Rug Blog

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

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

If your home lacks carpeting and your floors are bear then you will know the shock of pulling your warm feet out of bed on a morning and placing them onto a cold wooden floor. Whilst exposed wooden floors are stylish they are sometimes not worth the discomfort of having cold feet on a winters morning, when trying to relax on an evening or when you emerge from a long, soothing session in the tub. Of course that’s why God gave us slippers, you might argue, but there is another alternative.

That’s right – the rug is back! It’s back in fashion and warming both the feet, and the décor of those who no longer want to suffer for having beautiful floors.

In addition to the obvious aesthetic advantages of rugs, there are some other benefits too. Here are some of the main advantages that rugs can offer.

Easy to Clean

The great thing about rugs is that they are easy to clean – much easier than fitted carpets. Many area rugs can be machine washed (providing you can fit them into your washer that is). Others could be easily hand washed, again depending on their size. For large rugs, specialist area rug cleaning services are available or you can clean them with a standard carpet cleaner.

On a more day-to-day basis, rugs can also be shaken or beaten outside to free them of dust and dirt. This reduces the need for vacuuming. They can also be easily lifted or removed when the time comes to clean your floor.

Cover Up Stains

As well as being easy to clean, you can use accent rugs to cover up stains on a carpet or floor. This might sound like cheating but sometimes a stain simply cannot be removed, if it can then a rug cover-up could be used as a temporary measure.

Zoning

‘Zoning’ is a term used by expert interior decorators. Put simply it means using furniture in certain arrangements to create the illusion of separate areas within one room. Rugs are also a good way to create separate areas or ‘zones’. Using different rugs to divide a large room into zones will make it feel much more cozy and provide a basis for the layout of your furniture. If you have a shared dining and seating area or dining and kitchen area, it can be useful to create a psychological barrier between them. Many people also chose to create the illusion of zones within their living rooms, creating a separate reading area, TV area or play area for kids.

No More Cold Feet

Both cold feet and cold bottoms will benefit from some floor rugs. If your children play on the floor (as most children do) then you’ll want to provide them with a comfortable place to sit and play.

There are rugs for all corners of your home in almost infinite variety. A thick shag rug is perfect for the bedroom or a comfortable seating area. A large rug with a short weft will give the kids a clean and comfortable place to play.

Tags: Area Rug, Area Rugs, Carpet Cleaning, Large Rug, Modern Rugs, Rug, Rug Beating, Rug Cleaning, Rugs, Thick Shag Rug, Warm Feet, Zoning

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