Area Rugs Blog

Area Rugs vs Carpet

Some people cannot make a distinction between area rugs and carpets and sometimes they use the terms interchangeably. When floor covering professionals talk about “carpet“, almost always they mean wall to wall carpet. Both are soft and comfortable floor coverings, definitely a better substitute to tiles, bare hardwood or laminates. However it is not too difficult to distinguish between the two. Both have their own pros and cons:
Unlike area rugs, carpets are secured to the floor, generally tacked or cemented to it, often underlayed with cushion padding. Thus they are slip-resistant. While area rugs cover only a portion of the floor area, carpets cover the entire floor surface. The choice between the two is a matter of preference. Some people want a differently styled covering for each room, one that matches the décor and color scheme of the furniture, one that defines each living space. For them area rugs is the right choice. There are others who go for wall to wall carpeting because they want to be able to walk around the entire house barefoot, or have their children crawl on their hands and knees without having to feel the cold, hard floor surfaces. Besides, they want to give their entire house a unified look. This is definitely an advantage but on the other hand, area rugs can easily be rearranged to suit changes in furniture arrangement, or wall colors.
Carpets are more appropriate for drier climates only, because dirt and moisture stick to them, which can turn into mildew. For people living in a humid climate, large washable area rugs on top of any type of flooring other than wall to wall carpet is advisable.
Wall to wall carpets are hard to clean, so they are not a good choice for people with dust allergies. For them it is better to use polypropylene or washable area rugs.
However, both are not suitable for kitchens because food spills would make them look and smell pretty bad.
If one wants to “install” carpet over hardwood floors one would need to install smooth edge (tack strips) around the perimeter of the room, and that would damage the hardwood. The only way to cover hardwood floors without damaging the wood floor and keeping parts of the floors visible at the same time is by laying area rugs over the hardwood. However, they should be laid over a special type of pad designed for area rugs, which will help protect the hardwood and also keep the area rug from “crawling”.
Unlike wall to wall carpets, an area rug placed in an appropriate position can introduce structure to an open concept floor plan or link disparate furnishings.
If you are looking to bring colorful patterns and designs into your room without overwhelming it, area rugs are a better choice over wall to wall carpets because the latter are look best in neutral colors.
There is one practical consideration to take note of while choosing between wall to wall carpets and area rugs, which has little to do with decoration. Area rugs are yours to keep once you buy them, unlike wall to wall carpeting. You can take them with you if you move. So if you ever fall in love with a wonderful, expensive handmade rug, you can say: “Hey unlike wall to wall carpet, this is an investment and I will get to take it anywhere I want.”
One can use area rugs even if one has wall to wall carpeting. They can be laid on high traffic areas to protect the carpet or used to tie a sitting area together.

Carpets need to be installed and you can't take them with you.

When wall to wall carpets wear out the house eventually becomes patched with different carpeting as worn out carpets in different areas are replaced. Using area rugs instead can save money because cost of replacing area rugs is relatively less especially if you find area rugs for sale when shopping for one. That shouldn’t be too difficult.
To conclude, the choice between area rugs and wall to wall carpets is as much a matter of personal taste as suitability. Being in business of area rugs, we could tell you to go with area rugs however, none of the two is better than the other in absolute terms.

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Posted on November 6th, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, Area Rugs For Sale, Carpet, pad, rugs, wall to wall. Comments: None

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.

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Posted on October 27th, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, handmade, learn, machine-made. Comments: None

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.

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!

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Posted on October 4th, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, Bedroom Area Rug, karastan, Karastan Sale, momeni, rugs, Shag Rugs, wool rugs. Comments: None

A rug is something that can help your home reflect your identity and taste.

There are certain things that make a house a good home, and a nice area rug such as a Karastan or Momeni would be one of those things (especially if it comes with free shipping). A nice sunlit room with Ivy covered sills and children playing around is a beautiful thing; add a strikingly designed rug to it, in a strategic place on the floor where the soft sunlight falls on its carefully woven texture, and you have heaven.

