitted with blunt blades. They are then dried, brushed and baled for shipment. A great majority of the fibers used to weave the broadloom are produced on smallholder farms in Brazil, where the fiber is sun dried and hand brushed. Another large area of fiber production is in East Africa, where sisal is grown on plantations and mechanically dried. There is a common belief that sisal fibers that are mechanically dried are stronger than sun dried, however I could find no research to substantiate this.

We can already see that the plant used to produce sisal rugs is rapidly renewable and environmentally sustainable. You might be asking yourself, what happens to the other 90% of the plant after the fibers are removed to make sisal fibers for weaving?

The leftover of the decortication process is called slag. It has many uses including animal feed for the sheep on Brazilian smallholder farms. The wool from sheep is also incorporated into the manufacture of sisal rugs to provide a softer feel underfoot. Slag is also used in Africa to produce biogas, supplying electrical energy for the fiber production facilities.

Slag is also used to replace the glass in fiberglass. This is used by both the automobile and aircraft industries. Slag is used to strengthen plastics. It is also used in the geotextiles industry for land reclamation and stabilization. Slag is used as plaster reinforcement and even padding for mattresses and furniture.

In conclusion sisal rug benefits to you are a tough, long lasting and durable floor covering with very low maintenance. The natural fiber preserves indoor air quality. They release no VOC emissions usually associated with "new rug smell". In addition the natural fibers balance room humidity by absorbing and releasing ambient moisture as needed, much like the plant itself. Sisal rugs reduce allergens because it does not attract dust. Furthermore, they are also anti-static and sound absorbing.

The inherent character of natural fiber color and thickness ensures each sisal rug is unique and individual, just like in nature. No two rugs are exactly the same!

Read more >>

Nourison Rugs Are Ultra Exquisite!

Nourison is well known throughout the USA for producing a wide variety of Nourison rugs. Its head office in located in Saddle Brook, New Jersey and it has showrooms in Atlanta, Georgia, and High Point, North Carolina. Each year it also exhibits its new lines in Las Vegas. And of course you can also visit their virtual show room online. Nourison rugs are ultra exquisite so don't forget to check them out!

Nourison's comprehensive collection of area and accent rugs is second to none and will certainly add distinction and elegance to your home. The variety of styles, sizes, shapes, colors, and textures, means there is a perfect rug for every home and every home owner.

Area Rugs

Nourison offers over 60 different area rug collections either handmade or done on a power loom. If you are looking for country they have it! Traditional they have it! Contemporary no problem they have it. If you prefer something with a European flare or Southwestern Flare that's available too! Whether you need an area rug for your kitchen, living room, or family room, they've got a size to fit and almost all rugs are available in oval, round, and octagon shapes.

Broadloom

The broadloom line is fairly recent as it was only introduced in 2002. Because it was so successful the line has been continued and expanded. Five collections to choose from and all rugs are 100% wool. Add luxury to any room!

Runners

A full line of runners is available to match up to any of the area rugs, accent rugs, or scatter rugs. So you can keep your theme going throughout your home. Two widths available and various lengths. Give your entire home a makeover!

Accent and Scatter Rugs

Areas rugs are normally too big for bathrooms or kitchens but they deserve the same special attention as the larger areas in our home. That's why Nourison designed a full line of accent and scatter rugs that beautifully designed and of the same quality and intensity as the larger area rugs. These little gems are very versatile, and easy to wash and care for.

Custom Rugs

In the rare occasion when you can't find something on the shelf that grabs your attention Nourison Rugs offers custom rugs build just for you. They've got a huge selection of designs and borders to choose from, and they can build your custom rug in any size you need. Custom guarantees you'll get exactly what you want!

Nourison is well known for its use of the highest quality wool and the finest natural fibers available, resulting in the creation of the most magnificent rugs with a variety of texture, design, and appeal. Lasting beauty here! They are also known for their ability to produce specific market rugs like traditional or contemporary but also for their ability to cross various styles creating amazing transitional rugs. We are talking rugs for serious home decor!

Their modern technological system for dying their yards provides a wide range of colors and a wide range of shades. Their rugs can be found in solid colors or with a variety of colors incorporated into the rug. Their rich colors create ultra elegant rugs! All of Nourison's rugs are hand sewn, and hand serged not commonly seen in our modern world.

