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Archive for October, 2008

Area Rugs: How to tell the difference between a handmade and machine-made

Area Rugs: Handmade vs Machine-Made

Area Rugs: Handmade vs Machine-Made

Have you ever wanted to be able to tell if a rug is handmade or machine-made? If so, look no further! We have put together an easy to read article as well as images, and a video to teach you the basics which always give away how a rug was constructed. We tried to keep it brief and  hope you find it helpful and fun! Go here to learn about Area Rugs: Handmade vs Machine-Made.

Karastan Becomes ISO 14001 Certified

Karastan rugs has announced that its manufacturing plant in Eden, NC has achieved ISO 14001 certification with the International Organization for Standardization. Karastan’s spinning and worsted wool facilities in Greenville, NC have receive this prestigious environmental certification. Karastan wool rugs are one of the best sellers among “green area rugs.”

This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck. Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video.

ISO 14001 is an environmental management standard (EMS) that specifies a set of procedures and requirements. The purpose of this standard is to help organizations become more environmentally friendly. Some of the benefits of an ISO 14001 include:

  • Encourages organizations to improve in overall environmental performance and compliance
  • Provides a set of protocols for using pollution prevention practices to meet EMS standards and objectives
  • Cost savings when managing environmental obligations and increase efficiency.
  • Promotes consistency in managing environmental obligations.
  • Advances effective targeting of scarce environmental management resources.
  • Gives consumers the reassurance they need that the organization’s environmentally friendly claims are valid.

“Conformity to ISO 14001 standards benefits the environment, our company and our customers,” says Scott Mair, director of manufacturing for Karastan. “By making environmentalism a priority, we constantly strive to find better and more efficient ways to meet our eco-goals. These efforts are reflected in products with environmental value and selling power that sets our customers apart.”

Karastan is also proud that all New Zealand wool it uses is scoured by a company that meets stringent Environmental Choice New Zealand specifications.

If you are shopping for area rugs, don’t miss Karastan Sale going on right now at AreaRugsClub.com. 

Bedroom Area Rug

Bedroom Area Rug

Bedroom Area Rug

No bedroom decoration is complete without the addition of an area rug because it brings warmth to the room and comfort under the feet. An area rug of the right color and design can make your bedroom seem larger, brighter, cheerier or darker.
A rug is something that can reflect your personality and taste. It is thus a window to your inner being. Each rug comes with an identity associated with it, so the choice of the rug and its placement gives you space to be creative. It lets you explore your aesthetic side and individuality.
The practical uses of an area rug can hardly be overemphasized. One of the most popular rugs for bedroom is a wool rug. Wool rugs help keep rooms cool and warm due to their insular properties. They also mitigate bacterial growth and control allergies. As they are extremely resilient and resist dirt, no matter how rough your children play, they are likely to hold up for a long time.
An area rug not only covers the floor but its touch has a soft feel that charges you with a sense of comfort and coziness. Don’t you think that’s the feeling a bedroom should exude? If you have a dog in your house it will simply love it because dogs love sleeping on anything that’s soft.
Before you buy an area rug for your bedroom you have to consider not only the taste of the person but also the color and design of the walls and the floor. The rug should match its surrounding or it will seem in congruent. Here are some rules of thumb to follow:
•    Avoid large patterns if the room is small. They are likely to make it seem smaller.
•    Do not use busy small patterns in a large room. They will make the room feel too cluttered.
•    If your bedroom is dark for lack of light, choose warm, sunny tones. They will brighten the room.
•    To set off the stark lines of contemporary or modern furniture, pick bright abstracts in primary colors.
•    Contemporary designs really shine in children’s room. Bright or pastel colors, simple designs and easy care fabrics are ideal.

Shag rugs are very popular for bedroom.

Shag rugs are very popular for bedroom.

For children’s bedrooms, it is advisable to choose a rug made with polypropylene— because it is one of the easiest materials to clean and wash—or pick a stain resistant rug or treat your rug with a stain resistant finish. Additionally, if your kids happen to destroy the rug, you know it didn’t cost you a fortune. Tempting though it might be, it is better to avoid popular cartoon character patterns. Children’s tastes and favorites change rapidly as they grow. So instead, pick a bright pattern with colors that can coordinate with a wide variety of styles as your child grows and develops his own tastes.
For fun, pick up a small area rug in a street or checkerboard design. Your child will spend hours playing on a street map with toy cars, or setting up checkers and chess games with friends.

Sometimes multiple smaller area rugs are more appropriate in the bedroom. Place one at the foot of the bed and one or two on each side of the bed. Using multiple rugs can not only cost less but sometimes they also better complement your furnishings. Besides they are easy to adjust and rearrange in case you want to make changes to your furniture arrangement.
When a large rug is used in a bedroom, the rug does not need to be centered, but it should have the same amount of floor space on two or three sides of the rug if possible.

A room-sized Persian rug or oriental rug in the bedroom is also a popular choice. Because much of their pattern will be hidden under the bed, medalion designs are not recommended. Some less busy, wool area rugs from Karastan, Momeni or Shag rugs seem to always be in style when it comes to bedrooms. Don’t miss the Karastan Sale going on right now!