Rug Blog

Michelle February 17th, 2010

When you swing your legs out of bed every morning, you don’t want the shock of having your feet hit cold bare flooring. One of the nicest elements of luxury you can add to your bedroom environment is a bedside rug.

There are so many colors, styles and fabrics to choose from, shopping for just the right rug may feel a little dizzying. Making a checklist of things to consider ahead of time will help you in evaluating the kinds of area rugs that are most suitable for bedside service.

Bedside rugs fall under the category of area rug, and may be just a small 2 feet by 3 feet mat or a more pampering and generously sized 3 by 5-foot rug or 2 foot by 6 foot runner. Because this is a rug you’ll walk on with bare feet, you may want to limit your choices to cotton rugs which are among the softest in feel, thick shag pile or a cushy polypropelin/olefin blend.

Stand next to your bed and measure the area of the floor directly adjacent to the bed. Will you be satisfied with just a small bedside rug or would you prefer a bedside rug that allows your bare feet to walk in comfort all the way down the side of the bed. Rugs in the store can look smaller or larger than they will actually appear in your bedroom and you don’t want to make the mistake of selecting a bedroom rug which looks like it belongs in a dollhouse, or an oversized rug that’s not in proportion to the rest of the room and its furnishings.

Consider purchasing a 9 by 12 rug to place under the bed, with 3 feet sticking out on each side to serve as a bedside rug. Or you can purchase two 7 to 9 foot-long runners to place on either side of the bed, or select a 4 by 6 foot accent rug positioned on the floor near the head of the mattress.

Determine a budget before shopping for bedside rugs. Perhaps you just want an inexpensive machine washable bedside rug that you’ll replace every year or so. Or are you willing to invest in a more expensive rug for the side of your bed such as a hand knotted, hand tufted or hand hooked rug that will serve as a work of art.

Be sure that your rug matches the room’s decor. An Oriental rug will look out of place if your furniture is Colonial, and a cozy braided rag rug won’t match bedroom decor that is sleek and modern.

Rugs made using natural fibers such as silk, sisal, wool, bamboo, jute and cotton tend to last the longest but are also more expensive. More affordable synthetic fibers including nylon, acrylic and olefin can be just as durable and are available in a wide variety of colors to match your existing decor. Whatever rug material you select, be sure the rug’s colors are a good match for your bed linens and has a non-skid backing if you are placing it atop a concrete, tile or hardwood flooring surface.

A bedside rug can often add an elegant finishing touch to the master bedroom and every guest bedroom of a home.

Tags: bedroom rug, bedroom runner, Bedside Rug, braided rug, cotton rug, oriental rug, sisal bedside rug

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

If your house or apartment lacks carpeting you will know that there is nothing worse than pulling yourself out of bed in the morning and having to set your bed-warmed feet onto a cold floor. But don’t worry, rugs are back in style and you won’t have to suffer the shock of ice-cold floors anymore.

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.

Tags: Area Rug Contemporary, Contemporary Rug, Contemporary Rugs, Heavy Pile, High Traffic, Rug, Rugs, Shorter Pile, Warm Feet, Zoning

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

Why do kids always sit on the floor? This is a question I recently found myself asking my partner after realizing that our children hardly ever sit on the sofa with the rest of the family. When playing a game they would rather sit on the floor than at the table. Even when playing a video game or otherwise sat in front of the TV they would sooner sit cross-legged on the floor than simply move a chair closer to the set. This is seemed strange to me until I cast my mind back to my own childhood and remembered that I spent most of my developing years on an old rug beside the fire. I remember that my parents bought two miniature, child-sized armchairs for my sister and I, much to the amusement of every person that ever visited our family home, but we only ever sat in them to amuse relatives and house guests and rarely of our own free will. Like most children I was much more content to spend my life in the least comfortable sitting positions I can now imagine or on all fours pushing a toy truck backwards and forwards.

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?

Tags: Cleaning Rugs, Kids Rug, Kids Rugs, Rug, Rug Cleaning, Rugs, Street-Map Rug

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

What shape comes to mind when you think of rugs? Square? Rectangular? Oval? How about circular? Square and rectangular rugs are by far the most common and probably will be as most rooms are this shape (unless you live in a windmill or lighthouse). Oval rugs were once fairly popular but went out of style long ago and are now seen to be outdated and unfashionable. But have you ever encountered a round rug? Some of you may have but round rugs are actually quite rare. However, they are now becoming more popular as a bold and unconventional design statement.