Not only are they woven to create a work of art for your room, they are woven to last. You'll get years of enjoyment from a Nourison rug. And because of the wide range of choices you'll get exactly what you need to complete your look.

So if you are looking to complete that home decor or give your room a makeover don't forget to check out the ultra exquisite Nourison rugs.

Read more >>

Carpet Industry - became An Overview

Carpet was the major attraction of many royal palaces and aristocrat families in the early periods. Nowadays carpet plays a significant role in the interior decoration; the use of carpets in the houses and business establishments are highly inevitable. In the ancient times this industry was in its boom with many skilled artisans and weavers. Jute yarn and silk threads are the important raw materials for the carpet industries. Recently synthetic yarns are also used for the production of mats and rugs.
Availability of raw materials, skilled workers, understanding of the traditional weaving patterns, accessibility of capitals, competition, marketability etc are the major factors affecting the existence of this industry.

The beauty of the handmade carpets from different countries depicts the heritage and aesthetic sense of the weavers of that particular country. China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Persian countries, France, US, England, Russia are the major contributors to this industry. Millions of weavers are working day and night in the carpets and mat industries in order to meet the demands of the mass.

Industrialization in late 30's introduced the concepts of mechanized patterns for weaving the rugs and mats, which initiated the concept of mass production. The US carpet industry started its mechanized operations in the year 1791 in Philadelphia and the first broadloom carpet was introduced in the year 1877.
Over the centuries Iranian hand woven carpets gained much attraction in the world wide. The diversified designs, super quality and brilliant hand work keep preserving the world wide demand for the Iranian carpets in the last few decades. But the economic recession in the Europe, Japan and United States affects the export of Iranian carpets from 2000 onwards.

By 2002, the export for these carpets was dropping down $600 million by compared to the previous years. Carpets from India also have remarkable glory in the minds of carpet lovers of domestic and international markets. But the heritage of Indian carpets is still concerted in the corners of villages. Numbers of artisans are working in different places of India like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat etc
In Pakistan carpet manufacturing is mainly undertaking in the areas like Quetta, parts of NWFP, Karachi and Attock. We can see millions of carpet weaving looms in Attock area itself. Pakistan is exporting carpets and rugs mainly to USA, Germany, Italy, the UK, France, and UAE.Till 2000, the export from various countries to the international market was stable.

The world wide economic recession affects the export of carpets; this affects the life of the weavers also. Mechanization of this industry coarsely hit the daily lives of the artisan's families, most of them left jobless and finds other jobs. Afghan refugees were the major carpet weavers in Pakistan; the return of these refugees created a big decline in the production of carpets. Lack of raw materials, lack of professional approach, competition internally and externally, lack of coordination, shortage of working capitals etc. are other factors declining the growth of this industry. Now the governments of various nations are providing different platforms for recovering carpet industry from its slowdowns.

Read more >>

Flokati, Sheepskin and Shag Rug Crazy

Sheepskins and Leather Area Rugs

These include what you DO expect in naturally white sheep's wool and goat hair area rugs, and also what you DON'T expect in purple and pink designs to go with retro or contemporary home decorating themes. You'll find a round red shag rug and the impact of a purple item, and the natural smelling hand-woven leather design that will tickle your feet's fancy. A leather shag rug can be bits of leather, or spaghetti strips, or fabric and leather combinations to make these area rugs even plusher and more textured. Don't worry about them being available only in brow; there's a ton of other options like the rich black styles or trendy olive green shades.

Greek Flokati Wool Shag Rugs

Don't forget about Greek Flokati rugs that come in everything from white to a beautiful blue tone, while still being made of long haired goat's wool. There are also the less expensive flokati that are synthetic or the chenille styles that are soft as silk or Pashmina designs that remind you of scarves although they may not be made quite the same, but a blend viscose and New Zealand wool for a similar effect.

Are you really needing some outrageous colors? Then have a taste of a chocolate or Small Fudge Shag Rug Sunday from USA Wallpaper that sells for about $50, or a bronze or silver or gold version or a Your Zone Bright Blue Shag Rug from Walmart for about $19.

