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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 One - Shape

Copyright © 2008 Rugs Direct^®

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.

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.

Eco-Friendly Area Rugs

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What is an Eco-Friendly area rug?

Area rugs are made from a variety of fibers that are considered to be naturally eco-friendly, which is short for "ecologically friendly." There are three primary criteria to consider when evaluating how environmentally neutral a textile product is:

1. First and most important is the renewability of the product. A renewable resource can be replenished in a relatively short period of time as opposed to centuries or millennia, such as oil or natural gas.
2. Second is the overall ecological footprint of the resource. It's important to consider the amount of land and water necessary to develop the renewable resource - most likely a plant or animal - to full growth.
3. Third is the amount of chemicals or other potentially damaging products necessary to grow or process the material in making it ready for sale.

Another important consideration in determining the extent to which an area rug is eco-friendly is how easy it is to recycle the discarded product and whether or not its fiber content is biodegradable.

Wool is not only one of the best materials from which to make beautiful, durable area rugs but it is one of the most eco-friendly fabrics on the planet. Sheep grow wool continuously. It's important to shear them at least once a year; sometimes twice. Not doing so results in the sheep being extremely uncomfortable during the summer months. When done properly, it causes no pain to the sheep and within six weeks enough new coat has grown in to provide the animal with protection from the elements. Most of the less eco-friendly processes for bleaching and dyeing wool are rapidly being replaced with ones that cause no adverse or long-term effects to the environment.

Bamboo is another excellent source of fibers for eco-friendly area rugs. It is a rapidly-growing, highly renewable grass that has natural antibacterial properties. Bamboo has an incredibly small ecological footprint and its fibers are completely biodegradable.

Other plant-based fabrics from which area rugs are made include jute, sisal, seagrass, coir, cotton and mountain grass. They require very little in the way of pesticides or fertilizers to achieve full, healthy growth. In addition, these plant resources can be replenished quickly and are almost completely biodegradeable.

Two major manufacturers of carpet and area rugs have introduced initiatives aimed at turning a variety of products not normally thought of as "green" into eco-friendly choices for customers. Shaw has launched their Green Edge program that focuses on recycling nylon. The Evergreen Nylon Recycling plant in Augusta, Georgia employs patented technology that takes post-consumer rugs and carpet and breaks them down to their original material – the actual building block for nylon 6. Shaw can then use this “new” material to make carpet and fibers – again and again without any performance degradation or color limitations.

Another area-rug manufacturer, Mowawk, has taken a slightly different approach in creating eco-friendly products. Through their Greenworks program, Mohawk operates the world’s largest integrated plastic bottle recycling facility located in Summerville, Georgia. The U.S. recycles 30 percent of its plastic bottles, and Mohawk purchases 25 percent of these, totaling 215 million pounds each year. And just what do they do with all these plastic bottles?

Mohawk recycles them to make polyethylene terephthalate (PET) carpet and rug fiber. A state-of-the-art process sorts the plastic bottles, chops up the plastic into little chips, vigorously cleans the chips and then melts them into polyester resin. The fiber is cut and shipped to Mohawk manufacturing facilities to make products consisting of 100 percent post-consumer content. But it doesn’t end there. Each part of the plastic bottle is reused. The caps and labels are transformed into other useful products such as plastic carpet cores.

Rugs Direct currently offers more than 4500 area rugs that we have classified as eco-friendly. If you are interested in shopping for one of these renewable or recyclable rugs, please click here.

The Ultimate Rugophile

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct^®

Arthur T. Gregorian loved area rugs. So much so that he dedicated his life to their study and preservation. Considered by many to be the world's greatest collector of rare, inscribed Armenian rugs, Gregorian lived a life worthy of a Hollywood movie. His legacy lives on through his books, films and rug gallery described as "A Little Part of Persia in Newton Lower Falls."

Gregorian was born in 1909 in Rahvah, on the western shore of Lake Urmia in modern-day Iran of Armenian parents. When he was only nine years old, he and his family fled the volatile region with hundreds of thousands of other Armenian refugees to the southwest, ultimately arriving in Basra, Iraq. After finding shelter in a British refugee camp, Gregorian ultimately made his way via India, Italy and France to New England. He found work following high school in a rug shop. His goal was to save up enough money to go to college, and perhaps one day become a doctor.

