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Rug Attributes Part Five - Knots

Ask any Boy Scout and he'll tell you how many dozens and dozens of different ways there are to tie pieces of rope together or to other things. There are hundreds of books on how to tie knots and organizations dedicated to studying the art, science and beauty of them. There are even university scholars who study the theory of knots and write mathematical formulae to describe their structure.

When it comes to creating beautiful area rugs, there are also a wide variety of knots used. But before we examine a few of these, we need to understand a very important attribute of all area rugs. It is what is referred to as knot density.

  Knot density is a fairly simple concept and calculation. You take one square inch of a finished rug and count the number of horizontal and vertical knots in each dimension. (The technical terms for these are warp and weft and are usually only visible on the underside of the rug.) In the metric system, obviously different units are used and the number calculated will be different. Both centimeters and decimeters are used to specify knot density.

You multiply the two numbers together to get the knot density. However, since the two numbers are usually the same in a handmade rug, you can just square the count of knots in a linear inch.

A high knot density doesn't necessarily mean that one rug is better than another. This is particularly true of antique rugs for which the value is based upon other factors. In addition, knot density isn't a clue as to the durability of a rug. Instead, knot density is directly related to how sophisticated the design on the rug can be. In order to make intricate curves and patterns, a high knot density is required. Interestingly, it's complete analgous to things such as photo resolution and print dpi (dots per inch).

With handmade rugs too, knot density is directly related to how long it takes to actually weave the rug. Since it takes a skilled rug-maker approximately 10 seconds to tie each knot, that translates to only six knots per minute. A 9' x 12' area rug at a rather modest 150 knot density is going to have a staggering 2,332,800 knots. Depending upon how many hours a day the weaver spends working on the rug, this can take over two years to create!

In case you're interested, here's the calculation:

• 9 feet x 12 feet = 108 square feet = 15,552 square inches
• 15,552 square inches x 150 knots/square inch = 2,332,800 knots
• 2,332,800 knots divided by 6 knots/minute = 388,000 minutes = 6480 hours
• 6480 hours divided by 8 hours per work day = 810 days = 2.2 years

Some area rugs have knot densities of up to 1000 knots per square inch. These are very rare, usually made of silk and incredibly expensive - not only because of the amazing craftsmanship, but because it probably took a team of weavers many years to make.

A little important terminology:

As mentioned previously, the terms warp and weft are used to describe the vertical and horizontal strands of fibers in an area rug. Warps are important because the knots are actually tied to them, while the wefts are passed through them. It's critical that the tension on the warp strands be kept consistent or the rug will wrinkle. If a rug has fringes, it is an extension of the warps that creates this.

Wefts are the horizontal strands and unlike warps, are added as the rug is being woven. They separate each row of knots and pass over and below the warp strands. Another term related to wefts is selvedge. This is each side of the rug where the wefts begin and end.

The material used for the warps and wefts is usually the same, but it is not necessarily the same as the yarn used to weave the rug. It's not uncommon to have cotton warps and wefts - collectively referred to as the foundation - in an otherwise all-wool rug. Then again, for consistency, many rug artisans prefer everything to be the same.

There are three types of knots primarily used in the creation of handmade area rugs today.

The Persian knot - sometimes also called the Senneh knot - falls into what is classified as an asymmetrical knot. It is common and popular in Iran, India, China, Turkey and Egypt. It is rather simple and easy to tie. The yarn is wrapped around one warp strand and than passed under the neighboring warp.

The Turkish knot, or Ghiorde knot as it is sometimes called, is a symmetrical knot favored in parts of Turkey, the Caucasus region and by Kurdish craftsmen. To form a Turkish knot, yarn is passed over two neighboring warps. Each end of the yarn is then wrapped behind one of the adjoining warps and brought back to the surface in the middle.

The Tibetan knot is not as common as the Persian or Turkish varieties because it is much more difficult and time-consuming to tie. However, it is very distinctive and gives rugs using it a unique look and texture not otherwise attainable. To tie it, a temporary rod is placed in front of the warp. The thickness of the rod can vary and establishes the length of the pile. A continuous piece of yarn is looped around two warps and then once around the rod. When a complete row of loops is tied, they are cut to complete construction of the knots.

An ancient knot called the Jufti knot was popularized in the Khorasan region of Iran. There are multiple varieties of it and it usually involves looping a singly yarn through four warps at a time. It is rarely used today.

Now it's time for you to show off a bit. Ask an area-rug salesperson what kind of knot was used to create that gorgeous rug you are considering buying. Start that quest by visiting Rugs Direct.

Rug Attributes Part Four – Style

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People often start their search for the right area rug based upon style; not necessarily the style of rug for which they are searching, but the style of the room or home in which it will be placed. This makes perfect sense. Everyone has his or her own personal tastes in decorating and the style of rug you purchase should naturally reflect the style of the décor.

It’s not difficult to classify area rugs according to their style. What is a bit more problematic is to make a comprehensive list of all area rug styles. It’s easier to start with the rug and describe it than it is to make an all-inclusive catalog of styles. So what we will do here is specify the generally accepted main styles of rugs and indicate the many different types that might logically be included as a subset of them.

