October 13, 2008

Discount Rugs - Buying a Discount Area Rug

Filed under: home_decor — admin @ 2:30 am

A quality area rug for your home can be an expensive proposition. A fine Oriental rug, for instance, can easily set you back several thousand dollars. Rather than settling for a cheap alternative, you can find top quality rugs at discount prices if you shop carefully, both online and off. If you do, though, be sure to educate yourself as to the characteristics of the rug that you’re buying to avoid paying far too much for a cheap imitation rather than getting a genuine bargain on the real thing.

Research your subject - Whether you’re searching for a fine Oriental rug or a striking Mahdavi contemporary design, learn enough about the way the rug is made and its hallmarks to make sure that you get the genuine article. When shopping discount ads and online web sites, watch out for words like ‘just like’, ‘faux genuine’ and other tricky wordings to make you believe that you are paying a discount price for an expensive rug.

While you’re doing research, check out the credentials of the seller. Check with the Better Business Bureau for any complaints, and do a search for the company name online. There are many watchdog web sites where consumers air their gripes about various companies. It’s a quick and easy way to check out the reputation of an online discount rug dealer.

Shop Reputable Dealers - You’ll find excellent discounts even among high end dealers of fine rugs. Keep your eye out for end-of-season sales on contemporary and classically styled rugs as dealers clean out their inventories to make way for new arrivals and styles.

Get a Guarantee - Especially if you’re shopping a discount rug dealer online and buying sight unseen, be certain that you get a guarantee on your purchase. Know the return policy in case the rug isn’t quite what you were led to believe.

Shop Discount, Job Lot and Surplus Stores - There are a number of local and national chains that specialize in buying surplus inventory, job lots, and inventory from insurance claims from companies that have had fires, floods or gone bankrupt. In the Northeastern United States, one of the most well-known, Building 19, often carries inventories of Oriental carpets at deep discounts. If you check around, you’ll find a discount or surplus store near you where you can find many styles and colors of rugs and carpets for your home.

To view our list of recommended sources for the highest quality rugs online,
visit: Recommended Online Rug Stores.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various topics. Visit the website to read more about decorating and rugs.

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September 28, 2008

Area Rug Buyers Guide

Filed under: home_decor — admin @ 6:17 am

When you begin decorating your home there are some important factors to consider. Your floors will usually be the foundation for your design. An authentic hand made area rug can visually integrate or harmonize diverse elements in any decor or can reenergize a room.

Below are various factors to consider for purchasing & decorating with an oriental rug:

1. Size of the Rug - Area to be covered

Size up the room and the area you want to cover.

The most common area rug sizes are 4-by-6 and 6-by-9 feet. They work well under a coffee table.

An 8-by-10-foot area rug or larger can cover an entire room.

Smaller area and scatter rugs can be ideal for adorning smaller spacesa hearth! , a bedside, the area in front of a kitchen sinkwith a splash of colo r and warmth.

2. In the Home

Living Room

In a living room the area rug would most likely be placed in front of the sofa and under the coffee table

To place a room-sized area rug on a hardwood floor, choose an area rug which allows eight inches (twenty centimeters) of wood to be exposed around the rug’s perimeter.

Measure the open space up to the sofa and chairs making sure that the individual seated will have both feet on the area rug.

More than one area rug is acceptable.

Dining Room

There should be room to pull the chairs out from the table with the back legs of the chairs remaining on the area rug.

Stairs

Look for Busy & Dark patterns

Dark wool rugs are great for this

Hallways & Entrances

Dense Patterns

Wool pile (Most durable) with cotton foundation (strong and does not loose shape) is ideal.

Very light colors are not suggested

Bedroom

Do not recommend a room size Persian/Oriental area rug for the bedroom. Most of the pattern will be hidden under the bed in the dark making the rug prone to moth damage.

Instead, use multiple area rugs. A rug at the foot of the bed and two on each side Or use several scatter rugs to fill areas around the bed as needed. It will actually cost less and compliment your furnishings better.

3. FURNISHINGS

Begin with the end in mind. Visualize the finished look of the room. Do you prefer the sparse, uncluttered look or you have a room rich with colors and textures?

Remember that a rug is th! e largest splash of color in any room. Select your rug first, and then the upholstery to blend with the rug. Furniture should enhance the rug design or colors found in the rug

Next comes window treatment and walls; neutral shades are recommended.

Elements of a rug design can be further incorporated into the overall design scheme. For example, if the rug is floral, add framed prints or flowers in similar colors.

