Rugs Direct

Confessions of an Area-Rug Designer

Copyright © 2007 Wendy Johnson Design

Area-rug design is part of a larger form of graphic arts called textile design or surface design. Designed surfaces surround us and impact every part of our lives. I have designed surface patterns for many different products ranging from temporary, disposable things such as tissue boxes and gift wrap to more lasting products like wallpaper, t-shirts and, of course, area rugs. Most designers will strive to do their best work on every assignment, but it’s hard not to be influenced by the fact that a well made rug will last for generations. I believe that you need to do a little “extra” when you know you are designing something that can become the foundation of a room's design for decades to come.

The concept behind the rug’s design depends on the overall objectives of the project. Sometimes I work with a stylist or art director who sends me specific references that will become part of a collection. In this case, the manufacturer’s team determines the basic elements of the design and the color palette. At other times I simply start drawing and design something because it feels good. These sketches, after many revisions, frequently end up as part of a project that goes into production. One thing that you learn very quickly when you become a designer is you always have many, many concepts and ideas in varying states of completion. My studio and my hard drive are full of those!

I am always looking for inspiration. I find it in advertisements, paintings, Japanese prints, upholstery designs, and even other rug designs. The list is endless, but, as corny as it may sound, my favorite source of inspiration is nature - not just a pretty flower, but the intricacies of the inside of a flower, a piece of moss or the colors in a fall leaf. The geometry and color schemes of nature are amazing and there is always something new to see if you just start looking. It can actually be overwhelming.

I also try to stay current with the emerging home decor trends and make designs that are related to them. But incorporating trends into your work is something that can be a tricky balancing act. Although I have created area-rug designs without considering trends that have been big hits in the marketplace, I also work closely with manufacturers to make designs that are carefully driven by trends. These can be top-sellers too! The trick is to try and incorporate the trends in a unique manner that is not boring or elicits a "seen it before" reaction. You need to keep the trend’s flavor, but make it your own.

To be honest, my greatest thrill is when I somehow manage to create my own area-rug trend! Fortunately some manufacturers will look at a designer’s work and realize it has some special appeal even if it’s not the current, “in” look. After all, trends come and go. Good design lasts forever!

A good sense of color and balance are very important in area-rug designs. I also strongly believe that traditional drawing and painting skills are keys to success in this kind of design work. If you learn how to draw and paint with traditional media first, and then move on to work on a computer, I believe you have a much better foundation than if you are strictly “electronic.” I love my computer, but am convinced that my skills with a pencil, paintbrush and ruling pen are critical.

Sometimes I do miss my old sable watercolor brushes, but time is an important factor in area-rug design work today. Technology allows you speed up the process tremendously, especially if your design involves repeating patterns. I am not sure it is the best solution, but unfortunately paint isn't part of my daily routine any longer.

My favorite computer program for designing rugs is Adobe Illustrator on the Mac. I use Photoshop, but Illustrator seems most applicable to my surface design world. Most importantly, Illustrator designs are scaleable. This means the size and color of the design elements can be easily adjusted to multiple uses. For example, I can create an area rug set or collection with a design on a long rug runner and use that same design on a small throw or accent rug without completely re-drawing it at a different size scale. What a huge time-saver!

The next time you go shopping, whether for an area rug or a box of tissues, take a little extra time to check out the design on the surface of the product. Realize that somebody somewhere had to think about the way that item looks and come up with the combination of colors, shapes, lines and letters you see. Maybe it was me!

Thanks for reading.

Wendy Johnson graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA where she studied illustration. Through the years she has used her drawing and painting skills to develop a distinctive graphic language that has been applied to a wide range of products. Area rugs are a large part of her work. Her design collections have grown out of a close collaboration between her clients' needs and inspiration from her Providence studio.