Read more >>

Karastan Rugs - The Leader in the Rugs Industries

Karastan rugs are some of the best - if not the best - machine made rugs in the world. Made in the USA, they were first produced by Marshall Fields in 1928. They were the first rugs made from machines that could compete with hand-made rugs as far as quality was concerned and still be less expensive. Since 1928, the company has continued to produce innovative products and is a market leader in the rug industry.

Karastan makes their rugs from wool imported from New Zealand and the company is the largest imported of New Zealand wool on the globe. This type of wool is considered to be the purest and best wool produced in the world and gives each rug an extreme quality feel. Since the rugs are made from wool they are non-allergenic - meaning they won't be a place for bacteria or dust mites to breed.

The company continues to produce unique colors and pattern from various innovative processes. For example, the TeaWash was introduced in 1997 and gives rugs an aged and vintage look right off the production press. It takes several steps to produce this look. Shapura was introduced in 2006 and is a process which gives a traditional rug design.

Another process is called AntiqueWash. Similar to TeaWash, this process gives the rug are much more antique look and feel. Finally, LustreWash enables the rugs to harmonize their colors and gives the rug an amazing softness that is typically only seen in aged, hand made rugs.

Read more >>

Behind the Color of a Purple Rug

If you decide to use purple area rugs in your home, it is probably just because you like the color or you have seen a purple rug you like but when you look into it the color purple has an interesting history.

Far back in time the color was used to represent good fortune. Kings and queens often wore ornate purple robes, and in ancient Jewish temples, the Holy of Holies was shielded behind a purple curtain. The Purple Heart is a medal of honor given to American soldiers who are wounded in battle. It symbolizes their bravery, and shows that their country is proud of them.

Purple symbolized wealth in ancient times because the color was difficult to obtain. The color purple was acquired using a dye called Tyrian purple, which was made in Tyre by crushing purple sea shells called Mediterranean Murex. You had to crush ten thousand shells to get enough dye for one robe, so the dye was very expensive. You had to be quite wealthy to afford the dye, so purple came to represent affluence. In Elizabethan England, there were even laws that decreed who was allowed to wear purple clothing. Later, cheaper purples were obtained from madder and lichen, but the symbolism was retained.

For others, purple represents a soothing spirit, because it combines the heat and passion of red with the calm, icy nature of blue. In purple, there is warmth bubbling beneath the quiet surface, and this mystery is often used to allude to inner sight. The combination of blue and red leads some to use purple as the color of balance. In the USA, a state with an equal volume of Republicans and Democrats is called a purple state.

Purple is thought to be a favorite with teenage girls, because it expresses their feelings. It adequately embodies the red energy of their youth and the blue level-headedness of their impending adult mind set. Purple is popular with creative people too. They find it unusual and stimulating, and many cite it as a muse.

Purple features strongly in literature as well. "The Color Purple" is a novel by Alice Walker. It was made into a film starring Oprah Winfrey, and is considered to be one of the most powerful stories of all time. In Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's dream, a purple flower is used to trick Queen Titania into falling in love with a man wearing a donkey's head.

When choosing you rug, think about what these associations will bring to your home. There is definitely food for thought.

Read more >>

Why You Need a Rug Pad

There are many reasons why you should always use a rug pad. First let me draw an analogy with wall to wall carpet. One of the first things a carpet installer will tell you is that the life of the carpet is correlated to the quality of padding used under the carpet. This padding absorbs the wear and tear caused by foot traffic and will keep the carpet looking newer for longer periods of time. Try to install the carpet without the pad and you will notice a big difference in the cushion of the carpet and you will see evidence of wear patterns in a shorter time period.
The better quality carpet padding is made to have great resiliency properties. For a pad to be resilient it must accept the weight of the force applied and then expand back to its original shape after the force is removed. So finding a pad with good resiliency properties will result in a longer wear life. This same analogy can also be applied to area rugs. If you want your rug to last a long time, then make sure you use a pad with good resiliency properties. Pads with great resiliency properties include the Felt rug pads. These pad types are made with carpet fibers that are needle punched into a dense non-woven felt material. They are so well made that most come with extended year wear warranties.

