Andy Warhol Rugs have been big hits with customers.

There are many collections of area rugs that have awed the customers and have been greatly in demand. Some of these contemporary rugs have gained popularity with their excellent reliability and durability while some have spell bounded the customers with the elegant designs and variations in color. Materials used in the rugs have also been important with most people opting for quality material over efficient and attractive designs and so, the best selling rugs have been those which have had a perfect blend of quality material and innovative colors and designs.

There is no doubt that some companies have stolen the show with their brilliant collections and it has been normal to see two collections of the same company fighting it out for the best collection tag in the market of area rugs.  However, it would be wrong to say that all the contemporary rugs have battled hard to create their own legacy by attaining the highest number of sales and satisfied customers as two of the best collections of in the market of area rugs both belong to the Momeni without much challenge from competition.

It is not only the quality in designs, color variations and durability which have made the collections of Momeni popular but the material used and the discount prices have blown off all other competitors. One of the hottest series in the field of modern area rugs has to be the Momeni Elements. This collection has seriously spell bounded the customers with its elegant and versatile designs which makes it a fit in almost every type of room. The variation in colors is fantastic while there is no limit to the design variations in the collection. Reliability and longevity has never been a problem for Momeni area rugs. The only issue some customers have with some of the Momeni rugs and those of other brands is shedding of hand-tufted rugs. These types of rugs by nature do shed and sometimes excessively in the beginning. It will go away with time and it is recommended to vacuum these kinds of rugs few times a week for first few weeks and the shedding will be minimal (read: Why some area rugs shed so much?).

The competitor for the hot Elements series in the field of area rugs is also a collection by Momeni. Momeni new wave is a terrific collection that combines elegance, simplicity, variations and the 100% wool pile to simply mesmerize the customers.

Although Momeni seems to have secured top spot in the contemporary area rugs category, it must maintain its quality as other manufacturers such as Sphinx Rugs are also upping their standards with every passing day.  Some other great collections not to be missed and are big hits with customers are the Andy Warhol Factory HM and Revolution by Sphinx. It should not be difficult for customers with some basic knowledge about area rugs to find that perfect rug in today’s digital age having thousands of rugs online at their fingertips.

Bookmark It

If you are in the market for an area rug, chances are you are feeling a little overwhelmed by all of the choices, styles and colors that are available. Did you know that there is a big difference between area rugs made of natural fibers, compared to those made of synthetic materials? Before you make any decisions, you need to be informed about what you are buying. Here is a breakdown of each type.

Natural Fiber Area Rugs

First, let’s define natural fibers; a natural fiber comes from plants or animals. Some examples are wool, hemp, sea grass, bamboo, sisal, and silk, to name just a few. They are of the highest quality, and are eco-friendly. Wool rugs are more expensive than their synthetic counter-parts but will last much longer and perform better. Sea grass is quite durable and is recommended for high traffic areas like hallways, entries and family rooms, however; be careful with spills, as these rugs are not very easy to spot-clean. Silk of course is less durable and best used in low traffic areas such as formal living rooms. They can also make excellent wall hangings. Another common use of silks is to only weave the highlights of a design with it and the rest of the pile is in wool. If for example when you see a rug made of 80% wool and 20% Silk, that’s usually the case. Many natural fiber rugs are hand-made with the greatest of care. Bamboo is becoming a very popular fiber because of its natural wood-like and sustainability. It also makes for a great outdoor rug. Wool is considered the oldest natural fiber and has been used for centuries to make quality, long lasting wool rugs. Most Persian and Oriental rugs are made exclusively of wool. If you or a family member has allergies or chemical sensitivities, you’ll want to choose a natural fiber rug, as opposed to synthetic fibers, as they are commonly made with synthetic dyes or chemicals. Natural area rugs are a good choice for those wanting a more eco-friendly and green lifestyle.