Traditional Rugs

This is by far the most common, well-known and popular style of area rug on the planet. And it has been for literally thousands of years. Any rug patterned after the ancient masterpieces of the Old World can rightly be described as traditional in style. But if only it was that simple!

First of all, you have antique or original rugs that are hand-made by individual craftsmen. These are usually extremely expensive but retain their value incredibly well. In many ways they are collectible art rather than a practical floor covering. These are balanced by the many modern, manufactured rugs that replicate the ancient designs, colors and patterns. Often traditional rugs are further categorized based upon a particular feature or style element that is endemic to a particular country or region. Some examples:

Traditional Persian Rugs
There are at least 50 different, distinct Persian styles, not all of which are woven in Persia (Iran). The one thing they all have in common is a unique border that serves to set off and emphasize the main pattern of the rug. Persian designs can be traced back some 2500 years and remain to be immensely popular all over the world today.

Traditional Oriental Rugs
This style of rug has a reputation of being extremely durable and lasting many generations. Almost all of them are made of natural fibers, most notably wool, silk and cotton. There is much debate over what the difference between a Persian and Oriental rug is. Often there is none other than the country of origin. An Oriental rug may come from India, western China, Central Asia, southern Russia or Turkey. Technically a Persian rug can only come from Iran.

Traditional Chinese Rugs
Rugs that belong in this category are seldom symmetrical or purely decorative. Instead they contain a message or meaning, often incorporating images from nature. There tend to be more colors in a Chinese rug than one originating in Persia or the Middle East.

Traditional Turkoman Rugs
This style is based upon designs created by nomads in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. They almost always have a red background, include a geometric pattern and what is known as a “gul” in the center. This is an octagonal shape that is based upon a flower. Turkoman rugs may have one gul or many.

There are many more sub-categories of traditional rugs, including Caucasian, which originated in southern Russia; Tibetan, which are among the most bold and bright of traditional rugs; and Indian, which became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and feature many small flowers, plants, rosettes and leaves.

Contemporary Rugs

Bright colors and unusual shapes are what differentiate a contemporary rug from a traditional one. Many people consider them artwork for the floor, and indeed, many of the most popular contemporary rug styles were designed by modern artists. Almost anything goes in a contemporary rug; circles, squares, rectangles or wavy lines are common. Colors from a narrow palette to every shade in the rainbow. Most contemporary rugs are made by machine and can incorporate just about any fabric that can be woven.

The advantage to the homeowner is that a contemporary rug can be found that will enhance just about any décor – traditional or modern. It can be used to coordinate the color scheme of a room, or serve as a central focal point. The possibilities really are endless, as the choices can also seem to be.

Transitional Rugs

Many purists in the world of area rugs feel that there is no such thing as a transitional rug – that is, one that is somewhere in between traditional and contemporary. To them a rug is either patterned after the antique, ancient styles or it is not. However, it is hard to deny that a great many popular rugs today have elements of both incorporated into them. For example, not all contemporary rugs necessarily have lots of bold, bright colors. They may have the common burgundy and earth-tone hues of a traditional rug, but incorporate some unique geometric patterns and designs. Thus they serve the needs of homeowners and designers who are looking to modernize a room’s décor without going to the extremes of placing bright oranges, blues and greens on the floor.

Flokati Rugs

Not to be confused with the more trendy shag rugs of the 1970s, flokati rugs have been a mainstay of Greek culture for centuries. Not only used as floor coverings, these all-wool creations were used as clothing as well. Originally flokati rugs were simply the natural color of the sheep from which the wool was harvested. Today they are dyed to every color imaginable, making them great choices for any contemporary setting. Flokati rugs are easy to clean – they usually can simple be thrown into a standard washing machine – but they also must be combed in order to achieve their desirable “long-hair” look.

Braided Rugs

Braided rugs are an American tradition that came into being for a very practical reason. The homes in early America usually had rough, hard wooden floors. Something easy-to-make and durable was needed to cover them. Hence the braided rug. Usually in the shape of an oval, round or half-oval (hearth rug), braided rugs have today been elevated to the status of an art form. One unique feature of braided rugs is that they are one of the few rug styles that are reversible.

Southwestern Rugs

Sometimes referred to by the alternate name Native American rugs, this style is mainly associated with the type of intricate weaving mastered by the Navajo Indians of the American Southwest. Common among them are stripes and simple geometric patterns; seldom do you see anything but straight lines throughout. They add a unique, rugged lodge-look to any room in which they are used. Many people place them on the wall instead of the floor, which permits their intricate beauty to be appreciated from anywhere in the room.

Novelty Rugs

This is a catchall style of rugs that can include just about anything. Examples would be rugs with animal prints or scenes and shapes that appeal to children. Of course sports themes and team logos are well-liked on novelty rugs. Rugs with a country theme such as roosters or farm animals are also popular and can add a unique flair to an otherwise ordinary kitchen.