Best Placement for Rugs Under Furniture

Copyright © 2007 AnnaRae Mills

Small rugs and accent rugs can usually be placed wherever they look good or fulfill a specific purpose, but larger rugs look best when basic guidelines for placement are followed. Since a larger rug often serves as an anchor for a furniture grouping or the main floor covering in a room, proper placement is essential for several reasons, including a balanced look.

A typical setting for a large rug is under a coffee table and/or in front of a sofa. The coffee table is usually centered between the long ends of the rug. The rug can be along the front edge of the sofa or it can be placed under the sofa's front legs, 2 to 3 inches behind the front legs. The back legs of a sofa usually do not get placed on the rug unless the rug is a very large rug.

When using a large rug that covers most of a room, it's best to use a rug size that allows at least 8 inches of a hardwood or tile floor to be exposed around the rug. Center the rug in the room as much as possible, with an equal distance from the wall to each side and an equal distance from the wall to each end. This equal spacing guideline still applies if there is a feature (such as a closet or fireplace) that sticks out in part of the room.

Large rugs are often used in a home's dining area. The best size of rug to use under a dining table extends a minimum of 24 inches beyond each edge of the table. This allows someone to sit down or get up from a dining chair while the chair's back legs remain on the rug. If you've ever tried to get a chair's back legs up and over the edge of a rug while seated, you know how important this guideline can be.

A large room might have a sitting area that is separate from the room's main area. A mid-size rug can help define a sitting area, which could include a couple of chairs and perhaps a small table. A good size would be 4 X 6 feet, 5 X 8 feet, or a 5 to 7 foot round or hexagonal rug. The front legs of each chair are on the rug and the chairs are arranged, often at a slight angle, so the people sitting there can have both feet on the rug. It's okay to have all four legs of each chair on the rug if the rug is large enough. However, it is best not to have more than two feet of empty rug behind the chairs.

Sometimes, a couple of things get overlooked when people want to get a large rug. Think about this for just a moment: You know the design and color you want, but will the rug really fit where you want it to go? If a door opens over the rug, does the door have enough clearance? Will the rug's desired placement impact any air vents or electrical outlets?

I certainly don't want to throw a wrench into the cogs of your decorating plans, but thinking ahead will almost always help you avoid unwanted "surprises." Good placement for large rugs might not seem like such a big deal, but poor placement can throw the look and feel of the entire room off balance.

You'll find that it's time well-spent to mark off the area for a new rug before you get the rug. This can be done with newspaper and masking tape, plus a tape measure. Put newspaper where you want the rug and hold in place with the tape. You can also use a blanket or sheet folded to various sizes. Work with this outline until the overall size looks just right. Measure the outline and look for a rug that closely matches those dimensions.

With the wide variety of rugs in every design and color you can imagine, you'll probably be able to find your favorite rugs in just the right size for each particular placement.

About The Author:

AnnaRae Mills is wild about rugs! She has a goldmine of tips and information to share with you. Decorating ideas, shopping tips, and much more. Find out how to pick the right rugs for your home. See pics of all rug types at http://www.Area-Rug-Tips.com

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service

Rugs are the New Wallpaper

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

There are many ways to redecorate a room. You can paint the walls a different color or add some decorative trim. You can steam off the old wallpaper and put up a new pattern. You can change the furniture or rearrange its positioning. You can put up new drapes, add a valence or hang some unique window shades. As for the floor you can strip and re-stain the wood or pull up the wall-to-wall carpeting and lay down a new color.

All of these tasks, as you are well aware if you have ever attempted any of them, take a tremendous amount of planning, time and work. They can also be extremely expensive, especially if you don't do the work yourself.

Or...you can add an area rug. The hardest part of doing this is simply selecting the right rug! And wouldn't you rather spend your time shopping than doing extensive manual labor?

To many interior designers, area rugs have become the new wallpaper. Instead of replacing the "permanent" items in a room, you can easily place a rug on the floor to invigorate or revitalize the room's look and feel. You can even use multiple rugs to divide the room into smaller sections for a more comfortable, cozy environment. Try doing that with a paintbrush or curtains!