Synthetic Fiber Area Rugs

Again, we’ll define synthetic fibers: Synthetic fibers do not come from plants or animals; they are man-made. They have

been manufactured in a factory of some sort. Don’t confuse this with being handmade; they could be called that but yet made from un-natural fibers. Synthetic rugs have been normally made from artificial fibers in a factory using an automated procedure with machinery and yet recently they have been hand-tufted or hand-hooked. Some of the materials used for synthetic rugs are nylon, polypropylene, acrylic and polyester. These fibers are strong and are weather and water resistant, so they are made to last longer than some of their natural fiber counterparts. They can also be stain and fade resistant, depending how they were made. They are dyed using ingredients and chemicals that are also man-made. Some of the ingredients used for dye include acid, chrome and aniline. Some would argue that polyester is a potentially eco-friendly choice, because it is made from recycled soda bottles (but is the soda pop made in an eco-friendly way in the first place? hmm..). These types are generally less expensive and will hold up longer in high traffic areas. They can generally take a bit more beating if well constructed.

Each type has its pros and cons, and you will have to decide for yourself which one you will choose. Each comes in a vast array of sizes, colors and styles so you are sure to find one that fits your own personal tastes, and your overall home decor. Don’t choose on cost alone, though; remember that in most cases, you get what you pay for. A rug that is low quality is not going to last you as long. You may pay less now, but you’ll pay more when you have to buy a new one only a relatively short time. Keep in mind what the rug will be used for and how much traffic it will be getting. In other words, don’t choose a silk rug for your entry way or your family room. Your traffic area has to fit with the type of fiber you choose.

Please feel free to call Area Rugs Club if you need help choosing a rug that’s right for you. 1-866-680-0606

Bookmark It

Shag rugs are very popular in today's modern homes. In contemporary style less is more!

Contemporary area rugs come in variety of colors but the most common are neutrals, black, white with some bold accent colors. If your furniture and most other colors in your room are neutral, then you may want to select a bold color for background of your rug to make it stand out. It looks better not to have the furniture and rug color predominantly the same. Choose a rug which has color of your furniture in details not in the primary color.

Normally modern carpet and rugs have clean, smooth and geometric lines. Among the hottest contemporary rugs are New Wave Collection by Momeni, Many  collections by Dynamic Rugs and Sphinx Rugs. When selecting a rug, if your furniture is plain, go with large patterns and use smaller ones if you big prints in your furniture’s fabric. Alternatively, you can choose a shag rug which is also very popular today.

Keep in mind, with contemporary style less is more! Try not to use objects with excessive details and floral patterns. You will achieve the best look by going basic, bold and uncluttered.

Have fun decorating!

Tina V
Sales Team

Bookmark It

The Poot - Director(s): Elham Asadi Producer(s): Shahryar Jahangiri Editor(s): Kamyar Minoukadeh Cinematographer(s): Iman Tahsin Release Year: 2009

Winner of Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Here is a treat for admirer of Persian rugs. Elham Assadi’s award wining documentary is a beautifully crafted tribute to ancient Iranian tradition of carpet weaving. The Poot documents the details and precision that goes into each hand-loomed creation. It received the Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short, in the city of Durham.
Here is what Full Frame Documentary Film Festival’s website says about this 42 minute documentary: “In this pure visual treat, stunning cinematography and an ambient sound-scape come together to celebrate handmade work in an age of mass-production.”

Bookmark It

There are two main reasons area rugs (and wall-to-wall carpets) shed. The first and more important reason is the quality of the fiber used. This issue is not only related to wool fibers but also to synthetic fibers such as polypropylene and nylon as well. The second aspect of the rug which contributes to shedding is the construction of the pile such as hand-knotted vs hand-tufted.

Almost all rugs shed when they are new and the better the rug, the sooner the problem of shedding cease or at least becomes very minimal.

Fiber:

A wool rug seem to shed more compare to a synthetic rug and the reason is wool costs a lot to produce when it’s done right. Many manufacturers try to keep the cost of production to minimum to be able to compete for mid to lower markets. Wool is truly a nature’s miracle. There are so many good things to be said about it (learn more about wool rugs) but to have a premium quality fiber, the wool has to go through several processes which could dramatically raise the price of the rug. One of these processes is combing which effects the shedding in the final product. The combs have long metal teeth which are used to remove the short and broken fibers. Worsted wool piles are the best in terms of quality and they don’t shed or very minimally, but expect to pay more because this process is costly and the pile can be found in high quality rugs as well as in some expensive Tuxedos.

