5 Factors You Must Consider When Buying an Area Rug

An area rug is one of the best ways to brighten up a room that may be getting a little tired, and in need of some love. A great area rug adds color and style to any room, and takes the eye away from faults, like stains in the carpet.

Rugs are one of the cheapest ways to improve the look and feel of your home. Problem is, when you're out looking for a rug there's so many choices it's hard to know where to start.

However before you buy a new area rug for your home you need to think about a few things.

Here's 5 tips for buying the right area rug for your home to add value and style.

1. The color of the rug, or the mix of colors. It's the color and design of the rug creates the effect, so you've got to spend some time thinking about color.

Do you want your rug to blend in with the colors already in the room to create a more muted and subtle effect, or do you want the rug to jump out and hit the visitor in the eye when they enter the room?

So look at the colors you already have in the room and decide what effect you want to achieve. Select a color that stands out if you want your rug to be the focus of the room, select similar colors if you want your rug to add to but not dominate the room.

2. The pattern, of the rug, is almost as important as the color. There are a number of basic patterns, using both lines and curves to produce the effect. Is your room a room of lines? For example will the rug sit under or next to a table? If so having a rug with curves right beside a table with a straight edge may not work.

So consider whether you want a pattern that incorporates lines or curves.

3. The overall design of the rug is critical, and adds to the character of the rug as much as the color. There are 3 basic types. The medallion which has the motif in the center of the rug, or an all over design where the motif is spread right over the rug. Perhaps you want your motif around the edges of the rug?

So learn a little about the different designs and decide what type of design will fit your room before you go to buy.

4. The size of the rug is critical. Too many people make the mistake of buying a rug that is too big. It shouldn't go right to the edges of the room, and of course bigger is more expensive.

Area rugs come in standard sizes and shapes, including rectangular, round, square and runner, or long hallway shape. Select a shape and size that fits in with the style of your room, making sure that there is at least 12 inches or more between the edge of the rug and the walls.

5. And finally, for rugs that are intended to go under the table. If it's to go under a coffee table don't get a rug that comes just to the legs and no more, most will be lost under the table. And if it's for a table where people will be seated, like a dining table, make it big enough so that people can sit back a little without the rear legs of the chairs coming off the rug, which tips the chairs back a little and isn't entirely comfortable.

So research a little and then get out there and buy yourself a great area rug, it's one of the best things you can do to brighten up your home. Add a rug to a hallway to draw the eyes, or perhaps add color under the dinner table. There's so many effects you can create with a well places area rug.

And buy over the internet, it's so much cheaper than in your regular rug store. You can find some stunning and very cheap area rugs online.

Enjoy your new rug.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/accessories-articles/5-factors-you-must-consider-when-buying-an-area-rug-531479.html

What is your area rug made of? Part two.

The two main classifications of rug materials, namely natural and synthetic, are in some ways different and also similar from one another. Unlike natural materials that come from plant and animal fibers, synthetic materials are man-made fibers that resulted from many broad studies and researches done by experts to improve, or yet again replace, the process of obtaining fibers naturally.

People now-a-days are more practical and tend to buy products that are economically-wise. I don’t blame them. With the financial recession embracing the country, there is nothing else to do but to be thrifty and buy cheap yet high-quality products. If you are one of these people, well you’ll probably prefer area rugs made of synthetic materials rather than the ones made of natural fibers. So read on!

Nylon, a commonly used material in rug production, is the first synthetic fiber to be produced. It is durable, elastic and soil resistant. Nylon made its first appearance in the US during the World War II as a substitute for silk in the military field. Though nylon fibers can also give an area rug the appearance and texture that wool possesses, rugs made of nylon don’t normally hold their worth longer than area rugs made of wool or silk.

Though some argue that Rayon is neither a natural nor synthetic fiber but an artificial one, it is still a man-made material derived from wood. Some also say it is considered semi-synthetic because it has the same characteristics of natural fibers. Rayon fibers have the resemblance of silk. And so it is used to give an area rug the look and feel similar to rugs made of silk. Thus, it is also considered as Faux silk or “False silk” also called art silk. Although it can imitate silk and even cotton or wool, Rayon fibers have a tendency to melt if exposed to fire.