When it comes to decorating with area rugs, they sky truly is the limit. If you would like to explore the many styles of rugs available to you in greater detail, please visit the online showroom of Rugs Direct. There you will find well over 60,000 choices to help you personalize and vitalize every room in your home.

Rug Attributes Part Three - Pattern

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One of the most important features of an area rug is sometimes the most difficult to describe. It is the basic pattern woven into the rug. But articulating what you see on the face of that beautiful rug can be challenging. And when searching for that "just right" rug, people frequently don't know the terminology to use to narrow that search when they have a specific pattern in mind.

Pattern is closely related to style and theme but can be defined more broadly. Basically the rug's pattern is determined by the way lines and curves are used to generate shapes. The industry generally recognizes three main categories of patterns: geometric, curvilinear and pictorial.

As with most things related to area rugs, there is a tremendous amount of overlap between these categories. Still it is useful to understand them. One or the other will probably be more dominant in the rug's pattern than another. This then becomes the best way to describe the pattern of that particular rug.

Let's take a look at the three categories of rug patterns and examine a sample that fits into each group.

Geometric

A geometric rug is created with straight lines, often using a variety of shapes - triangles, squares, diagonal lines, etc. In a way it is somewhat more primitive than the other two patterns. Southwestern and Navaho rugs frequently make use of a geometric pattern, but it's not uncommon in older traditional designs as well.

Curvilinear

When a pattern makes use of a variety of smooth curved lines it is referred to as curvilinear. In fact, that's the definition of the word! It's a bit harder to weave rugs in this pattern and frequently the overall knot density of a curvilinear rug is higher than other, simpler patterns. With the advent of machine-made area rugs, it is much easier - and more economical - to weave a curvilinear pattern than when everything was done strictly by hand. Curvilinear rugs are common in just about all styles and themes of rugs from traditional to contemporary.

Pictorial

A rug with an image of people, animals, flowers or nature falls into the pictorial category. The first rugs created of this type depicted historical events, mythological creatures or famous people. They truly were art forms, often made to hang on a wall instead of placing them on a floor. Today you can find an image of just about anyone or anything on an area rug. Still, as in ancient times, they are not as common or popular as the other two patterns of area rugs. A room's decor has to be just right for a pictorial rug to fit in appropriately.

Rugs Direct carries well over 60,000 area rugs representing all of the above patterns. Our proprietary Rugs Directory search engine will help you find exactly what you are looking for in no time. Click here to visit the Rugs Direct online showroom to find the perfect area rug for your home.

Rug Attributes Part Two - Color

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For many people shopping for an area rug, about the only thing that matters is color. And why not? The rug might be the main focal point of the entire room, and if its color isn't right, then nothing else is going to matter. Plus, rightly so, many people consider area rugs not to be just pieces of fabric that you place on the floor, but true works of art. Few artists create their works without detailed considerations of color; the same is true of the great artisans who design and weave area rugs.

In esoteric circles where they discuss such things, there are some area-rug experts who argue that color is even more important than the overall design of the rug. Their position is that even an outstanding, intricate and appealing design can be ruined with the wrong combination of colors. However, a weak design can be made appealing through the application of a unique color scheme. Plus there are many people who find a solid color area rug useful and attractive in certain situations. This is an example of a rug with NO design, but only color. I think those experts might have a valid point.

In simplest terms, area rugs have a background color and a border color. As noted above, sometimes a rug is made of only a background color. But the vast majority have more than one.

Probably a better term for background color would be dominant color. If you were asked to describe the color of a rug and could only use one word, this would be the color name you choose. Although you can find area rugs with just about any background color imaginable, the most popular are red, blue, yellow and tones of brown or beige. Burgundy, which is a hue of these colors, is probably the single most popular background color used in area rugs - especially traditional, Oriental and Persian ones.

Border colors are often not as easy to identify as the background color. The design and pattern of the rug might be so intricate that you really can't isolate the colors used to create it very well. That's OK, because the goal is to create an impression with color rather than display unique shades. Often a tint or hue in the border of a rug serves as inspiration for the other colors used in a room. Painting your walls the same color as part of the rug's border can create an extremely attractive, coordinated look to the room where everything simply "comes together" in the way professional designers work.

So where do the colors in area rugs come from?

Some rugs are made of natural fibers and often that's were the color originates. Typically these aren't the most vibrant colors and the design possibilities are somewhat limited. So to take wool and infuse it with a rainbow of colors, rug-makers use a variety of dyes.

For the first several thousand years of rug-making only natural dyes were available to color the fibers woven into rugs. The sources for these were a wide variety of plants, animals and minerals. Mixing and blending these components to create just the right color was an impressive skill in and of itself. Often the artisans would work hard to create a collection of primary colors, and then combine these in various ways to come up with just about every perceptible color. It worked a lot like the way we mix paint using a neutral base today.

