That’s right – rugs are back! For some time it was fashionable to fully expose your wooden floors (and wooden floors and other original features are still as stylish as ever) but such bland and frankly impractical styles of décor are no longer preferred by most. People are now instead choosing to make the most of their floors by augmenting them with contemporary rugs.

A contemporary rug is not only stylish but also practical too. They’re easy to clean, can be easily removed when the time comes to clean or vacuum your floors, and they can be quickly shaken or beaten outside, negating the need for vacuuming. If you are the kind of person who likes to shake things up a little and you change the layout or décor of your home regularly, rugs are the perfect way to alternate styles and color schemes without the expense of fitted carpets.

If you are a bit of a style guru then you probably already know about the concept of zoning. If not, then this is something that would be useful to learn, particularly I you have an open plan home or studio apartment. Zoning is a technique used by professional interior designers to create the illusion of different spaces within one room. One effective way to do this is by using a contemporary area rug to indicate different areas. Using several rugs in one room can have the psychological effect of dividing the larger space into separate zones with individual uses. Dining areas and sitting areas for example, or a separate area for reading or relaxing.

Of course the specific use of a room or area will help to determine what type of rug you will use. Contemporary area rugs are available in a variety of styles, including some modern interpretations of the classics. For the bedroom there can be nothing better than nice contemporary wool rugs to give you that feeling of warmth and luxuriance when you step out of bed in a morning. This type of rug is also ideal for a cozy seating area, the thick pile providing a feeling of warmth and comfort during a relaxing evening by the fire (or TV). A rug with a shorter pile would be more appropriate for a dining area or a ‘high traffic’ area such as a hallway.

There really is nothing quite like stepping barefoot from the cold of a wooden or tiled floor onto the warmth of a rug. Because of this, rugs have never been out of style for very long. Wherever there is a wooden floor, large room or open plan space, the décor will never be truly complete without a stylish contemporary rug.

So just what does make Karastan such a successful company and why are it’s rugs as popular as they are? Lets take a look at some of the reasons why Karastan area rugs are recognized as some of the best rugs in the world.

Tradition
Karastan have been making rugs for nearly one hundred years and are one of the oldest rug manufacturers in America. In this time they have pioneered new techniques and new designs to ensure that they always remain at the forefront of the industry. When you buy a Karastan rug you are not only buying a beautiful piece of carpeting, but also a piece of heritage.

Natural Materials
Karastan uses only natural materials in the manufacture of their rugs. In fact they are the worlds largest user of New Zealand wool, which is produced in open pasture whilst preserving the natural landscape. This wool is also the cleanest and whitest wool that can be found and makes for beautiful Karastan wool rugs.

Environmental Ethics
Karastan are an environmentally aware company and take great pains to ensure that their impact on the environment around them is minimized. This is done by using only ethically produced natural wools, by recycling, and by continuing their environmental research to find new ways to lessen their impact on the environment. They are currently involved in a huge recycling scheme, diverting used rugs away from landfill sites. They are also part of a project (along with the Environmental Protection Agency) aiming to replace the coal used in cement kilns with recycled wool from carpets and rugs.

Durability
The way in which Karastan weave their rugs has been designed to increase the durability and longevity of the product. A Karastan area rug last up to twenty years longer than other rugs.

Variety
Karastan manufacture rugs in a huge variety of designs and design styles. Their traditional rugs are best known and are stunningly beautiful. However, they also have a number of contemporary designs available too. In fact they have been a pioneer of design for decades and this is evident in the range of styles they have on offer – from classic to contemporary and everything in between. They also have a very nice line of Karastan oriental rugs, so if you are in the market for a Karastan oriental rug then be sure to check them out.

Style
Karastan is a well established name in home fashion. Their rugs are not only beautiful but carry the trademark name. Owning a Karastan rug is somewhat of a statement in itself.

I think it is because children are always so busy playing. They never need the time to just sit and rest like adults do and the open expanse of the floor provides them with the space they need to play. When I was a child it was all about toy cars and building blocks (and a set of plastic farmyard animals with which I spent hours recreating the drama and socialist oppression of George Orwell’s Animal Farm). These days there is more of a tendency towards bizarre Japanese video games but one thing never changes – children need a lot of space.

So if your children are going to spend a lot of time on the floor it only seems right that you give them a comfortable rug to play on. Their very own kid rug to call their own. But what styles of kids area rugs are out there. With the internet it’s easy to find quick pictures and prices on all types of kid rugs.

The most famous of all kids rugs, and still the most popular by far is the classic street-map rug. This design has been copied many times. I never had one myself but I always envied those who did (perhaps if I had one I would have let the bloodshed of the farmyard spill out onto the streets and called in my green plastic soldiers to restore order. Although these rugs are equally suited to children who enjoy simply playing with toy cars). Of course this rug, or any other kids rugs might not be suited to your living room, but it would make a great addition to a child’s bedroom or playroom.

The great thing about rugs is that they are easy to clean. This makes them ideal if you have children, as we all know how sticky they can be. You can also shake your kids rug outside, removing the dirt and dust that will inevitably build up on your floor, which will help to keep your children clean and healthy. Why do kids always sit on the floor? Well why would you want them to sit on your nice clean sofa when they would be happier when left to play on their own comfortable kids area rug?

Why the circular shaped rug is becoming more desirable is obvious. Today’s design strategies are all about making bold statements, often using simple geometric shapes. The boring rectangle is out and the circle is in as sharp lines make way for more interesting curves.

Retro styling also makes use of circles, in a hint towards the contemporary design styles of the 1970s and 80s. This is another way in which round area rugs have become popular.