So before you start climbing ladders and drilling holes, think about what an area rug can do to make your room new and exciting. It could be an affordable, easy solution that gives you options not available any other way.

For idea-starters, visit Rugs Direct. You'll find over 60,000 area rugs in dozens of styles from the world's top manufacturers and importers. Plus Rugs Direct has an extremely liberal Risk-Free In-Home Trial. Put the rug on your floor for up to 30 days to see how it works. If you're aren't happy with the way it transforms your room, simply return it for a full refund and try something else. Hopefully you won't have to resort to buying new furniture, repainting the walls and stripping the stain off the floor! Try a rug first. You've literally got nothing to loose!

Questions & Answers About Area Rugs

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

People come up with some very interesting and intelligent questions when they are shopping for an area rug. Here are some of the best we have heard recently, along with what we hope are useful answers.

Q: What size rug should I put in my living room?
A: Both large and small area rugs can be used effectively in a living room. When all of the furniture is contained on the rug, a large rug should be used. Something on the order of 9' x 12' or 8' x 11' would be suitable so that a border of the floor shows around the outside of the rug. If you prefer to set up a conversation area, a smaller rug can be used. Look at 6' x 9', 5' x 8' or 4' x 6'.

Q: Should I put a round rug underneath a round table?
A: A round rug is suitable for underneath a round table so long as the rug is large enough to accommodate the chairs. If you sometimes add leaves to the table, a rectangular rug is a better choice.

Q: I love the look of Oriental rugs but I have contemporary furniture. Can I mix them?
A: There's no reason you can't use a traditional rug in a modern room. However, the colors and patterns should match. In this case, style is less important.

Q: I have a lot of patterns in my room. Should I stick with a plain rug?
A: No, not necessarily. It's important to coordinate the color palette and balance the size and scale of the rug design with the other fabrics in the room. When you mix patterns, think in terms of the size of the patterns - large, medium or small. If you have a large floral pattern on the sofa, look at smaller stripes or geometrics for the rug. If your room has small or medium patterns, a large scale rug design can provide a much-needed focal point.

Q: How can I make my entryway stand out?
A: Choose a round or square design that covers a large portion of the area. An effective design incorporates a central design with a generous 18 to 24-inch border of floor showing on the outside of the rug. Coordinate the rug with those in other rooms so that there is a flow from one room to the next.

Q: What kind of rugs work well in a child's room?
A: There are now more juvenile-themed area rugs available than ever before. Go with a design that reflects the child's interests: horses, cars, butterflies, planets, etc.

Q: Can I put an area run on top of wall-to-wall carpeting?
A: As contrary as it may seem, rugs on top of carpeting can create a rich layered effect that breaks the monotony of a large, solid-colored carpet. You can use a rug to create a conversation area or provide a spot of color at the entrance of the room. In a bedroom, a rug at the foot of the bed creates an interesting effect. Most designers recommend that you do not use a rug to cover a worn area of carpeting. It tends to draw additional attention to the problem rather than correcting it.

Q: What kind of rug works best in a kitchen?
A: Woven olefin (polypropylene) rugs are nearly impervious to food and beverage stains. You can also use a simple, washable throw rug that has been treated with an anti-stain product. Try to complement your cabinet style and don't be afraid to try something from a French, Lodge, Cottage or Tuscan collection.

Q: What kind of rug works best in a bathroom?
A: Rugs made of nylon and olefin (polypropylene) are good choices for use in a bathroom. Washable cotton rugs can work well too, but tend to take a long time to dry. The trend in new home construction is to make bathrooms bigger and bigger, so you may need to look beyond the typical bathroom-sized rugs.

We hope you found an answer to one of your questions about rugs in the brief list. If not, or if you would like some personalized help, please visit Rugs Direct, call us toll-free at 1-888-464-1447 or send an e-mail to info@rugsdirect.com.