In the middle of the 1800s, as rugs started to become more and more popular, European rug-makers worked on ways to come up with cheaper and easier-to-manufacturer dyes. The result was synthetic dyes made from coal tar. There were some problems. They were easy to use, but they faded rapidly when exposed to light or water and had a rather unpleasant order. Nobody realized it at the time, but the fumes are also highly toxic. Nevertheless, these dyes were imported in great quantities by Persia (Iran), Anatolia (Turkey) and other rug-making centers throughout the Middle East. The difficulties in using them came to a head in 1903 when the King of Persia officially banned their use in his country!

Fortunately a new type of synthetic dye, chrome dyes, were developed in the early years of the 20th century. Chrome dyes hold their colors perfectly in most all situations and have absolutely no limitations when it comes to blending a specific color or shade.

Rugs Direct carries over 60,000 area rugs in every combination of color and hue you can imagine. You may easily shop by color using our proprietary area-rug search tool, the Rugs Directory. Click here to visit on online showroom.

Rug Attributes Part One - Shape

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One of the most important attributes of an area rug is the most basic - its shape. Closely related to this is size, which, when combined with shape, precisely defines the floor area that the rug will cover.

Yes, the vast majority of rugs are rectangular in shape. There are two reasons for this. First of all, traditionally the looms that have been used for thousands of years to create handmade rugs have a fixed width at which they work, but there is no set length. So the person designing the rug could make it as long as he wanted to and most all of the artists weaving rugs realized a square is pretty boring. Think of it. You don't see many square works of fine art hanging in museums either. A rectangle is just a far more aesthetically pleasing shape.

Secondly, most rooms are rectangular in shape too. It only makes sense to place a rectangular area rug on the floor of a room that is also rectangular.

So, most rugs are rectangular. Sometimes you will hear this shape referred to as a "regular" rug. Because of this, the industry has actually established some "standard" sizes for rectangular rugs, although no one is particularly bound to follow them. But it does give people looking to buy a rug a point of comparison. Here are those standard sizes, further categorized into small, medium and large. Dimensions are given in feet, whereas in much of the world area rugs are measured in meters.

Small Area Rugs

• 2' x 3'
• 2' x 4'
• 3' x 5'
• 4' x 6'
• 5' x 8'

Medium Area Rugs

• 6' x 9'
• 7' x 10'
• 8' x 10'
• 9' x 12'
• 10' x 13'

Large Area Rugs

• 10' x 14'
• 12' x 15'
• 12' x 18'
• 13' x 20'
• 14' x 21'

There are several other shapes popular among area rug manufacturers and buyers.

A "runner" - sometimes also referred to as a "carpet runner" - is a long, narrow rug normally placed in a hallway, on stairs or used as a room divider. Technically it is also a rectangle, but since it falls out of the range of the regular rug sizes given above, it is categorized separately. Interestingly, the use of runners on stairways tends to be an American convention as you seldom see them used this way in European countries.

Modern runners are usually between 2.5 and 3 feet wide and can vary from as little as 6 to as much as 20 feet in length. Some companies offer custom runners, which can be cut to almost any length.

Round rugs are, by definition, symmetrical. They have grown in popularity in recent years, but traditionally they were seldom made in the ancient rug capitals of the Middle East. They were much more common in China, and then later in France. Their use is rather specialized because most furniture groupings don't configure very well around or on top of a round floor covering. Still there are many highly decorative situations in which a round rug will add emphasis or interest in a room more than a standard rectangular one might.

Closely related to round rugs are square ones. Mose designers and decorators agree that about the only place to effectively use a square rug is in a square room - and there just aren't that many of these around any more!

Oval rugs are a nice combination of a standard rectangular rug with the softer corners of a round rug. They are measured in much the same way as rectangular rugs with the understanding that there is material missing from the corners - or more accurately, the "non-corners" of the rug. An oval rug can be used in almost any situation in which a rectangular one would fit, although it tends to look less formal. For this reason they tend to find more use in casual dining areas, porches, non-formal entryways and bedrooms. A great many oval rugs are braided and reversible.

Lastly you can find what the industry calls "odd shapes" in many rug styles. These include hexagonal (6-sided) rugs, octagonal rugs (8- sided) and even triangles. Another variant is the "hearth" or "half-oval" rug which, as the name implies, has one straight edge and one rounded side so that it can be placed up against a fireplace.

Rugs Direct carries well over 60,000 area rugs in all shapes and sizes. If you find yourself wanting to expand you decorating horizons by experimenting with non-traditional shapes, please visit our online showroom. You can easily search our inventory by shapes (and sizes) using our proprietary area-rug search tool, the Rugs Directory.

Three Steps to Living Room Makeover

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For many years, the term living room has been a misnomer in American homes. This was not the place where people actually did any living. Instead it was the home's showpiece; the place with the "good" furniture. The room that was to be kept pristine for those rare visitors who needed to be impressed. Far from being a living room - it was just the opposite - the "don't go in there or you'll get yelled at" room!