Rugs and home; both words have an intimate relationship and one adds an extra sense of completion to the other. There are indeed few things that are able to enhance the warmth of your home, and rugs, triumphantly top the list. Why they top the list is not that hard to figure out. They are affordable, or cheap if you will, easy to maintain, keep your feet safe from cold floors and most importantly, they give you the flexibility to change infinitely. Every rug adds something new to your room and with the wide range of area rugs available nowadays, you can’t possibly ever get bored of rugs. Assuming you want to have your house feel like a home which I am sure, everybody that has ever built, bought or lived in a house does, an area rug is something that you cannot do without. A home and a rug that decorates develop a very intimate relationship, such that, over time, you cannot think of your home without remembering that old rug on the floor.

Many brands of rugs are available for your choosing, and they all endeavor to provide you with a variety of classic and modern decoration items for your home. Anybody that has ever wanted to make their home a nicer place to live in and has tried doing it by spending truck loads of money, knows how time consuming, tiring and not to repeat, expensive the procedure is. Rugs are a much safer option than wall to wall carpet as there are no such hassles as buckles on the floor or paying someone to rip it back up. You just need to place your rug somewhere nice that pleases you and have the freedom to move it from room to room or even to your new house! These are the things you would never think of doing with wall to wall carpet.

A lot of the rugs that are available in today’s market are made of wool. New methods and materials have produced new rugs that are machine made and the level of craftsmanship achieved is astonishing. It’s really tough nowadays to figure out which one is a machine made and which one, a handmade area rug.

If you don’t want to compromise on quality and would only opt for a handmade one, then think again. If your grandma didn’t tell you, I will. Karastan is out there to prove you wrong, very wrong. They are the kings of machine made rugs and they’ve been in the business since 1928. Now, that’s a long time and you would realize their good use over time when you see their products and more importantly, touch and feel the area rugs from Karastan. It is not a matter of luck or coincidence that Karastan happens to be the largest processor of wool in America and the only ones to make worsted wool products. Be it Karastan’s Persian Renaissance collection or the Original collection you can be assured that they are products made from the best quality wool and they will not let you down when your neighbor or your mother-in-law comes for a visit.

The great part about buying an area rug for your home is that most dealers ship your rugs direct from the source for free. Your precious rug is delicate and a reliable company would take the utmost care to ship it to you at no extra charge, proof of the fact that it’s something more than business, it’s the start of a new and long lasting relationship every time you opt to purchase a rug.

Rugs and Home

Reputable companies, such as AreaRugsClub.com, know and understand the intimacy of the relationship between you, your home and the rug you choose. They endeavor in every way to maintain that goodwill by offering you the best product and the best after-sales service. Coupled with the advantage of free shipping, the world of rugs has more to offer than anything to help you realize the true potential of your home space.

A rug is something that can help your home reflect your identity and taste. A rug in your home is the window to your inner being because with all the variety available, each rug comes with an identity associated with it while giving you ample space to be creative. It lets you explore your aesthetic side and individuality. On top of that, if you’re in a city like New York, a rug is all the more a necessity because it brings warmth to your home and under your feet while watching the rain and snow falling from your window. A plush, soft and warm rug will complement your favorite warm drink like no other on a cold winter day.

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Posted on September 5th, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, free shipping, karastan, Karastan rug, momeni, New York, rugs, Rugs and Home, wool rugs. Comments: 1

There are area rugs and there are more area rugs, and then there is that one rug that blends perfectly into your room. The trick lies in knowing how to choose. You have to keep a lot of things in mind while choosing that ideal area rug for your home. Whether it is the color, the texture or the design, you have to consider each of these and see how snugly they fit into the general decor of your room before you buy your area rug.

10 Easy Tips to choose area rugs from a vast selection.

So let’s check out some easy tips that can come handy while choosing area rugs for home decorating.

Color:

The first thing that’s important about an area rug is its color. The color of the rug you choose must be in tune with the color of the place you’re going to place that rug in. You should not forget that color coordination creates the vital bond between your room and the rug. Thirty percent of a room’s color is dominated by the color of the floor covering. If you want the area rug to be the center ‘color bank’ for your room, choose the paint color of your room according to the colors of the area rug.