Fibers Used in Area Rugs

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

There are many fibers used today to create fine quality area rugs. Following is a summary of the most popular materials courtesy of Shaw Living:

Wool
Semi-worsted New Zealand wool is the most popular natural fiber used to create area rugs. It is durable, soft and easily dyed. Wool has been used for centuries to create the finest carpets and rugs.

Nylon
Nylon has been a popular choice for years in broadloom carpet. It is now being used effectively in rug manufacturing. Nylon has the capability and versatility necessary to make synthetic rugs look like antique masterpieces. With attributes such as easy cleaning and superior wear, nylon provides a classic look at an excellent price.

Olefin
Huge manufacturing breakthroughs in fiber technology have moved olefin to the forefront of both broadloom and rug manufacturing. Many collections of rugs take advantage of olefin's durability, stain resistance and affordable cost. An olefin rug can give you a luxurious look at a very reasonable price. (The generic name for olefin is polypropylene.)

Natural Fibers
Sisal, seagrass, raffia, abacca and bamboo have become very popular in the past 10 years. These rugs are hand-made in places like Indonesia, India and China. They offer a cool, casual and tropical look that goes great in many contemporary settings.

There is not a "right" fiber for your area rugs. And there are a number of other questions you need to ask yourself before making your purchase decision. A great place to start is Rugs Direct, where you can view a wide variety of area-rug colors and designs in every fiber available.

What to Consider When Buying a Rug

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

Many people shop for an area rug based upon appearance alone. While ultimately the rug must look good in the space for which it is intended, there are numerous other aspects to consider when making this important investment in your home's decor.

Hellenic Rug Imports, Inc. offers these following eight important area-rug selection tips:

Design:
Many designers recommend starting with an empty room and then literally decorating it from the ground up. However, more often than not, you already have many of the room's elements in place. The walls are painted; the woodwork is stained; you already have several pieces of furniture. In this case you can use an area rug - or rugs - to put the final touches on the room.

Color:
Designers will tell you that area rugs can be used as an effective tool to mix patterns that have the same or similar color palettes. Dark area rugs tend to provide warmth and intimacy, while light rugs can open up a room and make it feel more spacious.

Size:
You don't necessarily have to fill all of the available floor space with a rug. Instead, consider several smaller rugs placed strategically to create zones in a large space. If you decide to go with one large rug in a large room, the area rug will provide unified space and also help muffle sound. In smaller rooms - bedrooms, kitchens and dens - you can use a small rug to add a splash of color, accents or warmth.

Material:
There is an amazingly large variety of materials used to make area rugs. Wool is the most popular because of its durability, long-life, ease of care and the way it accepts color so well. But synthetic fibers have benefits too. Check back soon for an article on the pros and cons of area-rug materials.

Construction:
Machine-made area rugs tend to be less expensive than handmade rugs, but to a purist, nothing beats the quality of a handcrafted area rug. Let your decorating budget be your guide. Plus you are going to find that some designs simply aren't available in a machine-made rug. If one of these is perfect for your room, your only option will be to buy handmade.

Shape:
Most area rugs are rectangular in shape. But circular, square and other shaped rugs can present a design alternative that will truly make your space unique. Runners, which are long but narrow area rugs, offer additional options for entryways, halls and high-traffic areas.

The Space:
The type of light and amount of traffic in a room should affect your choice of area-rug material. Some man-made fibers resist fading better than natural fibers, so consider the amount of direct sunlight an area rug will receive. If you are decorating a patio or outdoor area, you have other important considerations to make. Certain types of rugs are strictly for interior use.

Durability:
Pile density and fiber material are the two factors that most directly affect the durability of an area rug. But proper care and maintenance can't be ignored. A high-quality pad underneath the rug will also enhance its life.

As with most all home improvement projects, the more research you do and the more you educate yourself on the pros and cons of the products you buy, the happier you will be with the final result. This is just as true of area rugs as paint, furniture, lighting fixtures or wood finish. The more you know, the better you will be able to make effective decisions that will make your room look great - and keep your purchases within budget.

