Posts Tagged ‘Area’
Area Rugs – Give Your Room A Lift
There is nothing like an area rug as a decorative centre piece, to liven up a space and add to the overall scheme, color and texture of your room.
They also help to protect the floors, add warmth and insulate against heat. Area rugs absorb sound to the minimum and help provide a non-slipping walking surface.
Area rugs are lifetime investments that come in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes. Once you have determined which shape you prefer, you need to measure for size. Rectangular or square area rugs are mostly used for living rooms and family rooms, while oval and round area rugs look attractive under a table.
Some of the different styles are Persian, Oriental, Braided, Tibetan, Shag, Flokati and contemporary area rugs.
Persian rugs are colorful with elaborate designs that fall into three categories: floral, pictorial and geometric designs. Oriental rugs are hand knotted with as many as 1000 knots per square inch. Rug makers weave yarn on a look and know the thread into intricate patterns.
Braided rugs add class to a home. Flat braids weaved over and under various combinations of inner strands tend to give it an artistic appearance that is unique.
While Tibetan rugs feature a square tiger pattern, the modern rugs also feature geometric shapes in vibrant colors. Shag rugs provide great insulation due to their thick soft textures, and while they were more popular decades ago, they are now making a comeback.
Flokati rugs have many cleaning options, and they can even be washed – making them a very hygienic option to consider. Of course nothing beats contemporary rugs that are brightly colored and unusually shaped. With their sparse designs they give the impression of modern art.
Overall, it is the materials that determine the value and longevity of an area rug, and common materials include wool, cotton, silk and nylon. Wool is widely used, as it is a strong material and has greater durability.
Cotton wool rugs have a good ‘foot feel’ and cost less than all-wool rugs. However cotton tends to wear out more quickly than wool. While silk area rugs are of a higher quality, they need to be handled with special care. Synthetic nylon rugs are strain resistant, have excellent uniformity and strength, and cost less than rugs made of natural materials.
An area rug complements any room, and it is just a question of choosing the right one to give it that touch of elegance.
Using Area Rugs To Brighten Up The Home
Quality area rugs can really make a difference when it comes to brightening up and making the room look impressive. Even if you can find cheaper rugs, it is always better to go for quality and you will notice the difference!
Area rugs are often used to brighten up the home. They range in price but some of the best can be fairly expensive. It all depends upon where you get them from as to how much they will actually cost you but you should be prepared to pay a high price. But why choose the best quality if you can get good quality for discount prices?
Why Choose Quality Rugs and Carpets?
Even if you do not have much money, you do not want your home to look cheap and tacky. You want it to look as expensive and as stylish as possible and to do that sometimes you need to spend a little more money.
Quality rugs and carpets really can make a difference to the home. They can keep the heat in, they can feel extremely comfortable under your feet and they can add a touch of luxury to whichever room they are placed in. If you want the room to look really impressive then adding carpets instead of just a rug will help. However if you want to add a more subtle touch of elegance then a rug may be more what you are looking for.
The difference between quality rugs and cheaper rugs is that the material is usually better. It is the best material you can find hence it looks and feels amazing. There will also be small details where the creator has shown expert stitching ability and there will be no faults to it whatsoever. Cheaper rugs on the other hand often have pieces of material falling off and there could be many faults within them.
The colors on quality rugs and carpets are also a lot clearer and the patterns are often nicer. This is because they are mainly handmade and that helps the creator sew on tiny details. This extra effort does not go unnoticed when the carpet or rug is down and all eyes will be drawn to it.
Overall you want something which looks perfect within your room. You probably could save money by buying discounted rugs and carpets but it would simply not look the same. Quality shines through and everyone who visits your home is bound to notice a quality carpet rather than a tatty cheaper one. So sometimes it does pay off to spend that little bit extra. After all, you want your home to look impressive; you do not want it to look cheap and tacky!
So if you are looking to improve your home try and resist the urge to fit discount carpets and area rugs. Go for quality all the time and it will pay off!
Area Rug Designs Can Lend A Lot To A Room
They’re often overlooked in the grand scheme of things, but when it comes to decorating, accessories can make a bigger difference than even the furniture. One of the best accessories to include in a room is an area rug, but the design and style will be vital to help create the look a person wants for a particular room.
Area rugs can be used in a number of ways to make a room look more classy, welcoming, down-home or even kid-friendly. It all depends on the style of the room and the desired look. Coming in a number of shapes and sizes, area rugs are perfect, too, for just about any room. If retail outlets don’t offer what is needed, specialty stores can even make rugs to match a designer idea.