For instance, choose a rug that has patterns with multiple, distinct colors. Then you can plan your room’s color scenario around the colors of that area rug and even extend the plan to other rooms with different rugs while keeping the rug colors complementary to each other. If you want area rugs that conform to your room’s general appearance, then you may want to opt for low key tones and designs that easily blend in your room’s decor while adding a new dimension to it. A textured rug is a really great choice when you want to provide a backdrop for your furnishings. You can use textured rugs that are slightly darker or lighter than the wall color to create a subtle color movement in the background.

Design:

After color, the second aspect that counts is the design of the area rug. While area rugs as a whole are an extension of the owner’s personality; the design of the rug can easily be termed as the most visual way of achieving that. Be it contemporary or traditional, both styles account for your self-expression and taste. Geometric patterns are best suited for modern settings; whereas traditional floral patterns are the ones you can use to enhance the English garden feel. When mixing patterns, it is important to remember that either the color or the pattern should be in sync with each other. This helps in binding the décor of your rooms. Another thing to note is that patterned area rugs are far better at hiding stains than solid colors. So you may want to place one under your dining table, where spills are likely to occur!

Karastan Artworks, Plum Blossom

Texture:

The texture of an area rug matters a lot in choosing the right one, too. It is the key feature that adds to the room’s warmth. The way the rug feels, literally adds to the feel of the room. A wool rug adds warmth and definition to a room that has shiny or smooth surfaces. What you can do with this is aim to get a balance of textures. Considering the variety of area rugs available today, the possibilities are endless.

Materials:

They can be divided into two categories, natural and man made. By far, the material that dominates the world of area rugs is wool. Wool rugs are elegant in texture, highly durable, maintenance is easy and they are crush resistant. Other natural materials like silk, viscose, cotton and jute are used. Silk is expensive but is highly appreciated for its luster. The original rugs which Karastan’s Persian Renaissance collection were inspired from, offered exhaustive examples of how silk is used as accents along with other material. The effect is exquisite. Apart from silk, cotton is used as a foundation for many rugs and viscose (which is derived from wood pulp) acts as a good substitute for silk when used as accents with another material. Jute, coir and sisal are also used but though they have interesting textures, they get stained pretty easily. Man made fibers like nylon and polypropylene are cheap and easy to maintain but traditionalists may say that they lack the warmth of natural fibers, and environmentally conscience consumers find these choice unacceptable due to the effect they have on mother earth. We, AreaRugsClub.com, offer Echo-Friendly, or “green rugs” inline with our commitment to save our environment for us and our future generations.

Quality:

Now we can talk about the whole new concept of quality. Various factors blend in to determine an area rug’s quality. The first thing to notice is the craftsmanship of area rugs. They can be hand woven, hand tufted, machine-woven and tufted. To figure out the best option for you, consider the general make of the rug along with the fiber used and the precision in design. All of these account for a good area rug.

Among the materials used, wool tops the list for various reasons. It is the unanimous standard for comparisons with other materials. You pay more than man made fibers but it’s worth the price.

Skill:

The skill of the artisan who has made the rug (and the machines in power-loomed rugs) is another important factor. The skill of the artisan and the beauty of the rug are directly related.

Pile Density:

This, along with the fiber which was used to create the rug, is arguably the most important indicator on how long your rug will going to last and keeps its original look. It refers to the amount of yarn used in making of the rug and how close the Knots, or weaves, are to each other. Denser the rug, the better it will stand up to time.

Finishing:

This is important as wool area rugs need moth proofing and you should make sure when buying a wool rug that it has been done.

Size:

It is also necessary that you know the size of the room where you want to place your rug. For family rooms, it is good to have one large rug with 12 to 18 inches floor space to frame the rug. Measure the dimensions of your dining table if you intend to place one in the dining room. The table should fit within the rug with extra space for the chairs. We recommend pulling the chairs out on each end, then measure from the back legs and add a few inches. Long runners are good for hallways, and you can even opt to put different runner rugs one after the other, but keep the colors in mind. Bedrooms usually demand a large luxurious rug that is heaven for your bare feet, so that you wake up every morning on the soft side of the bed!