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.

Tags: Bathroom Rugs, Bedside Rug, Circular Rugs, Oval Rugs, Retro Rugs, Round Rug, Round Rugs, Rug, Rugs, Zoning

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

What comes to mind when you think of rugs? Large square rugs which take up almost an entire room? Small bedside or bathroom rugs perhaps? Luxurious shag pile? Oval shaped rugs in front of the fire? Whatever comes instantly into your mind when you think of rugs, I’ll bet it’s not round rugs.

Round rugs were once incredibly rare. Oval shaped rugs have been popular in the past but these went out of style a long time ago and are now seen as being out dated and undesirable. Contemporary design favors the aesthetic of simple geometric shapes such as the circle. Because of this, circular rugs have become increasingly popular.

Circular rugs are well suited to many contemporary spaces, in the center of a seating area for example, perhaps beneath a circular coffee table or as a centerpiece for the room. The few people who have round dining tables may also consider a round rug for their dining areas.

Smaller round rugs can also add interest to under dressed areas of a room, such as an empty corner. For example, a standard lamp or tall case can fill an awkward space but these items can sometimes look as though they are missing something. Placing a small rug underneath will solve this problem and can help to break up the angular nature of a room.

Rugs are also useful for creating different areas within one larger room. Professional designers refer to this technique as ‘zoning’ and typically use square or rectangular rugs to create the illusion of separate spaces. Round area rugs do the job just as well, however, and will create a more casual look. This works equally well in large spaces, where bold design ideas will have a greater impact, and small spaces where square rugs would cause zones to overlap.

The issue of rugs in contemporary design is often considered to be a matter of taste, with various styles of rug coming in and out of style throughout the years. But the fact is that rugs offer many advantages. Aside from ‘zoning’ rugs allow you to keep the stylish effect of exposed floorboards whilst giving you a warm spot to rest your feet. They are also usually much less expensive that fitted carpets (depending on which style of rug you choose).

Rugs are also easy to clean. Most smaller rugs can be machine washed and larger rugs are usually no harder to clean than a standard carpet. They can also be shaken or beaten outside as a quick alternative, removing the need for vacuum cleaning and keeping your home free of dust and dirt.

If you have never considered buying a round area rug before now, perhaps this article will give you something to think about. Round rugs are available in many stores and in as many sizes and styles as you could wish for, be it a round bath rug, or a round shag rug. Another popular option is round braided rugs; my grandma had a few in her house. Large or small. Contemporary, classic or retro – you are sure to find a circular rug to suit your personal taste and the décor of your home.

Tags: Bathroom Rugs, Bedside Rug, Circular Rugs, Heavy Pile, Large Square Rugs, Machine Wash Rugs, Machine Washing Rugs, Oval Rugs, Retro Rugs, Round Rugs, Rug, Rug Beating, Rugs, Warm Feet, Zoning

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

Is there something missing from your home? Some crucial design feature that you just can’t quite put your finger on. Perhaps an area of one room seems a little bare, lacks color or interest, or simply needs to be aesthetically enhanced. If this is something that you can relate to, then perhaps what you need is a throw rug.

Throw rugs have been a part of American home design since time immemorial. They can add a touch of interest or a splash of color, even a touch of class or a hint of taste to any room in which they are placed. They also help to keep our feet warm and our floors clean. Their incredible popularity and their long history has bred an unbelievable variety of rugs throughout the years. This variety of styles, shapes and sizes means that there is a rug for every area of every home, from bedrooms to bathrooms and dining rooms to dens, and a rug to suit every style of home décor, from classic to contemporary and tribal to traditional.

A well chosen and well placed throw rug will not only help toad interest and aesthetic appeal to your home by looking good in its own right, but it will also enhance the existing décor of a room – this means that rugs can have a double aesthetic function.

But of course rugs are about more than just aesthetics, they also have several practical functions. Let’s take a look at some of the many advantages offered by throw rugs now.

Easy to Clean
One of the best things about rugs is that they are easy to clean, they can be vacuumed and washed just like a larger carpet. Some can even be machine washed. The advantage of throw rugs here is that they are usually much smaller than area rugs and so can be easily taken outside and shaken or beaten. This will remove excess dust and dirt.