Rugs Direct has over 60,000 area rugs available for review online, all at the lowest prices on the Internet. Used our trademarked Rugs Directory to narrow your search and find the perfect area rug for your home.

 

The Importance of Rug Pads

Copyright © 2007  Rugs Direct®

Many people think a rug pad is unnecessary, or at least an unnecessary expense. Most knowledgeable interior designers and decorators will tell you, however, that nothing could be farther from the truth. And the vast majority of area-rug manufacturers agree. In fact, there are quite a few of them that will not provide a full warranty on the rug if it is not used in conjunction with a quality pad. That alone could be a great reason for placing one under your new area rug. But there are many more.

First and foremost is the issue of safety. There is not a lot of friction between the bottom of a wool or olefin rug and a highly polished wooden floor. It doesn't take much pressure at even a slight angle for the rug to move from its position. This is especially true in the corner areas, where someone can easily step partially on the rug and partially on the floor. Certainly a dangerous fall could result. But this is easily prevented by placing a properly sized pad beneath the rug.

Secondly, you will discover that it is far easier to vacuum a rug that has a pad underneath. Because the rug does not move in relation to the floor, the vacuum will not cause it to gather and be sucked into the beater brushes. You still need to be careful at the corners and edges, but the rug pad will make the process of keeping your rug clean a much more pleasant one. At the minimum, the lack of the rug pad makes vacuuming inconvenient; at the worst it could cause irreparable damage to the rug's fibers.

Next, most people don't realize that a rug wears out from the bottom up. There is much more stress on the fibers closer to the floor - the ones that get crushed every time someone walks on the rug - than on the top, visible surface. A rug pad serves to cushion each step and thereby significantly prolong the life of the rug. And the cost of a rug pad compared to the cost of replacing a rug is negligible.

What if you plan to place your area rug on top of wall-to-wall carpeting? This has become a very popular trend and some people think the carpet will act as a suitable pad. Although the carpeting may help cushion the rug, it does not provide enough friction to prevent the rug from slipping. As surprising as it may seem, an area rug placed directly on top of carpeting is no more secure than one placed on a wood floor!

When you buy a rug pad, make sure you get one large enough to completely cover the bottom surface of the area rug. Don't leave an edge. Not only will this reduce the effectiveness of the pad, but depending upon the thickness of your rug, can actually be visible. You don't want part of the rug lower than the rest of it, which is what placing it on a too-small pad will do.

Because area rugs come in so many different sizes and shapes, most rug pads are easily trimmed with only a pair of scissors to the exact dimensions of the rug. You may end up needing two or more individual pads to completely cover the bottom of the rug, but again, pads are easily cut and positioned to make this possible.

Rugs Direct carries a complete line of top-quality pads in a variety of sizes. Be sure to "add a pad" when making your area-rug purchase. If you have any questions, our Customer Service Department will be happy to answer them for you. Call toll-free 888-464-1447 or send an e-mail to: info@rugsdirect.com.

Area Rug Terminology

Copyright © 2007  Rugs Direct®

There are a great many terms used in the area-rug industry. Anyone looking to buy or decorate with area rugs would be wise to become familiar with some of the more commonly used ones. Here is a list that you may find useful. It is certainly not comprehensive and complete. Your suggestions on what words or terms to add to a future list would be most appreciated.

Acrylic: A man-made fiber with wool-like appearance. It does not dye as well as nylon and is less durable, but very economical.

Aubusson (or Tapestry) Weave: A method of hand-weaving developed in France in which the stitches on the face look more linear, and the back may look stringy. This occurs when the weaver changes yarn colors.

Contemporary: A major classification of area rug types that are usually more colorful and with bolder designs that a classic Persian or Oriental rug. The opposite of a traditional rug. Synonymous with “modern.”

Field: The middle part of an area rug that is often surrounded by a border.