Kids and Pets:

If you have kids or pets at home then it is very likely that mishaps will occur. In such a situation, you should always choose a rug that is easy to clean. Wool is the best choice as it is resistant to soil and stains while being easy to clean.

So when buying a new area rug, keep these things in mind and it will help you to streamline your options because you WILL have a lot of options if you are buying from Arearugsclub.com.

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Posted on August 29th, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, Artworks, color, design, Echo-Friendly, green rugs, interior design, karastan, karastan area rugs, karastan plum blossom, karastan rugs, Plum Blossom, rugs, texture, wool rug, wool rugs. Comments: None

These days, you cannot buy an area rug from a reputable seller without being offered free shipping; the two go hand in hand. It is always nice to know that companies care about not only the selling part but also the safe and trouble free shipping of your precious area rug. With the area rug industry growing with leaps and bounds, the aim shifts from only selling the product to creating a new bond between the company and it’s valued customer, you. Free shipping is one of the most important values that can be added to the selling of a product. Customers love it, and when it comes to be a matter of choice, they will always go for that area rug which comes with free shipping.

AreaRugsClub.com offers free shipping and no tax!

Speaking of area rugs, the limits to your choice are endless. From the representation of your whimsical desire to pure class and elegance, the area rug of today provides for all of that with little or rather no difficulty at all. With the shattering of the barrier between the machine woven area rug and the handmade, the diversification in terms of quality, style and design is wondrous. And, the best part is that you don’t have to pay a single cent to ship it to anywhere you want. They have not started fedexing to moon at the time of this writing, but if there were people up there, and they were buying area rugs, I wouldn’t be surprised if these dealers offered free shipping. In today’s competitive market, that is, to reiterate, one of the best values that a seller can add to that splendid rug for your home décor.

Do not be under the impression that you have to spend a lot of money in order to elevate the mood of your home to a new exquisite height. An area rug does the job with acute precision. Brands like the famous Karastan sell affordable area rugs that will simply blow your mind. Though Karastan manufactures machine made rugs; don’t get fooled with that, because when placed beside a handmade rug, even the experts have doubts deciding which one is the machine-made one and which the handmade. To create something like this, a complete mimicry of human artwork, this is sheer mechanical excellence. It is not though that Karastan makes only machine made area rugs, as they import a lot of Persian rugs and Indian ones. Whether handmade or machine woven, one general assurance that the brand provides you is the guarantee of the quality of the wool, which is used to manufacture the rugs. Karastan uses wool of the highest quality to make their wonder rugs. This is a guarantee that has been there since 1928 and they intend to keep it that way, with no compromises on this one, ever.

Discount rugs are available from most dealers and you’d be amazed to see the level of quality you can get even when there is the discount tag attached to it. The discount is not because the rugs are bad but rather it is the celebration of the goodwill of the various companies as they are out to provide the customer satisfaction and in return, the inception of a life long relationship between them. The free shipping policy plays a pivotal role in developing this relationship.

Choice of material is never a matter of constraint. So what if you don’t like wool? There’s so much to choose from. New materials and fibers are being introduced constantly, in an effort to provide you the best possible option that you can have for your home. For example, manufacturers are using nylon in ways that you can’t imagine. It won’t even feel like nylon to you. Some may say that this is overworking the methods of rug making but on the contrary, it is the evidence of the untiring dedication of the manufacturers to furnish the maximum possible choices for you. They are very well aware of the fact that your home is important to you and it is important that you get an exhaustive range of options from which you can find the perfect one for your home.