Acrylic is another kind of synthetic material made from Polyacrylonitrile. Blended with other materials to give a rug the same feel that the wool possesses, Acrylic fibers are soft, elastic and works very well with dyes. Also, the cost of an area rug combined with acrylic is lower than that of the cost of rugs made with pure wool or silk.

Another affordable synthetic material, also called Polypropylene, is the Olefin. These fibers are durable, resistant to soil, mildew and stain, and, like Acrylic fibers, work well with dyes. More likely Olefin is similar to acrylic since both of them can give a rug a wool-like texture. Nonetheless, Olefin materials make a rug’s weight lighter giving it more possibility to shift and slide when placed in areas with very high foot activity. Olefin, a petroleum-based fiber, is most commonly used for machine-made rugs. And while having a low mass, Olefin fibers are of bulky and have low moisture absorption giving a rug a nice warm-feel.

Nylon, Rayon, Acrylic and Olefin are just some of the synthetic fibers used in the market today. These fibers are basically produced to somehow replace natural fibers allowing the finished products to be more affordable but also having almost the same quality as the natural-fibered area rugs. Hence it is safe to say, both natural and synthetic fibers have common characteristics. Thus, allowing substitution between the two producing cheaper high-end area rugs.

About The Author:
http://homedecorcenter.com/article-whole-URL-what-is-your-area-rug-made-of-part-two.html

http://www.articleclick.com/

What is your area rug made of? Part one.

Are you the type of person that considers the material used to make a product before actually buying it? Does it matter to you if the material used is man-made or not? If you are an environmental person, then most probably, these are one of your concerns and you prefer choosing natural from the rest. Either that or you can also be a thrifty person that wants to get his money’s worth by choosing a high-quality low-priced material. Brilliant!

If you are wondering where your rug came from and what it is made of, then you better read on. Area rugs differ from one another because they can be made using different materials. There is a wide selection of various materials that help distinguish one rug from another. Part of proper care and maintenance of an area rug is to know what it is made of. Depending on the type of material used, cleaning agents used to sustain a rugs beauty may react differently; either in a positive or negative way. Thus, environmentalist or not, it is important to know this information: What materials are used to make an area rug?

There are two main types of materials for rug making: natural and synthetic. Natural materials are extracted from plant or animal fibers; most commonly wool and silk. Wool, normally comes from sheep, is usually used to make high-end rugs. Besides being extremely soft, this is due to its flexible and tough nature. Wool is a safe material since it does not melt or burn and is, by its quality, fire resistant. Due to its air-moisture-absorbing capability, wool can be a defense against static electricity. Nonetheless, wool can also resist water, stains, and dirt, thus helping it stay cleaner for a long period of time. And so, for those with allergies caused by dust, wool is a good material to consider.

On the other hand, Silk can also be used in high-end Oriental or Persian rugs. It can either be a natural material or synthetic material as there is what they call faux silk or “false silk”, which is commonly made from polyester twine and mercerized cotton. Silk is considered the most high-priced fiber due to its natural luster and polish.

Cotton, naturally absorbent, allows a rug to acquire many dyes, which gives the market a wide range of option in terms of color selection. It is often used with wool to give the rug a nice soft feel, given that both cotton and wool are naturally soft and supple. But unlike wool, cotton can wear out faster.

Made from plant fibers, Jute is primarily from China and India. Because of its density and strength, jute material is commonly used to make long-lasting resilient yarns and fabrics. Same as other fibers that come from plants, jute is most likely prone to stains and so is easily damaged.

Natural fibers can be mixed together with other natural materials or even with synthetic materials to make the rug quality better. These are called blends. Blends allow one fiber characteristic to be complemented by the other so as to create a higher-quality product. Wool, Cotton, Silk and Jute are just some of the natural fibers that can be used to make area rugs. Different countries use different natural materials depending on their taste of preference. Where ever it came from, natural fibers sure have their pros and cons.

About The Author:
http://homedecorcenter.com/article-whole-URL-what-is-your-area-rug-made-of-part-one.html

http://www.articleclick.com/

Taking Care Of Your Area Rug

Considering the wide range of designs to choose from, area rugs can be nice decorative additions to a home. For those people who constantly move to a new place in search for their ideal home, investing in area rugs can be of really great bargain. Area rugs can also be an affordable asset since (unlike wall-to-wall carpets) area rugs do not require permanent installation. Thus, can be shifted for redecorating, kept for future use, or brought along when you move to a new home. With the proper care and maintenance, an area rug can last and be in good condition for many years.