Flat Weave: A method of hand-weaving in which no knots are used. The weft strands are simply passed through the warp strands.

Ground: Another term for the background color of a rug.

Hand: A general term that can be used to describe certain subjective, tactile qualities of a rug including its softness, stiffness, roughness, scratchiness, etc.

Handmade: Any area rug that is made by hand, including those most often called heirloom or luxury quality. Rugs that are hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hand-hooked or hand-loomed are all handmade.

Hand Hooked: A way of making area rugs in which craftspeople insert yarn into a backing with a handheld single-needle tufting tool called a "gun."  The rug's pattern is stenciled on backing material and, after the tufting is complete, a backing is attached to protect and anchor the stitches.

Hand-Tufted: A rug that has a cut pile surface or may combine cut and loop techniques. This type of rug can also be described as "full cut."

Hand Knotted: A rug made by craftspeople who knot pile yarns around the warp fibers that run the length of the rug. Generally, the more knots per square inch, the more valuable the rug.

Heatset: A technique in which twisted yarns are treated with heat to retain their shape and appearance permanently.

Knot Count (Knots per Inch): The measured number of knots in a square inch of a rug. A 65-line rug would have 65 knots per foot of width, 65 knots per foot of length, and 29 knots per square inch.

Machine Made: An area rug that is constructed on a machine, now usually controlled by a computer to create a very exacting design.

MachineTufting: A mass-production technology developed in the United States in which yarn is sewn in a manner similar to a sewing machine equipped with hundreds of needles.

Needlepoint: A method for making area rugs using the same technique as a needlepoint pillow.

Nylon: A durable synthetic fiber that also accepts dye well. Nylon yarns can be solution dyed, skein dyed and/or space dyed.

Pile: Cut or looped yarns that form the top surface of an area rug.

Point: One tuft of pile. The total points per inch or meter can be used as a measure of overall density quality.

Polyester: A synthetic fiber most often used in staple spun yarns.

Polypropylene/Olefin: A synthetic fiber used extensively in machine made rugs that resembles wool in feel and appearance. It performs best when heatset and used in a dense construction.

Tone-on-Tone:  A rug in which two or more shades of the same hue are used for aesthetic effect. It can be achieved by using two different yarns of the same color.

Power Loomed: A term often interchanged with machine-made.

Tibetan Knot: A rug-weaving technique that originated in Tibet that produces a slightly ridged surface.

Traditional: A major classification of area rugs that refers to patterns originally developed in the Orient, ancient Persia or some of the classic European schools. Modern traditional designs are produced in colors that replicate antique rugs. The opposite of a contemporary rug.

Transitional: A broad classification of area rugs that falls between traditional and contemporary. It is frequently highly subjective to refer to an area rug as transitional. Many floral patterns are included in this category.

Warp: Vertical strands of fiber, which stretch from the top to the bottom of the rug. Knots are tied to the warp yarns to create face pile.

Weft: Horizontal strands of fiber that are woven through the warps. The weft anchors and secures the knots.

Wilton and Axminster: Two types of electronic looms used to weave area rugs in multi-colored patterns.

Wool: Considered by many to be the best fabric for use in area rugs, there are many grades available. Long staple wool from New Zealand is considered to be most desirable for rug manufacturing.

Worsted: An extra step in wool processing that combs out shorter fibers resulting in more durable and lustrous yarns.

Internet Retailer's Top 500 E-Tailers

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct

Each year Internet Retailer magazine publishes a comprehensive guide to the top 500 online retailers in terms of sales volume. It's currently a $135-BILLION industry! The 2007 guide was just released, along with some interesting information about how the world of e-commerce is changing.

Some interesting facts taken from Internet Retailer's website:

Sales Power: While there are easily tens of thousands of retail web sites operating in the U.S., the Top 500 e-retailers in 2006 accounted for 61% of all online sales.