Conversely, should your focal point be furniture, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. Patterns can be mixed if they are coordinated by color.

Don’t get discouraged if you are having problems finding an area rug to blend in with your decor. We suggest you surf NatureRugs.com for the vast variety of Rugs that will suit your situation. For some reason, Jaipur & Agra Rug designs and colors tend to work with many fabrics.

4. Using Multiple Area Rugs

Should you use one rug or two?

  • One rug is the general rule as it coordinates the room together and helps select fabrics for furniture, curtains, etc.

  • In a very large room, more than one rug can be used to separate the room. The designs of the rugs should be different enough to create spatial separation, but similar in color and quality to maintain the integrity of the room space.

Two or more rugs should complement each other

  • One needs to be dominant in size

  • They should be similar in at least design/color/size

  • Smaller rugs should not look like clones

5. Color

If redecorating an already furnished room, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns

Paint or paper the walls in colors found in the rug when color coordinating.

Look for a rug that is commonality with the existing color of the walls.

A rug with a bold, overall design can be the focal point of a room with a chair and sofa in solid or subdued patterns.

Light colored rugs make a room look more spacious, and deeper colors lend coziness to a room.

6. Durability

For floor rugs wool is usually a preferred choice as it resists daily wear better than synthetics. Wool has many wonderful qualities- deep, rich color tones, high durability and relative ease of care. For more information you can read article Advantages of Wool over Synthetic Fibers.

Silk rugs are better used for walls, throws etc. Living rooms are ideal to showcase silk rugs.

Chromium dyes are strong and deliver consistency and durability of color.

Vegetable dyes give the rug a patina of color, a casual look that is very attractive.

7. Shape

Let your decorating style determine your rug shape.

Don’t be limited to the idea of getting a rectangular rug.

A circular or octagonal-shaped floor covering can add flair and elegance.

8. What is the dealer return policy?

You should at least have one week risk free trial period to experience the rug. You can test the wool texture, dye quality (take a moistened paper towel and run it along the edges & center, the dye should not bleed out) & see if it fits into your home d

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August 16, 2008

Area Rugs - Accent Your Rooms with Area Rugs

Filed under: home_decor — admin @ 2:32 am

One of the easiest ways to accent and decorate your home is with the use of accent rugs and area rugs. Rugs are far more than just something to cushion your feet and keep them warm in winter. They’re miniature works of art in which the form transcends the function. An accent rug in the right place can bring your whole room together by tying colors, patterns and styles into a cohesive whole, or serve as a bridge between different areas of your home or a single room.

Area rugs can range in size from 24 inches to 10 feet. You can use them to accent a small area of your room, or choose a room size area rug to be the foundation of your room’s unique style. The rug you choose can be the anchor that sets the mood of your room and gives it a flavor all its own. If you’re trying to establish a certain style in your room, try some of the following suggestions.

Accent a Colonial Style Living Room Set With a Braided Oval Rug

Braided rugs have a long history in the United States. Colonial housewives, who never wasted anything, would cut their old and worn clothing and blankets into strips, then braid the strips and coil them into oval and round area rugs. Today’s braided rugs may be made of cotton, wool or a polyester blend. They come in sizes from 2 feet in diameter up to room size 8×10 foot ovals. The most popular color blends are brown, blue, green and violet, but you can find color blends that accent any decor. Braided area rugs give a homey, homespun feel to your rooms and are the perfect accent for a colonial style living or dining room.

Accentuate a Conversational Grouping with a Contemporary Area Rug

Whether you choose a low pile area rug in a single color, a Mexican or Indian dhurrie area rug or a thick, luxurious pile rug in a stark contemporary pattern, area rugs are a great way to set a grouping of furniture off from the rest of the room and define its space. A light-colored area rug under the furniture can make it seem larger and brighter. A warm, dark color will contribute to a cozy, comfortable feeling even in a large, airy room.

Add a Hint of Luxury to Your Living Room with an Oriental Area Rug

Nothing says luxury quite like a thick, lush Oriental rug. You can choose patterns in jewel bright colors, or muted pastels, in styles that range from traditional Oriental border patterns to big overall flowers and geometric designs. They’re the perfect accent for beneath a traditional or Mediterranean dining room set.

To view our list of recommended sources for the highest quality rugs online,
visit: Recommended Online Rug Stores.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an
informational website with articles and the latest news about various topics.
Visit the website to read more about decorating and rugs.

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