To ensure that your area rug will keep hold of its original condition, proper and appropriate care is essential. Most often than not, some people would just send their rugs to a cleaning company rather than doing it themselves. But for those that choose not to send their area rugs to the cleaners for money saving purposes, it is very important to have the basic knowledge on how to properly clean and maintain your area rugs.

Vacuum. Most area rugs are probably bought to be placed on receiving areas particularly the living room and the dining room. If you're a person that likes to entertain people or have guests for dinner and the like, it is not unlikely that your rug gets abused due to heavy foot traffic. Thus, it is most probable to accumulate dirt, dust, and perhaps even spills. Using a high-quality vacuum cleaner would help stop dry soil from building up on area rugs. Doing so would surely protect and sustain the beauty of your rug. Most vacuums can only do surface cleaning and leave imbedded dirt on the rugs that will probably cause damage in the long run. Try brushing the rug to loosen up the soil and dirt. This will help the vacuuming process easier.

Steam Cleaning. Most rugs are sent to professional rug cleaners for steam cleaning. Nonetheless, there are many equipments or machines, that can either be rented or purchased, that offer the same technique in the comforts of your own home. But there are also some risks in performing this method concerning what cleaning agent to use or how much you're going to use. Hence, it is best to seek advice from a professional before doing so.

Spot Removal. Have you ever heard the saying "Accidents happen"? If you have kids at home or even pets, it is in all probability that your rug would have spills or pet stains. If you can, clean the spill immediately. By doing so, stains caused by house pets and liquid spills can be prevented by a large percent. Using a liquid cleaning agent can be very tricky. Some agents can cause the dye from the rug to bleed or can cause improper discoloration. First, test the liquid solution. Apply a few drops on a small-not-so-noticeable part of the rug to see if it is right for your rug. Use a paper towel or any of the like to absorb the liquid. To do so, hold the absorbent material against the treated area. Do not use rubbing or brushing technique to spot clean the rug as doing so would cause the stain to spread.

Cleaning and Maintenance of an area rug can be very complicated. In order for the area rugs to sustain its original state, one must be very meticulous. Considering the material of the rug is vital as it would have different effects towards different cleaning agents. Remember to consult a professional.

Vacuuming, Steam Cleaning, and Spot Removal are just some ways to take care of your area rugs. And though you can use these methods to clean your rugs during your everyday life, it wouldn't hurt to send your area rugs to a professional cleaning company every once in a while. After all, with all the beatings your rug gets from all those foot traffic, it deserves the best cleaning treatment; and nobody does it better than the professionals.

http://homedecorcenter.com/article-whole-URL-taking-care-of-your-area-rug.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lily_Sarmiento

Texture in Plush Rugs and Carpets

Improving your home builds equity. Yet when you improve your home, you want to add quality to get the most equity, since price verses quality is important. If you purchase cheap materials they may not last long, which as the fabrics start to wear, it will not look good in your home. While shag rugs are near obsolete, these carpets are still sold on the market today. Shag carpets offered today give you choice of colors and styles.

Shag carpets are often installed wall-to-wall. This is a thick, plush, pile carpet style with focal points, the focal point. The focal points, includes texture, design colors, density, height, piles. Most people choose neutral colors when opting to buy shag or plush carpets.

Shag rugs come in the 3-inch thick textures. Flokati, Stain Master and various companies create the shag rugs. One of the highest-grade shags is made by Samson. The carpets are made of polyesters blended with specks of many colors. You can choose colors and textures. The 3-inch is the tallest pile, which you can order the rugs online. The companies offer these rugs are located in Dalton, Georgia.

Shags come in a variety of colors from gray, burgundy, hunter, purples, black and so on. Some carpets have square, rectangular, round, U-shapes, octagonal, or other styles that give you options. The multi-colored shags are made of nylon and polypropylene with blends of polyester.