Fortunately that is now changing and people are once again decorating their living rooms for comfort and practicality instead of creating a not-to-be touched museum just to the left of the front door. So how do you transform your living room into a friendly spot for entertaining, relaxing and yes, living? We offer three easy steps to help you accomplish this task:

1. Furniture and Furniture Placement
Unless you want to veer dramatically away from traditional room design, you are going to have a couch, sofa and/or love seat in your living room. Obviously this allows for the greatest amount of comfortable seating in the smallest amount of space. So use furniture that looks inviting and doesn't intimidate someone wanting to sit on it! Position the couch so that it is easy to get to and doesn't require traversing an obstacle course to reach. People often mistakenly think a couch serves as a good room divider and actually position the back of it to the entrance way. Not good.

Also, position the furniture so that the room has a focal point. If you use the room for multiple purposes, this becomes a bit of a problem. If this is your TV-watching space, then obviously wherever people are sitting they need to be able to see the screen without performing contortions. A chair with its back to the TV is awkward and you certainly don't want someone to have to constantly move the furniture around when trying to enjoy the room.

If conversations or board games are a major activity for the room, the furniture should face into a central focal area. A low coffee table in front of the couch makes sense in this situation so that there is a place for the game or for people to set down a beverage or plate. Hopefully they will know better than to use the table as a foot rest!

In many traditional living rooms, the fireplace is still a key focal point and there's no reason it shouldn't be in your as well. Just don't make the mistake of mounting a large-screen television above the fireplace. Not only does this place the TV at an awkward angle for viewing, but it's very annoying to try and watch a movie or program with firelight flickering in your face.

2. Make the Room Cozy and Complete
There are lots of simple, inexpensive things you can add to your living room that make it a more comfortable and inviting space. Drapes and pillows are two good examples. They give you a tremendous amount of color-coordination options, but also help soften the room and make it more user-friendly, to use inappropriate jargon. But there is probably nothing more important than the choices you make for lighting the room. A bright overhead light might make the most sense from a pure illumination standpoint, but it is harsh and uninviting. Table lamps give you a lot of design options and are probably best for reading, but it is hard to direct the light from a table lamp to spots that may need it. Recessed and floor lamps can overcome some of these obstacles, but have their own built-in limitations.

So what is the answer? Use a combination of lighting elements. Don't add so many that the room becomes cluttered, but positioning lights where good illumination is necessary is critical to making the room usable. While you're at it, please consider using low-wattage, long-lasing compact fluorescent bulbs in your living room's lamps. You'll save money and natural resources for your effort.

3. Add a Rug
Of course! Almost nothing you place in your living room has as great an overall effect on the overall ambiance as the rug that you place on the floor - or rugs, for that matter. Nothing says you have to only use one. Many professional interior designers actually start their work on decorating a living room from the ground up - and their first design consideration is the area rug. Even if the room already has wall-to-wall carpeting and you don't want to remove it, a rug can serve as the starting point from which all other elements in the room flow.

Try this experiment. The next time you walk into someone's home, be conscious of what you experience first. If you're like most people, it's not the wall color or wallpaper; it's not the woodwork; it's not even the furniture - and it's certainly not the ceiling. It's the floor! And if the floor has a beautiful rug covering it, your likelihood of noticing this first increases dramatically. Try it!

Not only can a rug provide color and texture to the room, but it can also define it. One large, central rug says that the room is to be considered one space. Multiple rugs can be used to break this up into smaller units, each with its own boundaries, and perhaps its own functions. Over here is the gaming area. And here is where we have conversations. And finally, over here is the entertainment section of the room. Rugs give you a versatility that is hard to achieve with any other decorating elements.

So go ahead and turn your home's museum into a practical living area that offers something for everyone in the family. If you decide to start with a new rug, we encourage you to visit Rugs Direct. You'll find well over 60,000 choices all categorized for easy browsing and review. Or if you prefer, use our proprietary search tool, the Rugs Directory^TM. Simply type in a few key descriptions of the color, size or style of rug for which you are looking, and we'll provide you with recommendations that match your criteria.

To visit Rugs Direct now, please click here.

Featured Designer - Andy Warhol

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When you think about American Pop Art, whose name comes to mind? For most people Andy Warhol is perhaps the only name they associate with this style. His influence of the movement was enormous, so much so that even today, over 20 years after his death, many people decorate their living spaces with his work, watch his films, read his books, listen to his music and visit exhibits displaying his art. As the media referred to him at the time, he truly is the "Prince of Pop."

Warhol was born Andrew Warhola in 1928 to working-class parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At an early age he showed artistic talent and ended up studying commercial art at the School of Fine Arts at Carnegie Institutes of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). In 1949 he moved to New York City, where he started working as an illustrator for magazines and advertising agencies. He developed his unique drawing style during the 1950s and was rewarded with his first solo exhibit in 1962.

During the '60s Warhol began using various American icons as the subject for his work. Campbell's soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles, American currency and Marilyn Monroe were all famously depicted in Warhol's artwork. As controversial as he was, he also sparked a revolution in the art world. His popularity - and fame - sored with each new painting or illustration of a famous person or brand name product.

When asked about the appeal of simply showing a colorful bottle of Coke as pop art, Warhol said, "What's great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca Cola, and you know that the president drinks Coca Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Cola Cola, and just think, you can drink Coca Cola too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the president knows it, but bum knows it and you know it."