So there you have it, circular rugs make a bold design statement and are becoming increasingly popular. But where in your home would you place such a rug? You might think that a rug of this shape would have limited use but the more you think about it the more opportune places will become apparent. Here are some of the more obvious uses.

Living Room
Circular rugs can be a great focal point for a living room, either in front of the fire or in the center of a seating area.

In addition, circular rugs can be used as a highlighting feature underneath certain items of furniture, chairs and lamps for example, or underneath large ornamental items. There is also an obvious advantage to those with round coffee tables.

Kitchen/Dining Area
Underneath round dining tables in kitchens and dining rooms is an ideal place for a hardwearing circular rug. An 8′ round rug or a smaller 6′ round rug would work perfectly under a dining room or kitchen table.

Bathroom
The bathroom is just as good a place for a circular rug as any where else. You could use a round bath rug as a mat to soak up water, at the foot of your sink, or simply in the center of the room.

Hallway
A round area rug might be successfully employed in a large hallway or to help break up other large spaces.

Round Rooms
Some houses (particularly older ones) may feature round rooms, often on the second or third floor. A square or rectangular rug might look out of place in this type of room.

Zoning
Rugs can be a good way to separate a large room into separate spaces. A large round rug in one corner of a room could be used to designate a reading area, a TV area or a separate dining area.

So there you have it – some of the many potential uses of circular rugs. The important thing to remember is that they add interest to a room, no matter where or how they are placed.

When you are looking for a top quality rug, the first place you should look is Nourison. If you’ve never heard of Nourison rugs, you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find. If you check out their website at Nourison.com you will be literally bowled over by the amazing range of stylish, hand crafted rugs available there. A Nourison rug is simply the most beautifully designed rug you can buy and the company has earned its place as one of the worlds leading rug manufacturers.

Whether your style is contemporary or classic, you will find a Nourison area rug to suit your tastes. In fact you will more than likely find several and be spoiled for choice by just how many amazing designs they have available. I’m not exaggerating. Check out their website and see for yourself.

What’s more, Nourison manufacture all of their rugs in a traditional manner, either by hand or by good old-fashioned loom weaving. This provides for a level of quality that you just don’t get with other rug manufacturers. It’s a rare delight to find so many contemporary designs being produced in such a time-honored fashion. It’s even more astounding to find beautiful classic designs manufactured the way that they would have been hundreds of years ago. And these manufacturing techniques (it deserves to be called a craft really) have been applied to rugs of all shapes and sizes, from area rugs to scatter rugs.

Classic
If it is a traditional or classical style rug you are looking for, then look no further. Nourison have an extensive range of classical designs and classical European designs, including a stunning Versailles Palace collection, and the infamous Nourison 2000 rugs collection. They are also now featuring a country range, which comprises of the kind of rugs you might mind in a traditional American farmhouse and also feature an extensive Nourison oriental rugs line.

Contemporary
If the contemporary or modern is more to your taste then you won’t be disappointed either. Nourisan have a rug to suit any modern room, including their popular tones and textures ranges. In fact, Nourisan have rugs in styles ranging right from colonial to the very latest in fashion (including designs by Calvin Klein Home and Liz Claiborne).

And the joy doesn’t stop there. The Nourison Home range includes other home design accessories made especially to fit with Nourison Area Rugs. You will find cushions and pillows to match the rug you choose, helping you to tie the design in with the rest of the room.

If, however, you are looking for a practical, durable but stylish rug (and durability is often regarded as a key feature by those buying rugs) then a sisal rug could be exactly what you need. This type of rug is famous for it’s fantastic durability and has been used for hundreds of years, making it a design classic.

So just what is sisal exactly?

Sisal is a fiber extracted from the sisal plant, native to Central America. It’s fibers are among the strongest plant fibers can be found in the natural world and have been used for centuries in the manufacture of ropes, twine, cloth, carpets and, of course, Sisal rugs. The plant is cultivated largely in Brazil but also in parts of Africa.

Whilst in Brazil the industry has been criticized for having a negative effect on the environment, clearing rainforest areas in order to produce more sisal, in Tanzania there are plans to use the waste products of the cultivation process as bio fuel, offsetting the environmental impact of the industry. In addition, no artificial fertilizers are needed in the production of sisal. Very few chemical herbicides are used and most of the weeding on sisal plantations is done by hand, providing work in rural communities and aiding the economy of the poor countries in which the crop is grown.

As a natural fiber, sisal has become increasingly popular in recent years (coupled with it’s strength and durability as a fabric) as people search for more ways to bring natural materials into their homes. The natural colourings akin to sisal have also made sisal area rugs, carpets and even wall hangings the home fashion item of the century.

The other uses of sisal are numerous, including clothing and footwear, but sisal rope remains the second largest use of the fiber after rugs and carpeting. Sisal rope is widely used in industry and in ships’ rigging, which goes a long way to proving just how strong the fiber really is.

Sisal in Home Design

If you are looking for a durable, hardwearing rug, sisal is the material for you. Sisal rugs are stylish and practical and are appropriate for any area of the home, particularly in ‘high traffic’ areas where conventional rugs and carpets would quickly wear down, and they come in many shapes, with a round Sisal rug paired with a glass coffee table being a popular motif.

Sisal has been used in rug making for centuries and the manufacturing techniques have barely changed in all of that time, making these rugs a traditional item of home design. However, sisal rugs have made a huge comeback in recent years and have been reinvented as a contemporary home product, and a Sisal area rug is the perfect way to greenify your home. The natural colors and textures of these rugs are now more popular than ever with people seeing them not only as practical items but also as items of well-crafted and natural beauty.

Well crafted sisal rugs can be bought at any decent rug store or rug manufacturer in America, Europe or the U.K. and can easily be found at a discount by looking around online.