Growth Engine: As a group, the Top 500 grew their online sales by 21% in 2006 and accounted for a total of $83.6 billion of the nation's $136.2 billion of retail web sales.

Online Sales by Industry: A total of 145 (or 29%) the Top 500 e-retail businesses in the U.S are owned by store-based retail chains, 89 (or 18%) by catalog and direct-marketing firms, 42 (or 8%) by consumer branded manufacturers and 224 (or 45%) by the so-called pure plays or web-only retailers. Because they control an even larger share of the biggest sites, retail chains accounted for 41% of online sales reported by the Top 500 in 2006, catalogers 14%, manufacturers 14% and pure plays 31%.

Online Growth by Industry: Of the 500 e-retailers ranked in the Top 500 Guide, retail chains and web-only merchants grew their online sales faster than anyone else, achieving growth rates of 23.4% and 23.6% respectively. By comparison, catalogers in the Top 500 grew their e-retail sales by 21.2%% and consumer branded manufacturers by only 9.1%.

The Big vs. the Small: In 2006, the fastest growing retail web sites in the U.S. were found in the second tier of the Top 500 e-retailers. Thirty-three of the 50 fastest growing e-retail sites consisted of e-retailers which were ranked between 251 and 500 overall. As a result, the Top 100 e-retail sites—though still dominant as a group—saw their share of total Top 500 sales decline from 87% in 2005 to 86% in 2006.

The $1 Billion Group: In 2006, fully 17 companies recorded online retail sales of $1 billion or more compared to just 14 the prior year.

Everything Sells Online: Fully 12 of the 14 merchandising categories tracked in the Top 500 registered double-digit growth rate in 2006, and the fastest growth rate coming from the hardware/home improvement sector, which expanded online sales by 42%.

Winners & Losers: In percentage terms, Lumber Liquidators achieved the best e-retail sales growth among the Top 500 with a 400% gain. Meanwhile eCOST.com turned in the worst performance with a decline of 41% in online sales. While Hardware/Home Improvement sector grew fastest online with a 42% growth rate in 2006, the runner-up was not far behind. The merchants in the largest category (in terms of numbers of merchants) in the Top 500 Guide—apparel/accessories—continued to show that shoppers have no qualms with buying fashions online. Combined 2006 web sales for this group rose by 41% to almost $10 billion. Conversely, only one category—sporting goods—experienced a decline in online sales in 2006, reporting an 8% drop from 2005. This decline, however, was the result of certain sporting goods retailers being reassigned to other categories as a result of acquisitions.

Growing Executive Base: The 2007 Edition of the Top 500 Guide provides contact information on 1,643 executives in the e-retailing industry, 11% more than the prior year's Guide.

Rugs Direct is ranked at number 274. Proudly we are still the #1 online specialty retailer of area rugs, thereby fully living up to our claim of being "The Nation's Leading Source for Area Rugs."

You can learn more about Internet Retailer's rankings, or even order your own copy if you like, by clicking here.

The Twins Turn 21

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct

Happy birthday, Mary Kate and Ashley!

It's hard to believe, but the actresses who portrayed little Michelle Tanner on the popular television show Full House turn 21 years old today! Of course, twin sisters Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen have been pretty active since their television debut at age nine months. In fact, they have created one of the most successful entertainment and product empires in the world.

Check out what they've been up to - and what they're in to - by visiting their official website.

There is a very exciting line of area rugs manufactured by Shaw called the Mary Kate and Ashley Home Decor Collection. The 100%-nylon prints come in a wide variety of bold colors and textures that include floral designs and dazzling geometrics. This is complemented by the girls' shag collection, which come in solid colors ranging from apple green and tangerine to really, really red.

The area rugs designed by Mary Kate and Ashley have tremendous appeal to young, fashion-forward women and girls, but can be used to great effect by anyone seeking to add bold color and design to a room. And of course, anyone who love shag and a retro feel, will find the perfect area rug in Mary Kate and Ashley's collection.