Construction:

Most rugs are made by two methods: hand-knotted and hand-tufted, and there are some less used techniques such as flat-weave which is used in Dhurries and Kilims. Hand-knotted rugs shed less with help from the way they are constructed. Each pile is securely knotted to the foundation with no room to move, however hand-tufted rugs do not offer the same pile security as there are no knots to hold the pile down securely. This make it easier for the pile to get pulled out and create shedding by normal traffic.

How to reduce shedding of your area rugs:

The first thing to do is not to buy very cheap rugs as they are normally made of very cheap quality fibers and there is really no way to stop them from shedding.

To reduce the shedding, follow these steps:

1- Vacuum your rug daily for the first 10 days when you just buy it. Be sure to have the height lever of your vacuum set to High as some powerful vacuums might actually damage pile especially hand-tufted rugs. Don’t rush the process. Move the vacuum slowly to allow the suction to pull out loose piles.

2- Wipe your shoes well before entering the house. The sands stock at the bottom of your shoes can get into the pile and as people walk over the rug, these sand act like sandpaper and break the pile which ads to shedding.

3- Vacuum your rugs at least twice a week after the initial daily vacuuming.

Hope you find this information helpful. Please contact us if you have any questions.

regards,
Steve W (Customer Care)

Bookmark It

It’s time to save bundles on your favorite Karastan rugs. This brand is with no doubt the most well known carpet and area rug brand in United States. There are many reasons behind Karastan success. The technique used in their area rugs combined with top quality material available, makes them stand out among hundreds of other rug manufacturers. Let’s not forget about designs, whether you are looking for a fresh, modern look (see Studio Artworks collection) or the most elegant traditional Persian design rug (see Antique Legends Collection), Karastan has you covered. This brand pays extreme attention to details and the result is very authentic looking power-loomed rugs which will last like a rock. There is now wonder these rugs are backed by 20 years Limited Manufacturing Defect, Lifetime Limited Moth and Insect Resistance warranties. Frankly, this brand is not for everyone, just like every other top quality product, it comes with a price higher than average, but it rings so true here; “you get what you pay for”. If you ever thought about owning a Karastan, this is the best time to do so as October is the National Karastan Month and you won’t ever find them for lower price any other time.

Since 1928, Karastan has been bringing beauty, comfort and elegance to American homes. Click on the image to start shopping for Karastan area rugs.

Purchase any Karastan area rug and receive an ADDITIONAL 10% Cash Back Rebate on any minimum $499 purchase. Receive up to $200 per household for purchasing ANY Karastan rug or combination of rugs. When you purchase the perfect Karastan rug or runner you keep adding up the savings.

We even fill out the rebate form for you! All you have to do is to type “Cash Back” in Special Instructions when checking out and wait for your rebate check to arrive. You also receive free shipping and padding!!

AreaRugsClub.com offers the lowest prices on area rugs online backed by 150% Price Match Guarantee, as well as highest customer service it is known for.

Please let us know if you have any questions, or need help with any of our products. We’ll be glad to hear from you.

Until next time,

Jeff (Sales Team)
Tel: 866-680-0606
Web: Contact Us

Bookmark It

Karastan is the best known name when it comes to machine made area rugs. This great manufacturer has added hand tufted rugs to its collection in the past few years. Although it is difficult to tell apart a machine made Karastan from a hand made rug because of their unique craftsmanship.

When it comes to rugs, one brand stands out: Karastan, known for its stunning woven area rugs that are available in various textures, patterns and many styles. All Karastan rugs possess exceptional beauty and durability to make their owners proud.

In this economic hard time we all want to save money as much as possible. That is why this is good news for those who do not want to sacrifice quality to merely save a few bucks. Karastan National Month is a long waited affair which you could save up to 50% off on all its program lines including Original Karastan, Samovar, Antique Legends, Ashara, Sierra Mar, Shapura, and not to forget the Artworks collection which includes ever popular Plum Blossom 217, Mimosa and Bistro.