Other reasons for needing a pad include keeping the rug from sliding on the floor along with protecting your floor from harm. There are many pad types that are effective at keeping rugs from sliding. They include the PVC open mesh products made in China and the felt products with natural rubber backing made in USA. Area rugs are made in many different ways. Some constructions can be very harsh on your floor. For instance, tufted area rugs that are machine tufted like the way carpet is made has a very scratchy carpet backing that feels like sand paper.

If this was placed on bare hardwood floors it would scratch the finish off of the wood. If this type of rug is placed over carpet it would break the yarn filaments and ruin the look of the carpet. Using a pad for these types of rugs is a necessity. Another great benefit for using a pad is to use as a sound buffer, especially if you live in an apartment style condition. We also recommend a pad for making the overall appearance of the rug look more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Most home decorating professionals will always use rug pads because it makes the rug look so much nicer and more expensive.

Read more >>

How to Shop For An Oriental Area Rug With Over Beauty

The days have changed and so is the way of looking at the modes of decorating the interiors of the houses and the offices and the business centers. The traditional area rugs had once been the center of focus for the drawing rooms, but an oriental area rug of the modern days is so glamorous that it has replaced the concept of the area rugs. An oriental area rug is just more than enough to add a special fervor of aesthetic luxuriousness to your home. A wonderfully crafted oriental area rug is the perfect element that gives a touch of warmth and coziness to your drab home.

With the elaborate decorations in a wide range of vibrant colors - especial in the form of ornamental designs - an oriental area rug displays an ecstatic beauty. Apart from the utilitarian functionality of an oriental area rug it can be doubtlessly said that it is one of the major décor element of your home and delivers the dignity at awesome level. This is why the leading exporters and manufacturers of the world are devoting to bring forth the oriental rugs of varied themes. Starting from the materials to the technique of weaving, an oriental area rug proves to be entirely different from the rest of the other kinds of rugs and this makes this the oriental area rug one of the most demanding types of area rugs in these days.

Buying Oriental Area Rug Online

Seeing the sky touching demand of oriental rugs, the online oriental area rug stores have come up with an awe-inspiringly great assortment of these oriental rugs to complement the trend, fashion, tradition and lifestyle of the varied categories of customers. These online oriental area rug sellers tend to sell to the customers especially in USA and Canada, which indicates that these people are more inclined in buying area rugs of oriental designs with ethnic art.

It is a great idea to purchase an oriental area rug online as you can get it at a discounted rate. Moreover these online oriental area rug dealers tend to provide you the genuine quality. Yet still it is the customers' responsibility to judge if their selection of the online oriental area rug store is right. Remember that a wrong selection in this issue may turn out to be detrimental.

Try to get all the information regarding their rates, shipping and delivering schemes and other essential facts regarding the dealers. Although during the recent years the trend of shopping for the oriental rugs online has got steady growth, yet still the idea has been stigmatized with certain serious flaws. The Internet facilitates you by providing the pictures of the model of amazing array of area rugs, and you have to make the selection based on the pictures and the notes that come with the pictures. Before getting it in your hand you cannot tell if the particular model would suit your style the interiors of your house

Read more >>

The Benefits of a Wool Rugs

Wool rugs in a modern contemporary home add a warm touch to any room. Many people prefer the look and feel of woven (hand made) or tufted (usually machine made) rugs. Many of the popular styles can be very affordable for low budget redecorating.

So for anyone who is looking to invest in a wool rug, there may be questions about the durability. Is it worth the investment to buy a wool rug?

Wool Rugs - Resilient, Resistant

While wool rugs are popular for many different reasons, one of the most popular reasons is the resistant nature of wool rugs. Wool fibers do not absorb soil very well. This makes the rugs easier to keep clean.

In addition, wool rugs are said to be resistant to fire. The rugs are safe to put in children's rooms or in high traffic areas of the home. The material is also resistant to static electricity.

Wool also naturally absorbs water from the air. Studies show that the wool fiber may suck up to 30% of it's own weight in water and it still feels dry to the touch. Wool rugs can actually absorb the water vapor in the air, relieving the humidity in the home.

Wool rugs are also very durable. They can sustain their quality for years, even within the home of an active family.