When choosing shags style and colors are important, since you want to coordinate the patterns to fit your room. Shag rugs are often durable, versatile yet the style will wear under heavy traffic. When you consider the patterns to fit your room, make sure that you consider a room with less traffic. Shag carpets give you the option of changing patterns and texture, as well as colors to fit your moods or the time of year. You can install wall-to-wall shags, or the carpets that allow you to roll them up and move them to another area.

Shag rugs compliment most furnishings and wall patterns. Shag rugs give you a couple of options, since you can install smaller shags in rooms where traffic is heavy and larger shags in rooms where traffic is less. Throw shags can help protect hardwood floors.

Shag area rugs are another style of rug sold by some of the top manufacturers. You can find these carpets at most Mills, Home Improvement stores, or over the Internet. These carpets save energy. Energy is saved since the carpets thickness provides your home warmth, comfort, etc. Shag area rugs give you the option of covering your wall also, which helps to save energy. Wall shags make nice trimmers.

Shag rugs, such as the area carpets last, since the fabrics offer you protection against heavy traffic.

About other rugs:
Other types of rugs, include machine-made rugs, wool-hand tuft, braided, hooked, flat weave, luxury area, wool-hand knotted, Sisal and Flokati carpets, outdoor, Tibetan, traditional, modern, oriental, transitional, contemporary and so on.

How to find rugs:
You will find any type of rug or carpet to your liking on the Internet. Many stores sell some of the top brands. One of the top selling stores is Decora-Rugs. This is a top seller since the store offers you a wider variety than some of the other stores. This store sells shag area rugs and standard shag rugs as well. You have a choice from Arose collections sold from the Surya Company. The store offers a collection of chameleon olives, multi-color, gold's and so on. These rugs are the top of the line Feizy area shags.

About The Author:
Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com

Buy Sensation Yet Practical Rugs

When decorating your house, it is important to use the right kind of rugs at the right places to get the best out of them aesthetically and practically.

Area rugs in general add atmosphere to a room and make them intimate or larger depending on the rug. Area rugs are available in a variety of materials, textures and styles not to mentions colors and shapes. You have the choice to decide the ones that suit you and your home. Whether it is an exotic real animal skin rug, an exquisite Persian rug, a warm natural fiber rug, or homely rag rug, it is all up to you.

In addition some floor rugs are useful for practical reasons. Here are some considerations that you should be mindful about when choosing them.

Hearth or fireplace floor rugs are an almost essential item in every house with a fireplace. Regularly used fireplaces can be dangerous due the flying sparks or logs rolling out. Even if they do not cause a fire they can ruin your floor. Additionally ash from the fire place is sure to stain the floor near it. If the floor is covered in a wall to wall carpet it can be hard to clean. Best method to prevent such annoyances is to place a fire resistant hearth rug near the fireplace. Fireplace floor rugs that suit almost every taste are available.

For outdoor use you should avoid rugs that cannot face extreme weather conditions. Do not use natural fiber area rugs as outdoor rugs. Best out door rugs should be easy to clean using a jet of water.

Almost same requirements apply to kitchen rugs. If there is heavy foot traffic and soiling in kitchen, say due to access to a back garden, it is best that you buy a floor rug that can be cheaply replaced periodically. On the other hand if your kitchen does not come in for heavy use you should make a decoration oriented decision.

For bathroom you should choose a rug that doesn’t get ruined due to water. It should also be easily cleaned with water and resistant to mildew. Keep the bath room rugs clean and dry as much as possible. High friction bathrooms rugs also prevent people from slipping in wet floors.

Nursery rugs are essential for any household with small children. A light weight large floor rug make a portable and safe play area. It should be well padded and comfortable. And as always the rug should be easily cleanable.

About The Author

Lanny Hintz writes about http://www.buyarearugonline.com/Coupons/RugClick.html, http://www.buyarearugonline.com/Coupons/Rugman.html and http://www.buyarearugonline.com/Coupons/Rugs%20Express.html

http://www.articlecity.com/

How to Identify A Real Silk Rugs

We don't mean to be alarmist, but we sometimes see "silk rugs" that are made of something other than genuine, natural silk. This is not a problem if you know that the rug you are considering is made of artificial silk, but sometimes rug dealers neglect to pass on this information! The problem happens most often with just a few rug types sold in tourist markets in Turkey and India (and sometimes in Pakistan).