So, the waiting is over as October is almost here. As an authorized dealer, we want to make sure that Area Rugs Club is always the best place for you to find area rugs online. To be sure you are happy, not only we offer free shipping but also throw in free padding with all orders of $495 and up. Come see all Karastan rugs and fall in love with a rug!

Bookmark It

The size of an area rug is one the important factors to keep in mind when shopping for area rugs. Here is why the size is important. It provides a boundary and helps with designating certain areas of your space for certain functions; for example, dining room boundary can be easily defined by the size of the rug which is normally about two feet larger than table all around.

Most oriental rugs as well as contemporary rugs are made overseas in Asia and Europe. The measuring system is metric. Every meter is 3.28 feet and when a size is converted to feet, we always get some change, so to speak.

So what size should your rug be? I recommend this formula which I use myself:

Space + Function + preference = size

Now let’s breakdown the formula. Space is the size of your room where the rug is going to be used. Function is defined by what we do and the rug is supposed to do in the room. Preference is a personal taste and sense of design.

Let’s say you want to buy a rug for your living room where you hang out and have normally have a coffee table. The first thing you need to do is to measure the the entire space of your living room. Depending on the purpose which the rug serves like keeping your feet warm in winter time or covering that damaged spot in your tile floor, you decide how much of the space should the rug cover. That might be all you need to measure for the size of the rug. However, depending on what type of climate you live in, and the type of floor you have, the rug might serve a different function for you. If you have young children at home, the rug can serve different functions such as protection while the kids play on the floor and sound reduction when they run around the room and might disturb the neighbors living below your apartment.

The last element in the formula is the preference. You might think a small area rug under the coffee table looks a lot better than a larger size which covers the entire space in your living room. When it comes to bedroom area rugs, you may prefer a larger rug one which almost covers the entire floor so your bare feet are always pampered with the softness of your rug.

Those are the things you need to consider when measuring for an area rug. Thankfully, area rugs come in variety of sizes (and shapes), finding one to fit your space shouldn’t be difficult.

Area Rugs come in variety of sizes. Here is a scale to give you a sense of demensions.

Here are the most common rug sizes (approximately) and where they are used:

2 x 4 – They are usually called scatter rugs and used in places like bathroom, kitchen and doorway.

3 x 5 – Slightly larger than scatter rugs and usually used in entrances or kitchens.

4 x 6 – Used in entrances and under small coffee tables

5 x 8 – This is one of the most popular sizes to use in living room when you want the rug to come up just to the couch and still show lots of floor.

6 x 9 – Very similar to 5 x 8 just slightly larger.

7 x 10 – This size is not very common, however you can find it if you look around a bit. This size is good for dining rooms with a small space.

8 x 10 – Every time I hear this size, the word dining room comes to my head. It is the most popular size for the dining area which allows the chairs to remain on the rug when pulled back. It is also used in living rooms.

8 x 11 – Very similar to 8 x 10 just slightly longer.

9 x 12 – Most common size for homes with large living room or dinning room.

10 x 14 – These are large rugs which are usually too big for average rooms.

You can also find very large rugs, or sometimes called mansion rugs, in certain patterns. There are also few rug types that can be custom ordered to fit your need.

A popular shape that many people prefer is the round one. The round rugs are usually used in foyer and dining room. If you are looking to buy a round rug, be sure to check out Momeni and Sphinx rugs. Here are the most common sizes for round rugs:

4 x 4, 6 x 6, 8 x 8 and 10 x 10.

We hope you found this post useful. If you have any any questions or need help with choosing the right size, AreaRugsClub.com is here for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Skye

Bookmark It

You say to yourself, OK, that area rug in the living room is creeping me out. It used to look like a lovely painting years ago when I first bought it but now looks more like a rodent ran over by a semi-truck. So you start looking online and find the perfect rug which you think will lively up that drab floor of yours. But there is a problem! The rug is back ordered for six weeks! Ohh no!!! So what should you do? Frankly, I don’t know what you should do as I’m unaware of your specific circumstance. However, here is a piece of advice and something I would do. Ask myself some questions and give them honest answers then make my final decision based on that.