Easy to Clean Wool Rugs

Above, it was mentioned that wool rugs didn't absorb dirt. Homeowners really like that the wool fibers are also easy to clean. You can remove most stains with a little warm water and with light blotting. No chemicals would be needed, making it safer for health conscious families.

Upkeep of your wool rug depends on how you look after it once you bring it home. A light vacuuming once a week with slow, even strokes actually helps to improve the quality. A new wool rug may shed a few fibers at first and this is quite natural. With time, the shedding effect will fade and with continued regular vacuuming, your carpet will be better conditioned and have improved quality.

The Amazing Designs of Wool Rugs

Rugs are not only popular for their many benefits, but also for their designs. Now, manufacturers can create popular oriental, Persian and other styles of rugs for any fashionable home. You can get traditional hand made carpets of fine quality, or for something a little more inexpensive, a machine made wool rug is just as beautiful. Many of the hand made rugs come from China, Spain or India. If you are looking for machine made rugs, many rug companies in the USA create these.

If you are looking for a nice contemporary feel to your home, wool rugs make for an elegant and inexpensive option. Finding the right one for your home should be easy, a redecorating store or a specialized wool rug shop would be able to assist you with your needs and also give recommendations on style. Wool rugs are a great investment for your home.

Read more >>

History of Area Rugs Part II - Area Rugs in the West

The art of area rug making and the taste for wool area rugs spread across Europe with her contact with Islamic civilization. The earliest European rugs were made in Spain, and some of these pre-date the Muslim invasion. The Synagogue rug, a wool area rug dating from the 14th century, is the earliest extant example of this ancient style. The Armorial carpets, another well-known remnant of this style, has birds and flowers motifs and depictions of Spanish Christian families. This style gave way to the Renaissance style with its silk designs and wreath and pomegranate motifs as the land was re-conquered from the Moors.

In early seventeenth century, France began producing wool area rugs at Savonnerie in the style of Persian rugs. These were densely ornamented with flowers, and were characterized by architectural framing and mythological scenes. The most famous of these were a set of 105 carpets produced under the direction of Charles Le Brun for the palace at Louvre.

Area rug making came to England in late 16th century AD. The 14 extant specimens are called "Norwich carpets" after the town in Northern England where they were produced. These are adaptations of Oriental rug making, especially of the Indo-Persian art. In the coming centuries, the carpet manufacturers Exeter, Moorfields and Axminster became prominent in England. The heart of English area rug manufacture was at Kiddernminster in Worcestershire, where, to this day, a majority of the population is engaged in the industry.

1791 saw the beginning of area rug manufacturing in the United States with William Sprague's first woven carpet mill in Philadelphia. Other such manufacturers sprung up in New England, and the Beattie Manufacturing Company in New Jersey of that era lasted until 1979.

The revolutionary power loom was invented by Erastus Bigelow in 1839. Area rug making doubled and then tripled in the next few years due to the impact of the power loom. Various enhancements and modifications began to be made, and new companies sprung up based on each such modification. Alexander Smith and sons, which was based on the Skinner powerloom, was founded in 1845 and grew to become the largest manufacturer of area rugs in the world by 1929.

At around the same time, in 1926, Marshall Fields, the well-known Chicago retailer, had a traditional Axminster loom modified to create an unprecedented area rug - a wool rug that was woven through the back like Oriental carpets and with the same sort of color variations as an Oriental. These area rugs were called Karastan rugs, and they are still widely manufactured and fawned upon by carpet-lovers.

Another development took place in Dalton, Northern Georgia, where a young woman named Catherine Evans Whitener invented a new method for weaving wool area rugs - this was called tufting and mainly used for making bedspreads. This became widely popular throughout the US and elsewhere, and Dalton became known as the Bedspread Capital of the World.

Meanwhile, wool area rugs also began to mature as an industry. Various new finishing processes were invented by manufacturers in a bid to give their area rugs a more antique, oriental quality. The creation of a faded, vintage patina, much like the grayed photographs of old days, began to gain a sophistication which made it hard to tell an ancient oriental area rug from a present-day rug manufactured by the likes of Karastan. Using chemical dyes, wool area rugs made in present day USA could be given the same texture and appearance that a fabulously ancient Persian rug using vegetable dye could have. The ancient industry seemed to have come full circle.