Rugs and home; the former complements the latter and becomes the pride of any home owner for whom the look and feel of his or her home matters. This relationship has its own history and the variety of rugs that are found all across the globe are a testament to it. The Persians made their rugs a whole aspect of their identity and so did many other cultures. The explanation is simple, because rugs can define one’s home, add that essential warmth and color to any part of your home. This wonderful property of the area rug makes it the pride of any room and of course, your home. Use a rug to change your home and the way you will remember your home when days have passed across the landscape of time. A rug adds to the perfect home and takes the not so perfect home to the pedestal of perfection. If you own a good rug from a reputable collection, your satisfaction, so far as making your home a more livable place is concerned, is guaranteed.

So stop looking for expensive ways to achieve your goal of beautifying your home, and go buy an area rug. You’ll most definitely end up saying, “why didn’t I try this before?”

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Posted on August 22nd, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, discount rugs, free delivery, free shipping, handmade, home decor, karastan, karastan area rugs, karastan rugs, machinemade, persian rugs, rug, rug and home, rugs, wool, wool rug, wool rugs. Comments: None

Area Rugs in the West

The art of area rug making and the taste for wool area rugs spread across Europe with her contact with Islamic civilization. The earliest European rugs were made in Spain, and some of these pre-date the Muslim invasion. The Synagogue rug, a wool area rug dating from the 14th century, is the earliest extant example of this ancient style. The Armorial carpets, another well-known remnant of this style, has birds and flowers motifs and depictions of Spanish Christian families. This style gave way to the Renaissance style with its silk designs and wreath and pomegranate motifs as the land was re-conquered from the Moors.

The Flying Carpet by Viktor Vasnetsov (1880). Oil, canvas.

In early seventeenth century, France began producing wool area rugs at Savonnerie in the style of Persian rugs. These were densely ornamented with flowers, and were characterized by architectural framing and mythological scenes. The most famous of these were a set of 105 carpets produced under the direction of Charles Le Brun for the palace at Louvre.

Area rug making came to England in late 16th century AD. The 14 extant specimens are called “Norwich carpets” after the town in Northern England where they were produced. These are adaptations of Oriental rug making, especially of the Indo-Persian art. In the coming centuries, the carpet manufacturers Exeter, Moorfields and Axminster became prominent in England. The heart of English area rug manufacture was at Kiddernminster in Worcestershire, where, to this day, a majority of the population is engaged in the industry.

1791 saw the beginning of area rug manufacturing in the United States with William Sprague’s first woven carpet mill in Philadelphia. Other such manufacturers sprung up in New England, and the Beattie Manufacturing Company in New Jersey of that era lasted until 1979.

The revolutionary power loom was invented by Erastus Bigelow in 1839. Area rug making doubled and then tripled in the next few years due to the impact of the power loom. Various enhancements and modifications began to be made, and new companies sprung up based on each such modification. Alexander Smith and sons, which was based on the Skinner powerloom, was founded in 1845 and grew to become the largest manufacturer of area rugs in the world by 1929.

At around the same time, in 1926, Marshall Fields, the well-known Chicago retailer, had a traditional Axminster loom modified to create an unprecedented area rug – a wool rug that was woven through the back like Oriental carpets and with the same sort of color variations as an Oriental. These area rugs were called Karastan rugs, and they are still widely manufactured and fawned upon by carpet-lovers.

Another development took place in Dalton, Northern Georgia, where a young woman named Catherine Evans Whitener invented a new method for weaving wool area rugs – this was called tufting and mainly used for making bedspreads. This became widely popular throughout the US and elsewhere, and Dalton became known as the Bedspread Capital of the World.

Meanwhile, wool area rugs also began to mature as an industry. Various new finishing processes were invented by manufacturers in a bid to give their area rugs a more antique, oriental quality. The creation of a faded, vintage patina, much like the grayed photographs of old days, began to gain a sophistication which made it hard to tell an ancient oriental area rug from a present-day rug manufactured by the likes of Karastan. Using chemical dyes, wool area rugs made in present day USA could be given the same texture and appearance that a fabulously ancient Persian rug using vegetable dye could have. The ancient industry seemed to have come full circle.

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Posted on August 18th, 2008 under Area Rugs. Tags: area rug, Area Rugs, European carpet, European rugs, history, karastan, karastan area rugs, oriental carpets, oriental rugs, rug, rugs. Comments: None