Warhol also began collaborating with a wide range of experimental artists in the 1960s and founded "The Factory" as a place where talented individuals interested in pop art could meet and work. Much of the colorful, geometric art associated with Andy Warhol is a result of these often contemptuous collaborations. As his fame soared so did his popularity, and Warhol became an entrepreneur of pop art and culture like no one preceding him.

Sadly his life ended in 1987 following complications from gall bladder surgery. Over 2000 people attended his memorial mass.

Warhol's life and work are celebrated by the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. Opened in 1994, the museum features several permanent collections of art and archives on what it calls "one of the most influential American artists of the twentieth century."

Another major source of information about the artist is available through the The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, which was founded shortly after his death in accordance with his will. The foundation provides a wide variety of grants to artists and researchers who seek to create and promote experimental visual arts. It also holds the copyrights to all of Andy Warhol's works and provides authentication services to insure art purported to be by Warhol are truly originals.

In 2004, one of America's premier area-rug manufacturing companies, Sphinx by Oriental Weavers, reached an agreement to begin creation of a line of rugs featuring designs and patterns inspired by Andy Warhol. Today it is one of the most popular and best-selling collections in the company's catalog.

Rugs Direct carries an extensive line of Andy Warhol rugs. If you would like to decorate your home with some unique, eye-catching pop art inspired by one of America's most famous and enduring artists, please click here.

 

All About Sisal Rugs

Copyright © 2008  Rugs Direct^®

First of all, how do you pronounce "sisal?"

The preferred pronunciation is with a long "i" - sayh - sul (or seye - sul). However, the pronunciation with a short "i" is often heard and is generally accepted - sih - sul. Either way you say it, it has become one of the most popular natural fabrics for a variety of area rugs and other applications. Here, then, is (almost) everything you need to know about sisal and sisal rugs.

Sisal fibers are made from a plant called Agave sisalana that is native to Central and South America. It got its name from the port of Sisal in Yucatan. This was the primary shipping site from which the world received its sisal in the 19th century, but ironically, no sisal was actually grown in the Yucatan area.

Today sisal is grown from Florida to Brazil and certain African countries, most notably Tanzania and Kenya, have thriving sisal plantation. The only agriculturally grown fiber that is produced in a greater quantity is cotton.

It's hard to find a product category today that doesn't make use of sisal's coarse fibers, which are both flexible and strong. Most people are familiar with twine and rope make of sisal, but you can also find sisal in furniture, wall tiles, specialty papers, spa products, slippers, and even automotive parts. There's a good chance your cat is digging her claws into a sisal scratching post.

One of the reasons sisal is considered so eco-friendly is that one plant has a 7-10 year life span and produces up to 250 usable leaves. Each leaf contains an average of 1000 fibers. It is certainly one of the most prolific and highly renewable sources of raw materials on the planet. As an added benefit, no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in sisal production and what little weeding that is necessary is typically done by hand - thus, no herbicides either.

When it comes to rugs, sisal is an ideal fabric because it can be used both indoors and out, has a wonderful "natural beauty" and, as mentioned previously, is completely eco-friendly.  However, a sisal rug does require care and a bit of preventative maintenance. Although sisal can be considered moisture resistant, it is certainly not waterproof. Don't place it in an area in which it will get drenched or worse, actually soak in standing water. You'll find yourself battling mold and mildew in no time. High humidity can also affect a sisal rug, since it has a tendency to expand under this condition. When the humidity returns to a lower state, the rug's fibers might actually become loose. This is not good. So even though most people consider sisal to be an indoor/outdoor fabric, make sure you're not placing you rug in harm's way by letting it repeatedly get soaked.

The good news is that sisal does not build up static electricity nor does it trap dirt. Therefore, about the only care a sisal rug needs is to be vacuumed regularly. This actually strengthens the rug and keeps the fibers in like-new condition. However, don't use the vacuum's beater brush on your sisal rug. Simply attach the bare-floor tool and run is lightly over the rug, being sure to go both directions - top to bottom and left to right. With proper care, a sisal rug will give you many, many years of use.

Cleaning of liquid spills or excessive dirt can be a bit tricky with a sisal rug. They key is to react quickly before the liquid can soak into the fibers. Blot with a dry cloth. Do not rub, which will only press the liquid deeper into the rug. If the spill is something that has the potential to stain - for example juice or ketchup - you can use a mild soap-and-water solution or a half-vinegar half-water solution to try and minimize the discoloration. Again, blot, don't rub. And be sure to blot the rug dry after you have finished. Don't forget to turn the rug over and check the bottom to make sure the spill didn't soak through. If it did, clean the bottom in the same manner that you did the top surface.

Dryer materials like mud can usually be scraped off the rug with a blunt edge. Use wood rather than metal so you don't run the risk of cutting into the rug. Vacuum the flakes off the rug and, only if necessary, apply any sort of cleaning solution. Alternately, you might try one of the special dry cleaning powders that are made specifically to clean area rugs. Products such as Capture Rug Cleaner are excellent for use on any type of rug that you want to keep dry, such as sisal.