Read more >>

Area Rug - Top 10 Things to Know Before Purchasing a Handmade Oriental Rug

When you are planning on buying a rug to compliment the décor in your home and to help keep the floors warm, there are some things you need to consider. After all, you are going to spend a fair bit of money and you want to be sure that you get a high quality product. You also need to be aware that there are people out there who are selling fake Persian, Turkish, and Oriental handmade rugs and passing them off as the real thing. Here are a few things you should know before you go out and buy a rug:

1. Where was it Made: Be sure the rug was made in Turkey, Iran, or Central Asia. If it isn't, then it simply isn't genuine. This is one time when you do not want made in the USA.
2. Is it Handmade: You need to be sure that what you are buying is really handmade, especially if you are paying handmade prices. There are people out there who will try to sell you a machine-made rug and tell you it is handmade. You can tell the difference by looking at the back of the rug. If you can clearly see the design, then it is handmade, but if the design is faint or not visible, then it is machine-made.
3. Quality: Now that you have determined that you are looking at a handmade rug (if it isn't you would have walked away) you need to know if it is a well made rug. You can tell the quality of the rug by feeling it and looking at it. If the rug feels very dry and the colours are dull, then the rug is probably made from dead wool, which is wool that has been taken from a dead sheep rather than from a living sheep. You want a rug made with live wool. You also need to measure the number of knots the rug has. You can do this by measuring the knots per square inch. This means that you need a ruler and you literally count how many knots are in one inch and then square that number. The higher the number, the higher the quality.
4. Take a Photo of Your Room: When you go to the rug store to buy a rug and you are certain the rugs are genuine and of good quality, you can easily get swept away by the selection of rugs. Having a photo of your room with you can help you stay focused on the task at hand - buying a rug that works in your room. This way there is less of a chance that you will end up with the wrong rug. If you buy rugs online, then you don't need to take a photo of your room.
5. Determine the Size: Before you choose a rug to buy, make sure of the size you want. You can tape fabric on the floor and get a good idea of the size you want before you buy the rug.
6. Rug on Wood: If your rug will be on a wooden floor, then be sure to leave an eight inch space all the way around the rug.
7. Padding: When you get padding for under the rug you will prolong the life of your rug.
8. Dark or Light: Getting a dark or light rug depends on what effect you want in the room. If you want the room to look more spacious, then choose a light coloured rug. If you want a cosier feel, then choose a darker rug.
9. More than One Rug: When you are buying more than one rug for a room, make one rug larger than the other ones. This is the dominant one and the other rugs can similar in design and colour.
10. Rug and Curtains: When you choose your rug, consider your curtains and make sure they don't clash.

These tips will help you pick a Turkish area rug or runner rug that will compliment your room or hallway and give you lasting beauty and warmth for many years to come. Then all you have to do is bring your rug home and enjoy it.

Read more >>

Why Buy Area Rugs?

If you are thinking of buying a rug, you should know that there are many benefits in getting a rug that will match your furniture and emphasize your floors. Getting a rug is very easy since there are many carpet dealers and stores all over. Every area rug is a fantastic statement of beauty and artistry for any home, no matter where it is placed. Nowadays rugs and carpets are not simply materials that you just put on the floors, they are interior design essentials that can tell you many things for the family and home. There are many online shops that provide skillful and expert service to every client on that matter. They offer assistance and they can provide you all the information that will help you to choose the best deal for you. Let these shops help you out to get color and life back to your interior and floor.

There are many reasons why people use and purchase rugs. A designer elegant rug is a perfect way to lighten up otherwise boring rooms. It can become a center of attention that combines all your home decor and colors. For instance, a brightly colored area rug can easily liven up any room especially if it is full with neutral-colored furniture. A large rug can be placed in the exit and entrance doorways of a house and it can be a wonderful statement for your design. Besides, rugs can be cleaned and transported easier than carpets which are much bigger and heavier.

