Rugs have found their way into homes as an interior decoration. Nowadays, rugs and carpets are not only used to pad hardwood floors. They are added to homes to provide a touch of elegance and comfort in common house areas such as the dining room and the living room. They are considered as very special pieces because of the great length of time that is being put into each rug. Area rugs are available in beautiful and exotic designs. As a matter of fact, there are several types of rugs that are hand-woven with fine details and wonderful styles. Since these rugs provide more than just aesthetic beauty, a lot of homeowners are buying rugs for their homes.
The Purposes of Area Rugs
One of the most common purpose of an area rug is floor covering. It is placed on specific floor spaces within homes. On the other hand, it is used to accentuate a certain part of your home to make it more distinct. Area rugs come in different single colors like violet, brown, blue, and red. There are also some rugs that are available in wonderful color combinations. There are rugs that are woven with the use of a machine. But the most exquisite are those that are hand-woven or handmade. These are special because of the hard work that the workers have put into the creation of the rug.
Choosing the Right Area Rug
Area rugs are placed within homes to highlight a room or area. If the rug has a very distinct design, the more it is capable of drawing attention to the interior design of the house. Compared to machine-woven rugs, handmade rugs are more in demand. This is due to the fact that buyers consider hard work a huge aspect of the beauty of a product. A handmade area rug provides a soothing ambiance to your home. This is possible, especially if its color and design matches with the interior decorations. Before you buy a specific rug design, you have to consider your home’s interiors. Area rugs with light colors and shades bring out your furniture’s size and tones. On the other hand, rugs that have dark colors provide more comfort and warmth. You should also buy a rug that has matching primary colors with your wall paint.
Another factor that you have to consider, when buying a rug, is its size. If you want to use the area rug to cover the entire floor length of the room, you can opt for huge rugs. The sizes of these rugs are diverse, from 1-square-foot rugs to room-sized rugs. Aside from the size and design of area rugs, you can also look into their texture, material, and shape. One rug material that provides soft textures is mohair, which comes from Angora goat hairs. There are also some rugs that are made from animal skins.
Buy Your Area Rug from Online Retailers
The best sources of area rugs are found on the Internet, where there are plenty of retailers selling rugs from top manufacturers. With online rug retailers, you are provided with diverse selections that are categorized according to brands, colors, and themes. The most wonderful benefit that you can get from some of these retailers is that shipping is offered for free. Plus, you can shop for discounted area rugs.
Wool Handmade Area Rug
Rug fibers usually consist of wool in most mid to upper end rugs. High-end rugs may also have silk. Synthetic fibers such as acrylic, polyester, nylon, and olefin (polypropylene) can be found in more economical rugs. Cotton, sea grass, and sisal rugs are often moderate rugs. Your most stain resistant rugs will contain synthetic fibers, but won't feel as soft and luxurious. All other natural fiber rugs are susceptible to staining if spots aren't cleaned immediately.
What do you look for in a rug? Quality of wool, type of dye, and knots. Simply because a rug is expensive, doesn't mean it has good dyes or is constructed well. Make sure you know what it is and shop around first. Above all, be extra cautious about purchasing a rug outside the United States.
The quality of a wool fiber depends largely on the type of dye used. Fine wool is vegetable dyed with fruits, roots, and plants. Cheaper wools and nylons can be dyed with synthetic dyes. A rug should always be tested for colorfastness by taking a damp white cloth and gently rubbing it into the fiber. If any color transfers on the cloth, the dyes are unstable. Also look closely at the fiber to check the integrity. Make sure it isn't unraveling. Very fine wool fibers can often look as soft as silk even to an experienced rug professional.
The construction of a rug is also a key factor. To determine if the rug is handmade, turn it upside down and look at the back. If you cannot see the pattern as clearly as on the face, the rug is not handmade. If the rug passes this first test, look at the fringe. The fringe should be an extension of the yarn inside the rug and should not look like it was sewed on separately. Many rugs that claim to be hand stitched are stitched by hand with a machine. You can expect to pay at least $500 for a small 3x4 hand made rug.
BEWARE of rugs with cloth backings. These rugs have something to hide. The cloth is covering either flaws in a handmade rug or even worse, glue that is holding the backing together. Glued backings have a tendency to get torn when the rug is moved or cleaned.
If you are looking for an alternative to a handmade rug, you might look at a Karastan. These wool rugs closely resemble hand made rugs, are cheaper in price, and rarely have the problems associated with cheaper wool rugs. If you aren't ready to invest several thousand dollars in a rug, these will be your best bet.
Ask the right questions. Educate yourself. Good luck in finding your perfect rug.
Both Vikram Kuamr & John Braun are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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