If your sisal rug becomes soiled to the point when spot-cleaning and/or vacuuming no longer do the trick, take it to a professional dry cleaner. Horror stories abound of people who have tried doing this themselves - or have rented a commercial system thinking they will save some money - only to completely destroy their beautiful sisal rug. Please don't become one of them!

Rugs Direct has more than 80 sisal area rugs for sale at its online showroom. Click here if you would like to explore the natural beauty one of these durable rugs can add to your home.

Paula Deen Coming to Rugs Direct

Copyright © 2008  Rugs Direct^®

There is no doubt that the Food Network’s Paula Deen is a super star. In fact, recent polls have indicated that she is one of the 10 most popular and influential women in America. Paula’s Home Cooking and Paula’s Party are routinely two of the network’s highest rated shows, and Deen’s cookbooks are bestsellers throughout the country. In June 2007 Deen won two Daytime Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Lifestyle Host and Outstanding Lifestyle Program for Paula's Home Cooking.

Yes, “The Queen of Southern Cooking” has struck a cord with mainstream America, and it seems we just can’t get enough of her.

Recently Deen signed a exclusive agreement with Kaleen Rugs, a leading manufacturer and importer, to create her own signature collections of area rugs. Initially the collections will include:

• Paula’s Porch & Home – a machine-made rugged indoor/outdoor line made of 100% polypropylene
• Paula Deen’s Comfort – a machine-made, space-dyed polypropylene collection
• Paula Deen’s Signature – a hand-tufted collection that will be made in India

The first two collections mark Kaleen’s entry into the machine-made rug market, according to their executive vice president, Joe Barkley.

Fittingly, Rugs Direct will be the exclusive online retailer for Paula Deen’s new line of area rugs. It is anticipated that they will be ready in May 2008. If you would like to be notified when they become available, please sign up for Rugs Direct’s e-mail list by clicking here.

Paula’s Story

(The following autobiography of Paula Deen is taken from her website:)

Hey Y’all! You know, I meet so many wonderful people everywhere I go that are willing to share their life story with me, that I want to share a little bit of my story with all of you. Of course, there’s more in my new memoir – It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ – but, for now, I hope you pull up a chair and visit with me here for a while!

Everyone has a beginning, and mine really starts in my Grandmother Paul’s kitchen. I promise you, she knew everything you ever needed to know about making the perfect Southern meal. Every day I was amazed at all the things she knew and shared with me – cooking techniques, tips, secret recipes, and, most importantly laughter, life lessons, and love! Of course I didn’t know it at the time, but those would be the things that would always pull me through.

Following this carefree and wonderful time in my life, I graduated from high school, and married my high school sweetheart. Like all young people, nobody could tell me anything at the time, and I set out believing I’d be the perfect wife and mom and he’d be the perfect husband and father. Well, needless to say, that’s where things started to turn. First, there was the sudden and heartbreaking death of my beloved father, followed by the loss of my sweet mom just a few short years later – when our mom died my little brother Bubba was only 16, I was 23, and had two little babies of my own to raise. Everything that held me together was gone, and I truly didn’t know where to turn and felt frozen in my tracks. I managed through the next decade or so, but again things took a major turn for the worse when my husband announced one day he had taken a job in Savannah. I was 40 years old and was having such severe panic attacks that I literally could not leave my house, becoming a prisoner in my own home.

But, you know – things happen for a reason, and one day it just dawned on me: I was going to take control of my life and my destiny! So, I decided to do what I do best – taking a lesson straight from Grandmother Paul – and started The Bag Lady. With $200 and the help of my boys, the real adventure began. Of course you can read The Lady & Sons history page, but from the beginning we were blessed with faithful patrons that have become like family to us that allowed us to blossom. Our bag lunch delivery and catering service turned into a full-service restaurant and we went from leasing a place at the Best Western hotel to our very own place downtown.

During that time I’ve had my first cookbook “discovered” and more published, had the honor of receiving the “International Meal of Year” designation by USA Today, of having not one, but two of my own shows on the Food Network, and opened up another restaurant – Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House - with my little brother Bubba. And, guess what? I’ve even been star-struck myself appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show and meeting Oprah herself!

All of my dreams really are coming true. I’ve married my soul mate, Michael Groover – gaining a whole other extending family with Anthony and Michelle in the process, managed to raise two wonderful and successful boys, Jamie and Bobby, and created a wonderful career by doing what I love best. And, the icing on the cake? The birth of my first grandchild, Jack, in 2006.

But, you know what, none of this would have happened if I hadn’t of taken the good with the bad, embraced both the heartache and joy, and taken control of my life when I thought it could not have gotten worse. Most of all, during good times and bad, I’ve had the love and support of family, friends, and you – my fans. From my heart, I always wish you love and best dishes, from my kitchen to yours. And I can’t wait to continue the adventure with you!