Real Silk
Real silk is produced as the cocoon covering of the silkworm, the pupal form of the Asian or mulberry silk moth, bombyx mori. The cocoon is spun by the silk moth caterpillar of a single silk fiber that can be up to several thousand feet in length. To harvest the silk, completed cocoons are boiled or heated to kill the silkworms, then laboriously unwound into single fibers which are plied together and spun into thread or silk yarn.

Artificial Silk
Artificial silk is everything billed as silk that doesn't come from the silkworm cocoon. Most often this means mercerized cotton; sometimes it means a manufactured fiber like rayon or a blend of chemically altered and/or manufactured fibers. It's not that artificial silk is intrinsically evil, it's just that the whole point of using artificial silk in a rug is to save the cost of real silk. It is not nice when this cheaper, artificial silk rug is misrepresented and sold for the price of a real silk rugs.
Mercerized cotton

A ripening cotton boll can contain as many as 5,000 separate cotton fibers, each fiber growing from a tiny seed and formed as a hollow cylindrical sheath of as many as thirty layers of almost pure cellulose. Cotton fiber is mercerized by being stretched under controlled tension at room temperature while being treated with a 21 solution of caustic soda (NaOH). The effect is to swell the fiber and make its surface much more reflective, thus dramatically increasing its luster (and also its tensile strength). After the chemical treatment, cotton yarn is often singed to remove whatever small amount of fuzz remains on the surface of the fibers. Sometimes cotton is calendered by being passed between heated rollers. The effect is to increase the luster and sheen of the fiber still more. However it is treated, cotton remains cellulose: C6H10O5.

Rayon
Like cotton, rayon is made of almost pure celulose, but rather than being grown, rayon is produced by first dissolving cellulose (obtained from cotton or woodpulp) to produce a thick yellow liquid called viscose. The viscose is extruded through tiny holes into a chemical bath that produces long filaments which can be spun into thread and yarn. Viscouse rayon was the first man-made fiber. In 1920, DuPont bought from the French the technology for making viscose rayon. DuPont first called the material "artificial silk", and formed a company (The DuPont Fibersilk Company) to manufacture it. Other artificial fibers would follow quickly: acetate (also derived from cellulose) in 1924, nylon, (commonly, adipic acid reacted with hexamethylene diamine) in 1939, acrylic (from acrylonitrile, a petrochemical) in 1950, polyester in 1953, and triacetate in 1954.

With all these artificial fibers around, how can you identify a rug woven with natural silk?For example handmade area rugs,silk rugs,persian rugs,oriental rugs,wool rugs
First of all, pay attention to whatever clues the dealer--or the rug--gives you. For instance, we have seen many artificial silk Kayseri rugs (and some Hereke rugs), both Turkish types. In Turkey, a real silk Kayseri is an ipek Kayseri: ipek is "silk" in Turkish. An artificial silk Kayseri is a flos Kayseri ( a yun Kayseri has a wool pile). The dealer might be accurately describing the piece to you as a flos rug, but by not explaining the difference between flos and ipek, he lets you jump to the intended assumption, and you unwittingly buy an artificial silk rug.
Indian rug dealers are seldom as delicately circumspect as some of their Turkish counterparts. Artificial silk rugs in India are often blatantly sold as real silk, complete with certificates of authenticity and written guarantees. For many years Kashmir in northern India has been the major source for both real and artificial silk Indian rugs. Look carefully at the "silk" rug: it should be tightly woven (with more than 200 knots per sq. in., and often with 500 or more knots), intricately detailed, closely clipped, and it should have real silk fringe that is clearly an extension of the rug's structure, not sewn on or sewn into the ends of the rug. Artificial silk rugs often have only medium weaves (less than 250 knots per sq. in., and sometimes less than 150 knots per in.), and often have cotton fringe. Good quality real silk rugs always have real silk fringe. In Pakistan we often see rugs called jaldars. These wool pile rugs often have "silk touch," meaning that there is artificial silk inlay in the pile (often outlining part of the design). This artificial silk is almost invariably ivory in color, and is made of mercerized cotton.