The choices of carpet and rug styles changed through the years. Nowadays many households and offices choose natural fiber carpets and rugs. The natural fiber rugs have the advantage of being durable and easy maintained, and of course they are cheaper in comparison with other area rugs. The natural material is mostly sisal, grass, and jute which create an abstract feel of every room. These types can be easily purchased online.

There are a lot of different area rugs that you can choose from - contemporary area rugs, sitting area rugs, and accent area rugs. They can come in eclectic style, Victorian designs, tufted area rugs, and exotic designs. In order to make them suitable for your interior, you have to choose the rugs that suit the most your lifestyle. In that way you can create the right atmosphere in your home. You have to choose from many types and designs, measurements and materials of carpets and rugs. With the large number of choices, rugs and carpets are in a huge demand in the USA.

Read more >>

The Top Five Things You Never Knew About Karastan Rugs and Carpets

elow you will find five interesting aspects about Karastan rugs and carpets

1. Karastan Rugs

The Karastan rug company produced its first Karastan Oriental rug in 1928 in the USA. And since then they have achieved the highest expectations and requirements ever expected from a machine, made manufacture. This is due to there, diversity and availability in a wide, range of designs, colours and elegant patterns.

Karastan rugs are made, using the highest quality silks, skin-died yarns and New Zealand wool's. Ones assurance that Karastan provides quality is the fact, that the Karastan Company has thrived since 1928 and continues to do so.

2. Karastan Carpets

Karastan first, started producing carpets in the 1930's their first style was the broad-loom carpet. Karastan played a huge part in introducing the USA households to the idea of comfort provided in this manor for mass production. It wasn't long before Karastan introduced yet another method of carpet making.

In 1948 they produced the kara-loc method of weathering. Which started an, explosion of ideas the likes of cut-and-loom and multi-coloured designs which were decades ahead of the carpet making industry. These high quality style carpets could finally find themselves on the floors of the average customer.

3. Children and Pets

Children and pets are usually prone to having accidents and if you have both you will need to keep your rugs and carpets clean. One of the best and easiest materials to keep clean is wool. Karastan's New Zealand wool has a built-in stain resistant feature which holds dirt high on the pile using the scaly structures of the woolly fibres. This makes vacuuming a lot easier.

If your dog or cat sheds a lot of hair and you find yourself doing lots of hovering you may want to match your carpet colour with your pet's hair. And remember that multi colours are excellent at camouflaging spills and every day wear and tear. Darker colours show more lint, dust and pet hair. Light colours show dirt and stains.

4. Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a very real factor, people tend not to take into consideration. If you have timber floors in your house and lots of people moving about the place the expanses of the timber flooring can reverberate around the household causing lots of noise. A Karastan wool rug can help absorb the sound waves making your living space peaceful and relaxing.

5. Environmental Issues

As Karastan is the leading rug and carpet industry in the USA they understand their environmental responsibilities to preserve the natural resources. That's why they are the largest users of New Zealand wool where sheep are, farmed in huge open pastures by farmers who understand how to preserve the land.

The way a Karastan rug is woven plays a very important role in the environmental issue since the Karastan woven rugs can last twice as long as tufted rugs. Hence reducing the amount of waste, as older rugs will not end up on the local rubbish tip.

Read more >>

Bring Stylish Decor Home With Large Area Rugs

If you have a large room in your house and want to add a bit of style, try using large area rugs. Rugs are important to the overall appearance of a room and can bring color and elegance to any room very easily.

Before you begin you'll want to measure the space you want to add the rug to. Common sizes of large rugs are 6'x9', 8'x10', 9'x12' and 12'x15'. Generally, 9'x12' is the most common size used in a living room but this really differs depending on how big your room is.

When it comes to laying out a brand new rug, be sure that any furniture you have in the room sits on the rug completely. You don't want it partly off the rug as this will look unbalanced. You can try to place pieces of furniture off the rug as well, but keep it off the rug completely as to maintain a balanced look. If you have a really large room, consider sectioning it up into smaller areas by using two or more different sized rugs. By doing this you're keeping the room more open and airy.