Outdoor Rugs are IN

Copyright © 2008  Rugs Direct^®

Spring has finally arrived! Now is the perfect time to transform your patio, porch, deck or gazebo into an attractive space for entertaining or relaxing. And the best way to do this is with a durable, easy-care outdoor area rug.

Here are some tips and suggestions to help make the process of finding the ideal outdoor rug a little easier:

First of all, don’t be confused by the difference between an outdoor area rug and a door mat. The latter is designed primarily as a place for people to wipe their dirty feet before entering the house. A typical door mat sacrifices style for function. It may have the world “Welcome” embedded (or printed) on the front – or perhaps the name of your favorite sports team – but “attractive” is not a word many people would use to describe door mats. They are also typically rather small – on the order of 3’ x 2’ – because they are designed to sit in front of a door and nothing more.

Also, many people still think of outdoor “carpeting” when they think about outdoor rugs. Remember AstroTurf? Fake grass? It’s no longer popular because, quite frankly, it’s awfully ugly. Whatever you do, don’t cover your patio with bright green artificial grass!

An outdoor area rug, on the other hand, is designed to add color and style to outdoor activity areas. As such, you need to pay attention to a number of factors including the colors, patterns and size. So as you begin shopping for an outdoor area rug, what are the major considerations?

Appearance
Size – start by determining if you want a large rug to cover most of your outdoor space, or several smaller ones to define seating or activity areas. Many people make the mistake of buying a rug that is too small and are disappointed when it doesn’t transform the space in the way they intended. Make a simple block diagram and try a number of different combinations until you find an arrangement you like.

Colors – of course this is a matter of personal taste, but keep in mind that an outdoor rug is subjected to dirt and weather in a way most indoor rugs will never experience. Bright colors may fade if exposed to harsh sunlight constantly and there is very little you can do about it. Dirt will show less on earth colors. So if browns, deep reds, oranges and greens fit with your décor, you might give them greater consideration.

Patterns – this is where you choice can truly add to the visual excitement of your outdoor space. Don’t lock yourself into buying a solid color outdoor rug! There are so many beautiful patterns and styles available that you owe it to yourself to explore them all.

Texture – this is closely tied to the fabric and material used to make the rug. Most outdoor rugs don’t have as thick a pile as many indoor-only rugs because this increases the maintenance necessary to keep them looking new. However, you still have many choices, including some fine braided rugs that, in addition to having prominent texture, are also reversible.

Durability
An outdoor rugs is subjected to just about every kind of abuse imaginable. Kids, pets, wind, rain – even wild animals. So it’s important to choose a fabric that is strong, durable and easy to clean. Most outdoor rugs are made of weather-resistant polypropylene, which is also known as olefin. Although this is a petroleum-derived plastic product, many manufacturers are now using 100% recycled materials to make their outdoor rugs. It is woven in the same way as typical indoor rugs and can have the same intricate patterns as the most expensive Oriental rugs. It makes good sense to try and buy an eco-friendly outdoor area rug if at all possible. Polypropylene extracted from discarded milk jugs makes this practical.

One American manufacturer, Colonial Mills (CMI), has begun making a line of braided outdoor rugs that are only available at Rugs Direct. Called the Championship™ collection, they are made from 100% polypropylene and are designed for use on outdoor porches and patios, as well as indoor casual settings. They are unaffected by water, moisture, or mildew and, because they are reversible, they offer twice the life of a single-sided rug.

CMI has developed what they call the C-Lock™ braid-joining system, which offers several features and advantages:

• Incredibly strong Sew Soft-Sew Klear™ stitching thread
• More than two inches per inch
• Extra-tight braids for long wear and joint strength
  
• More yarn ends for stronger bonds and increased durability
  
• Easy maintenance – vacuum regularly with hard-surface attachment
  
• Easy cleaning – spray with hose and hang to dry

One note: CMI strongly recommends the use of a pad underneath their outdoor area rugs to both minimize wear and prevent slippage. Rugs pads designed specifically for outdoor use are now available. Click here for more information.

Price
Compared to hand-knotted Oriental rugs, most outdoor area rugs are an incredible bargain. You can easily find a large, top-quality outdoor rug for well under $300. Most smaller, space-defining outdoor rugs are under $100. The best advice is to shop around and compare. A good place to start is Rugs Direct. Click here.

Gone are the days when you had almost infinite choices for decorating indoors with area rugs but only a few limited ones for outside. In fact, most of the rugs you now see described as “outdoor” are more accurately labeled “indoor/outdoor” because they are attractive enough to use in just about any casual room in the house. In fact, one designer of an outstanding collection of area rugs, Liora Manné, calls her new Spello Collection “EveryWear” rugs. It’s a perfect play on words that describes this new generation of outdoor area rugs perfectly!

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For more information…here are some of the top manufacturers of outdoor area rugs, with links to their collections on the Rugs Direct website:

Couristan – Recife
Colonial Mills – Championship
Trans Ocean – Terrace
Casual For Life – Four Seasons (exclusive to Rugs Direct)
Liora Manné – Spello and Patio
Sphinx – Lanai