Tests for Silk
OK, you're looking at a nicely woven, nicely patterned, closely clipped "silk" rug with what appears to be real silk fringe. You still might be looking at a rug made of artificial silk. Here are three field tests that might help you distinguish real from fake. No guarantee; your mileage may vary.

Rub it! It is sometimes claimed that you can tell real silk from artificial silk by vigorously rubbing the pile with your open palm. The real silk rug feels warm, the artificial silk rug stays cool to the touch. We sometimes think we have felt this difference. Of course, it helps to have a real silk rug with you so that you can compare a known quantity!

Burn it! This test is at least good theatre, and actually can be helpful. Clip off a small piece of the fringe, or pull a knot out of the rug from the back (why should the owner object?). Burn it. Look at the ash and smell the smoke. If the material was cellulose (rayon), the ash should be soft and chalky, and the smell should be like burning paper (most paper is made of cellulose). If the sample is real silk, the burning sample should ball to a black, crispy ash, and the smell should be of burning hair (you're burning protein, the same stuff your hair is made of). You've got to be a little careful with this test to avoid smelling the smoke from the match (and to avoid igniting yourself or the rug dealer's shop).

Dissolve it! The most accurate test is one that chemically differentiates protein from cellulose or petrochemicals. One such test: at room temperature, mix a solution of 16 g copper sulfate (CuSO4) in 150 cc of water. Add 8-10 g glycerine, then caustic soda (sodium hydroxide: NaOH) until a clear solution is obtained. This solution will dissolve a small sample of natural silk, but will leave cotton, rayon, and nylon unchanged.

About the Author

Steven ZHAO is the CEO of http://arearugs2door.com .An award-winning retailer, wholesaler, and manufacturer of handmade area rugs,silk rugs,persian rugs,oriental rugs,wool rugs etc.

Article Directory: http://www.articlerich.com

Selecting the Perfect Area Rug

The right rug: A well-chosen rug enhances your color scheme, in addition to absorbing sound in a hardwood room.

You're in luck if you pull up your green shag carpeting and uncover a hardwood treasure. But what do you do with those naked floors?

If your floor is in good shape, you may want to leave it uncovered. If you do so, it's important to put stick-on felt pads on the feet of your chairs and place small, washable throw rugs at high traffic areas (under the kitchen sink, the front door, etc.) to increase the life of your floor.

If your newly revealed floor is in bad shape, you don't necessarily have to re-carpet or refinish the hardwood. There are several less expensive options:
- Install tile only in the high-traffic areas showing damage, leaving the remainder of the hardwood intact.

- Hire a hardwood repair specialist to spot-replace and re-stain warped, burnt or gauged areas.

- Lay area rugs over the damaged zones. The Selection Process
There are several advantages to using large area rugs on your hardwood flooring:

- The room will feel warmer and look more "pulled together" when anchored by a rug.

- Rugs help absorb the increased noise and echoes generated in a room with hardwood flooring.

- A well-chosen floor covering enhances your color scheme and the decor of the room.

- Your floors will be protected from scratches and wear.

The first step in selecting the appropriate rug is to determine where you want to put it and the size you'll need. Make sure you have your furniture in the best arrangement possible for the room. Lay newspapers down on the floor and begin covering the area needing the carpet. Start small and keep laying down paper until you find what looks like the best coverage. Establish minimum and maximum acceptable sizes and jot this down. (Most rugs come in standard sizes but there are variations, so it helps to know the range of sizes that could work in the room.)

The rug should enhance the room's decor by echoing its color scheme and style and should be an integral part of the overall design, not the focal point. Stand in the room needing the rug and make note of its one, two or three predominant colors. Then determine the room's style or period (French Country, Modern, Early American, etc). Knowing the room's colors and the style will help you narrow your choices.

Decide on a solid versus a patterned rug,such as handmade area rugs,silk rugs,persian rugs,oriental rugs,wool rugs etc. Solid colored rugs calm the eye, but show spots and lint more easily. A patterned rug adds visual interest and hides soil well, but finding one to match your existing furnishings may be a challenge.