Here are some ideas for using an area rug to tie a room’s theme together:
* Dining Room: In a formal setting, an Oriental rug or one of particular design and colors placed under the seating/table area can lend itself beautifully to bringing the room and its colors together. If the rug is chosen before the room’s coloring, a single color or theme of colors can be picked up for the tableware, wall coloring, drapes and more. Less formal rugs can lend themselves to a more casual feel in this room as well.
* Living Room: Once again, an area rug can help create a more formal feel to a room or make it more casual. For those who want a more kicked back feel, a decent sized area rug in front of a television can provide the perfect place for children to lay down and tune in to their favorite programs.
* Adult Bedrooms: Pick an area rug that matches the mood you’re trying to set. Colors and styles are many, so everything from elegant to romantic is more than possible. Specialty area rugs might even be possible to match a comforter that’s been chosen or at least coordinate with it.
* Children’s Bedrooms. Formal or flowery, whimsical or wacky, there are many designs and shapes available for just about any child’s room. Designers can even find specialty play rugs created to serve as the sitting area for a child’s playtime.
* Halls: Runners or other accessory area rugs can take a plain, boring hallway and add a sense of style and design to it.
* Offices: Area rugs can make an office look more upscale or they can even tout the company. Logo rugs are becoming very popular in entryways and can be created to look as utilitarian or flashy as a company might want.
No matter the room, no matter the flooring, area rugs can really help bring a room together. By contrasting or coordinating with their surroundings, these rugs can complete the picture and help deliver a particular mood. Rugs can be as big or as small as a buyer may want and they can even be specially made for the surroundings.
A Guide to Selecting an Outdoor Area Rug That Fits Your Space and Taste!
When setting up your outdoor patio and / or play area one thing that helps accentuate your décor is an outdoor area rug. The materials and technology used in preserving and strengthen these materials used have lead to outdoor area rugs that are vastly improved in look and durability. Finding the best outdoor area rug to fit your needs patio and play area needs, however does require some pre-planning. These steps, if taken carefully, will help you in choosing the perfect outdoor area rug for you.
1) Price – A rug could be the perfect material, size and color but if you’re not shopping in the right place you may not find an affordable choice. You have to buy an outdoor area rug that is affordable yet durable. Finding the balance between quality and price will require some research. Many low price stores simply sell cheap imported low cost rugs that after a year or two of use will have degraded to a point of worthlessness. There is no point in buying a low cost rug only to buy another two years down the road. On the other side of that coin, there are many stores – online and walk in, that base their pricing not on the quality of their rugs but on the perception of their name. You have to find a quality rug that looks good and will last at a fair price. This requires research!
2) Durability – Will your outdoor area rug be in a covered patio? A covering of any type makes a huge difference in the durability needed for an outdoor area rug. Not only will a patio overhang, shade sail, patio umbrella or gazebo help protect your rug from direct contact with rain, sleet or snow but it will also provide protection from UV rays. The heat from the sun can dry out and crack the materials often used in these rugs and damage them just as much as moisture and extreme cold. If your going to be in a covered area out of the sun’s direct rays with light foot traffic, you can spend more time researching the perfect size, pattern, shape and color for your patio needs. If the outdoor area rug you need is to be outside and directly exposed, then more attention must be paid to the durability of the rug itself and the material used to boarder and hold the rug together.
3) Space – Obviously you need to measure your outdoor patio area to see what size will fit best but also something to consider is the personality and flow of the outdoor space in question. A lot of people prefer a décor that flows with their deck design. Do you have a lot of curves in your landscaping and a flowing curved deck or does your backyard fit a more contemporary form with a lot of straight edges? Many outdoor area rugs come not only in abundance of sizes but in circular, oval, square and rectangle shapes to fill the desired space. Another thing to consider is storage. If you utilize a fire pit or fire bowl in fall / winter you may roll your outdoor area rug up for storage during those months. How much space will your rug take up during those months?
4) Color – Last but not least what color fits your outdoor scheme? Is your patio furniture natural woods such as teak? Or do you have a cast aluminum set? Should you match the color of the tarp roof of your children’s play set in the yard? The materials used in outdoor area rugs can be dyed in 100’s of different types of colors. Keep in mind that many colors may look quite striking when viewing the rug alone, but when it’s on the ground and has furniture etc… in its proper place and in use it may throw the room off. Sometimes it’s best to keep with the basic / classic colors when going through the process of choosing which outdoor area rug is best.
Following the standards and procedures above will help you make a choice in a rug that will be a smart price, superior quality and look excellent in the décor of your patio.
For a selection of outdoor area rugs as well as outdoor patio furniture and additional outdoor decor needs, visit PatioAndPlay.com online.
Taking Care of Area Rugs
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.