In the Bathroom
Rugs can be used in the bathroom, by the side of the bath, shower or underneath a sink. This will help to collect any water that you might spill, absorbing it rather than allowing it to damage your floors. Kitchen throw rugs can also be used near the sink to catch any stray drips from washing dishes or the like. Nearly all bathroom and kitchen rugs are washable throw rugs because of their size and rubberized backing.

High Traffic Areas
Some areas of our home are used more than others, in particular hallways and corridors that provide access to other rooms. These are known as ‘high traffic’ areas. Carpeting in these areas can quickly become worn from overuse. It often makes sense to cover high traffic areas with rugs so as to extend the life o your carpet.

Protecting your Carpets and Floors
In addition to protecting your carpets from wear and tear, employing a rug will have the effect of protecting your floor from accidental spills and stains.

Say Goodbye to Cold Feet
The main reason for the incredible popularity of rugs is their propensity to keep our feet warm. Whether a rug is by your sofa, in front of your fireplace, on a cold kitchen floor or by the side of your bed, it will add an extra dimension of comfort and warmth. There is nothing worse than climbing out of bed on a morning and having cold feet!

Tags: Bathroom Rugs, High Traffic, Rug, Rug Beating, Rug Cleaning, Rugs, Splash Of Color, Throw Rug, Throw Rugs, Tribal Rugs, Warm Feet

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

If you are in the market for a new rug you will know that finding the rug for you is not a simple task. There are so many different types of rug to choose from it can be difficult to know where to begin.

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.

Tags: Durable Rug, Green Rugs, High Traffic, Natural Fiber Rug, Rug, Rugs, Sisal Area Rugs, Sisal Rug, Sisal Rugs

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Michelle September 8th, 2009

Those of you with uncarpeted wooden floors in your bedroom will understand me when I say that the feel of a cold floor against your feet on a morning is, whilst invigorating, very unpleasant. Of course that’s what slippers were invented for, only they never seem to be in the same place as you left them the night before. It is my belief that a mischievous family of mice come to move them whilst we are sleeping in what must be an international conspiracy (also involving the underpants-gnomes and the squirrels who steal socks leaving you with only odd pairs). The other alternative is a shag rug, and this offers many advantages as I, myself discovered.

I did have an old rug by my bedside, long ago, but I found it to be more of a nuisance than a comfort. It was more of a throw than a rug really. It refused to grip to my polished floors and would not stay in one place. This was dangerous if nothing else. It also had a tendency to move about during the night like my slippers, although I quickly realized that this was because my cat enjoyed sliding about the room on it, crawling underneath it and being generally childish. I grew tired of retrieving and straightening it so it was relegated to the only place it deserved to be – underneath the cat’s basket.

After some persuasion by my boyfriend, however, I did buy myself a new shag area rug. This time it was a nice, thick and heavily shag pile rug. Being much more modern it had a special underside that prevented it from slipping. It’s fury appearance did, at first, make my cat more prone to attacking it but he quickly grew to love it.

There really is nothing quite like the feel of a warm shag rug first thing in the morning.

I never had any of these problems when I slept at my boyfriend’s place (he’s more of a dog person for one). His apartment was always warm and inviting. And not just the bedroom. When the time came to redecorate my house I considered how it was that he had made his small apartment feel so comfortable and how I could achieve the same effect. Not surprisingly, I realized that it was his use of shag rugs that really made the difference. He had shag area rugs in almost every room. That I went out and bought several new round shag rugs of my own seems almost pointless now, as not four months later we decided to move in together. Now we have more shag pile rugs than we could possibly need.

The great thing about rugs is that they provide the warmth of a carpet without entirely concealing your wooden floors. They are also easy to clean. A round shag rug can be machine washed or washed by hand. For larger rugs, special rug cleaning services are available. Of course, rugs can also be taken outside and beaten or shaken, keeping them free of dust and dirt. The other advantage over fitted carpets is that rugs do not require any expensive fitting costs, meaning that you can change them whenever you like.

Tags: Bedside Rug, Heavy Pile, Machine Wash Rugs, Old Rug, Rug, Rugs, Shag Area Rugs, Shag Rug, Smaller Rugs

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