If you have hardwood flooring, try to surround the area rug entirely with it. You'll want about a foot or more of hardwood showing as any less and the rug will look too big for the room. Using a rug on wood flooring is also a good way to protect it, in addition to keeping noise levels down

A rug with a simple pattern or soft color is great if you have a busy interior. A lighter color helps keep the room open and spacious. You may also want to work with a darker colored rug to add some coziness. When it comes right down to it, picking a color or pattern is a personal preference and there are so many options out there that even the most picky designer is destined to find something that suits them.

Read more >>

Why Rugs Are Better Than Carpets

Rugs and carpets are the basic decorating materials in the house. Apart from serving the purpose of decoration of the house, they are also functional. Many people use rugs in lobbies, sitting rooms, living rooms and even bed rooms. It is the most important floor decoration, which adds to the beauty of a place.

When we are making decision for the flooring necessities, we usually face the problem on the flooring issue. There is uncertainty amongst many people to make a choice between carpet or rug. Earlier, there was a conception amongst the minds of people that carpets cover the whole room and wall to wall carpeting was in trend, but the scenario has changed for the current times. People do not focus on the conventional ways of decoration, but are interested in making the room to appear designer, lively and unique. The creative ideas in the fields of interior decoration have made people to choose rugs, more than the carpets.

Undoubtedly, carpets also give a good appearance and are popular amongst many people. They also look nice, but the main issue is with their maintenance. The looks can not compromise with the maintenance and post caring of the carpets. They are not so easy for taking care of. Especially, when there are kids or pets at home, it is very difficult to manage carpets. This is the main reason that many people have started opting for rugs, rather than carpets for their homes. They look pretty and have easy maintainability The actual decision depends on the family and the time they can manage for retaining the beauty of their carpet.

Fluffy carpets may appear attractive, but the main issue is with their cleanliness. It is although a beautiful decorative piece, but the issue of its cleanliness and hygiene is very important. It is not fairly easy to wash them and there is a requirement of special chemicals and agents for cleaning them. They can not be washed in washing machines. Carpets can also be a problem for the people, who have probability of getting allergies.

Rugs are relatively easier to clean and most of them can be cleaned at home only. There are ample of designs available for choice and the wide range in the sizes and shapes have also made them as acceptable floor decorations. They have made the lesser need of purchase of carpets for living rooms or bedrooms. Rugs also have a function of catching the irritable sounds, when people are living in huge buildings closer to the highway or road area. They are relatively more hygienic and healthy way for room furnishing. The cost part is also making people to choose rugs, on account of being more inexpensive.

Read more >>

Choose Rugs USA For A Wide Range And Comprehensive Service

Rugs USA is one of the largest and most successful rug company and has been for many years. They stock an incredibly wide range of contemporary and traditional rugs along with many other accessories which can brighten up a room. The range of designs is unequaled throughout the industry and the professional design of the company website allows for easy navigation to see which design will suit you best.

The quality rugs sold on this site also have the great merit of being durable and easy to maintain, essential features in a busy modern world. The company has rugs from countries all over the world, so you are as to certain as can be to find what you are looking for.

There is no doubt that design is the one factor which influences rug buyers more than anything. Although everyone wants a rug which needs as little maintenance as possible, very few people are going to sacrifice aesthetic quality to achieve this. No matter what the design of your room is, Rugs USA will have something which will fit right in. Your first priority is to narrow down the type of rug you are looking for. There is no point comparing and analyzing rugs which are outside of your price range, so get this right first.

One factor to watch out for is that you don't let design needs override practicality. You need a rug which is going to fit in with your own lifestyle and the needs of your room. If you need a rug for any area where people walk in off the street, it will need regular cleaning. Choose a material which does not absorb dirt but which makes it easy to wash off. If you have children, make sure that your rug is going to survive whatever they can get up to.

One of the great benefits of choosing a world class retailer such as Rugs USA is that you will be able to choose rugs from all over the world. The best of American rugs are featured of course, including the braided rugs which are in the style of rugs created by the original American settlers. There are sisal rugs from the African continent, and from South America, and also European rugs.

The Internet is fast becoming the shopping mall of choice for the buyer of rugs, and it is easy to see why. Anyone who is buying a product where there is rarity, even uniqueness, is going to want to see as wide a selection as possible. The Internet allows for this, and the websites of the top retailers now have extremely impressive photographs and even video to demonstrate their wares.

Read more >>