Next, determine your budget. When I was looking for my perfect living room rug (with an 8-foot by 10-foot minimum and a 9-foot by 12-foot maximum), I wanted to spend less than $750 but was prepared to pay up to $1,000. After a two-month search, I ended up with a close-to-perfect-rug for $625, delivered. I could have settled for a $350 alternative, but felt the additional $375 was a worthwhile investment. A Range of Sources

Once you know your budget, your colors and your style, you're ready to hunt down the rug of your dreams. Many retail furniture stores also carry area rugs that you can take home and try out. Try to save money by purchasing your rug during a sale. Inexpensive Alternatives

- Recycle your old wall-to-wall carpeting. Lay out the carpeting on your driveway and determine what section of the rug could be re- used. Use masking tape to outline the area you want cut and trimmed. Take the carpet to a carpet company willing to do the lacing and - voila - a "new" area rug for the cost of the stitching!

- Try garage or estate sales. You can find new, antique or imported rugs at a flea markets, often at a good price.

- Furniture consignment shops sometimes carry high-quality used carpets at a fraction of the new cost.

- Purchase a remnant from a carpet outlet.

About the Author

Steven ZHAO is the CEO of http://arearugs2door.com .An award-winning retailer, wholesaler, and manufacturer of handmade area rugs,silk rugs,persian rugs,oriental rugs,wool rugs etc.

Article Directory: http://www.articlerich.com

Techniques in rug-making

Rugs are often interchanged with carpets. Although given that there is a wide range of designs to choose from, unlike wall-to-wall carpets that area permanently attached, rugs don’t only serve as a kind of flooring but it can also be a decorative additions to dull walls inside a home. So how is it really made?

Rug making is a prehistoric art and craft that would probably not go out of date. It goes way back and evolves through time. It is a skill that was involves a lot of techniques and procedures. It may seem challenging for one to do but considering that it was established back in the days where there is not much technology and machines to help people with their everyday lives, people have found a way to make it less difficult. So what are these techniques that were used during the ancient times and are still being used until today?

Rug-hooking has been around for at least two centuries. In ancient times, it was a craft most commonly done by people experiencing scarcity: Poor communities. And since that is so, they would often search their homes for scrap materials to be used, usually snippets of used fabrics. And while women from rich families where enrolled in schools teaching quilting and embroidery, deprived women would use whatever materials they found accessible to make their own home-made floor coverings. Customary hooking of rugs is a process involving loops of fabric, specifically wool, being pulled all the way through a backing material. This technique is identified as Traditional rug hooking. It uses a tool similar to a crochet hook that is mounted in a wood handle for support.

On the other hand braiding is a technique that is most familiar and probably common to ones ears. The process starts from the center working its way out until the desired size of the rug is achieved. Similar to braiding your child’s hair, this technique most often uses three or more strips of cloths or fabrics but can also be possible using thick yarns, sewing the braids together to keep it intact. Braided rugs are most commonly elliptical than rectangular in shape.

The word Crochet is derived from the French word croc that means a hook. Crocheted rugs are made of thick fabrics or threads using a sizeable hook. Just like the traditional rug hooking, the process of crocheting involves loops being pulled but this time instead of pulling through a backing material the fabrics are being pulled through other loops which is very similar to knitting. Crocheting isn’t just for area rugs. In fact, in early times it is considered a livelihood by most families creating garments and mantles.

Braiding, Crocheting, and Hooking are just some techniques in the art of rug-making. There are more others like needle-punching, and weaving that area used in the process. Each technique requires tools and materials that are probably similar to one another. How ever hard rug-making is, one thing is for sure. It requires a special skill that if one does not possess; he or she will not succeed in this field: PATIENCE.

About The Author:
http://homedecorcenter.com/article-whole-URL-rug-making-techniques.html

http://www.articleclick.com

Southwestern Rugs Used For Frontier Style Floor Runners

Southwestern rugs are an easy way to create that unique western, rustic or Native American look in your home decor. Because of their growing popularity, many home decorators are choosing to buy southwestern rugs online. Used as western accent rugs and also southwest area rugs on the floors throughout your home or when decorating a log cabin with a rustic or western theme, southwestern rugs give your home warmth and a beautiful authentic Native American look. When buying American Indian style rugs, you will find many of southwestern rugs to choose from and will no doubt want to add a few of the most popular and sought-after rugs in your home decor. These rugs have an extensive history that has changed over time and can truly be considered as pieces of art.