* Have I looked around for this area rug online enough? Does any other online rug retailer have this one?

* How badly I need to have that rug (or rugs)? Is there a big family event coming up before it arrives? Could that event wait?

* How important is the rug in my home color scheme and decor?

* How often I change my home decor?

* For what purpose am I buying this rug for? Is this rug going to be something of dear value to me such as an art piece? or just a piece of utility rug?

* Am I getting a great deal ( on sale ) which I may not be able to get at if I make a purchase at a later date?

The answers to these questions should make it easier for you to decide weather to order the rug and wait it out or just move on to a different rug with similar attributes.

I’m personally passionate about area rugs and admire them for so many reason. Here is what I would do. I normally buy a rug when I fall in love with it so therefore if I have to wait for a reasonable amount of time (up to a year depending how much I really love it), I would wait.

Hope you find this post helpful and it make it easier for you what to do when in that situation. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about area rugs.

All the best!

Skye

Bookmark It

If you are pondering the idea of perhaps becoming a bit more modern or making a fashion statement with your home decor you may be considering contemporary rugs.  So if they are contemporary rugs what do they not have? Well they won’t be floral designs and very likely not paisley either. There are no symmetries and they will have a clean sharp defined look to them.

Contemporary rugs usually come with geomatric designs; however, they can be found without a strait line and still look very modern.

The easiest way to identify contemporary area rugs is by their geometric or linear patterns, which are the most favored. Interestingly enough though there are now some contemporary rugs hitting the market that has uniquely incorporated the traditional designs yet manage to maintain the status of contemporary. They are a whole new category by themselves called Transitional Rugs.

When it comes to decor values and deciding between a contemporary or traditional rug what do you want to use as your criteria? To begin with recognizing the fact that contemporary rugs are very easy to fit in with the basic decor scheme of your room, whereas traditional rugs are a little more difficult to match. Mostly because of the patterns they product. A contemporary rug feels natural and homey, whereas a traditional rug is very rich looking and almost gives a formal aura to it. Therefore you decor is really going to dictate as to whether you are going to go with the contemporary rugs or not. If you are thinking modern in any way then you most definitely need to go with contemporary rugs.

Just like most, any other types of rugs contemporary rugs come in a whole variety of materials. You can even have bamboo if you so desire. Remember though that the materials also play an important” role in the overall blend of the decor as well. These rugs are available both in natural and synthetic materials.

All too often people feel that because they home is more of an older model the contemporary carpets will just not fit in with the ambiance of the home. That is simply not true. In fact you create an entirely new modernized look to that old house just by making your contemporary rugs work for you.

You are going to have to follow the same thinking being contemporary for your accessories though if you are going with contemporary carpets. It just wouldn’t fit well to have a bright geometrical contemporary carpet with a Victorian couch holding traditional floral pillows. That doesn’t mean that you have to change all of the furniture in your room over to contemporary. It means making it work for you in a more modernized fashion.

For example if that Victorian couch happens to be a cream color then some throw cushions picking up the vibrant colors of the contemporary carpet is going to work well (However, you will probably end up on the eclectic side). Going with one of the new neutral tones for the walls is going to downplay the age of the home and allow you some freedom with working with the colors in the contemporary rugs.

The other deciding factor is just how contemporary do you want to go? In other words, are you contemplating a large area rug or are you thinking about a few accent rugs. Either way there should be nothing stopping you if you really want the contemporary carpets. Just plan carefully and make the minor accessory changes that may be called for.

Even accessories like geometric vases and ornaments will help to tie the contemporary style together. Then don’t forget about modern artwork. That will most likely be the finishing touches to your overall room.

Don’t be under the misconception that you have to go with bold brassy vibrant colors to be contemporary either. There are some beautiful contemporary carpets that focus on the geometric lines with earth tones that are absolutely beautiful.

One of the important things to remember is to not to go after inferior contemporary carpets. They must be of good quality to really do the job they are being used for which is to enhance the decor of your house and put you into the latest fashion.

Bookmark It