Among the most popular southwestern and western rugs are handmade area rugs, spirit rugs, Mexican Guadalupe rugs, Oaxaca Mexico rugs including Zapotec Indian rugs, Mohair and Navajo rugs. Each of these different rugs combines a variety of colors and characters, symbolizing spirituality or depictions of historical events. An excellent example of this is brought to life in the Southwestern Spirit rug which contains a variation of colors and designs. The spiritual characters weaved into these rugs are created in a variety of patterns and forms that represent and express the spirituality of the people.

Not only are southwestern rugs admired for their great beauty, but the skill and hard work involved in making Native rugs and runners is also very impressive. The makers of hand woven wool rugs must be very skilled and star the rug making process by kneeling in front of a vertical wooden-framed loom. The designs are then placed by using a shuttle to weave different colored yarn together, making large-scale geometric characters and designs. In the beginning, Navajo rugs as well as those of some other Southwest Indian tribes were made of hand-spun cotton thread. However, after the wool of domestic sheep was introduced to the region by the Spanish settlers, the people mainly used wool to weave their colorful rugs and other traditional weaving.

Today, many of the modern southwestern rugs are made in areas where Spanish and Native American histories come together to create beautiful designs. Southwest rugs, with their warm earth tone colors and traditional southwestern designs make them perfect for rustic home decorating. If you are searching for great southwestern rugs, you will probably purchase from American companies or directly from Native American weavers. Purchasing rugs from Navajo or other American Indian tribes not only allows you the satisfaction of owning a southwestern rug that is made by Indians but also helps to support the Native American heritage of rug making, and the people who themselves sell their rugs, blankets, and Native American art.

The rug you choose will strongly depend on what you like and what kind of decorating you decide on. You will find that southwest rugs are the perfect southwestern accent when combined with rustic or western home furnishings. Whether you are decorating one room in your house or decorating a whole house using a rustic theme, you will find many designs and colors available to choose from. Among these options you will find everything from Zapotec rugs with no two alike, to southwest table runners and western tapestries. Designers love hand woven rugs because of the variety of colors and textures. Whatever your style and whatever your decorating needs, you will definitely enjoy the warmth and color brought to life in your home by decorating with southwestern rugs.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/southwestern-rugs-used-for-frontier-style-floor-runners-289485.html

Three Ways To Use Accent Rugs

As you are probably well aware, there are many ways that you can use accent rugs in your home. And if you are not aware of this, you will want to look into the different options today. Although there are probably millions of homes that do not have any accent rugs, these have become very popular as of late. You should consider adding at least one depending on the way that you have your home and its rooms set up. There is a good chance that adding one of these will do a lot for the way that your home looks as well as the way that other people perceive it.

Here are three ways that you can use accent rugs in your home. Of course, feel free to come up with your own ideas as well. If you get creative you will probably be able to come up with several great ideas on how you can use these in any room of your home.

1. The best way to use an accent rug is to make a room look better. After all, they are called accent rugs for a reason. For instance, if you have a room that is all one color, you may be able to add one of these to simply “set off” the room. You will want to do a good job when choosing your color or pattern. This is what will determine just how good the rug looks in your home.

2. You can use accent rugs in ways that have nothing to do with visual appearance. Although most accent rugs are going to look good, you can also use them in order to keep your primary flooring clean and clear. Many people lay these inside of doorways so that people can clean their feet before they step onto the better surface. Although this is not something that you will want to do with an expensive accent rug, it is an option that you should consider nonetheless. You might as well keep your primary floor as clean as possible, and with the use of an accent rug you can do this without any problems at all.

3. Use accent rugs if you have hardwood, tile, or concrete floors. Even though you may like the way that these floors look, when you use a rug you will be able to break things up a bit. Not to mention the fact that it will also bring an added level of comfort to your home. Even if you do not mind walking on a harder surface, there are times when an accent rug can go a long way in making things more comfortable for you.

These are three of the best ways that you can use accent rugs in your home. There is no rule on where you can put these. Some people only want to buy accent rugs for rooms that people will see, whereas others like to put them all over. You need to decide on your own where you will place these.

All in all, accent rugs offer many benefits as long as you take the time to place the right ones in your home. Get creative, and you may be surprised at what they can do for your home!

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=207798&ca=Home+Management