However, once he met Phebe Ballou, Gregorian's plans changed. In 1934 he took his life savings, some $700, and moved to Wellesley, Massachusetts to be near Miss Ballou and open his own Oriental rug store. The store was so tiny that Gregorian usually visited his potential clients' homes or offices to make his sales, but he was rather successful. By 1940 he had married Phebe and opened a larger store in Newton Lower Falls.

Gregorian's most important legacy has been in the study of area rugs. He is responsible for articles, books, films and more, all dedicated to educating people on these often priceless treasures. Being fluent in Armenian, Turkish and Farsi, he spent months at a time in the rug bazaars of Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq and Iran exploring and buying rugs. He would document his travels on 16mm film, which he would then use in his lectures. People who were fortunate enough to attend his presentations were often amused by his comments on local languages and culture.

Gregorian is the author of Oriental Rugs and the Stories They Tell, an important work in the study of rugs because of how clear and comprehensive the book is. He divided rugs into three major categories: tribal, village and city rugs. This makes sense because it is often difficult for a novice to tell the difference between a Sarouk, Isfahan or Tabriz rug, but it is much easier to distinguish the characteristics of a rug woven in a village like Bidjar to one that is more highly stylized and created in the city of Qum. (If you're confused by this, read the book. It makes it perfectly clear! It is available from Amazon.com among other places. You should also take a look at Armenag's Story, co-authored with his wife, about Gregorian's childhood travels by ox-cart from his homeland to safety in the West.)

Gregorian said he wrote this book because he discovered many rugs labeled as Turkish or Kazak were in fact Armenian. And because he was extremely proud of his Armenian heritage, Gregorian thought this distinction was important. It is also one of the reasons he spent much of his life collecting and documenting the unique styles of weaving used by Armenian craftsmen. His impressive collection of Armenian Oriental rugs was shown throughout the world and most of it was later donated to the Armenian Library and Museum of America.

Gregorian was also a noted philanthropist and humanitarian. In 1953, while serving as president of Goodwill Industries, he called his friend who owned a local grocery store and asked if he could place a collection receptacle for donations in the store's parking lot. The container was a dumpster painted blue with a rectangular hole cut in the side for shoppers to donate used clothing for the needy. This first Goodwill collection box became such a popular attraction for grocery shoppers that other store soon requested that a collection box be placed in their parking lot as well. The next time you make a donation to Goodwill, be sure to think of Arthur T. Gregorian!

Gregorian passed away in 2003. His gallery in Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts is operated by his son and grandson and currently features Antique Oriental Rugs of the Silk Route.

All About Braided Area Rugs

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct^®

Braided area rugs were born out of necessity, and if there is such a thing as an All-American floor covering, it would have to be the good old oval braided rug!

Unlike the palaces and country homes of the wealthy in Europe, with their fine, hand-woven works of floor art imported from the Middle East, homes in the American colonies had hard, cold, wooden floors. The entrance, or mud room as it was called, got – you guessed it – muddy. The obvious answer to the colonists was to braid straw mats and place them strategically in the home. Not only did they help prevent muddy boots from soiling the floors, but they also did a good job of insulating and cushioning those cold, hard floors from one's feet.

According to Michelle Stenson, a noted authority on braiding rugs from Abington, Massachusetts, in the early 1800s New England became a center for woolen fabric mills. This made wool more readily available and it was soon used to braid area rugs. These became preferable to the older straw mats because they were more durable, could be cleaned and quite frankly, were much more attractive. Most were homemade, because it was still far too expensive to import a pre-made rug from Europe or the Orient.

In those early days of braiding area rugs, there really was not much thought given to designs, patterns or colors. According to Stenson, women used whatever wool was available – often cutting up old clothing – so the patterns tended to resemble quilts of the time with a patchwork of colors and patterns all mixed together. They even had a description for this: the “hit-or-miss” pattern. Most all of these rugs had a strand of black wool that ran through the entire rug. This wasn’t by design, but was because almost all pants, suits and coats were made of black wool at the time, so black wool was more readily available than any other colors.

Eventually the braiding of area rugs became much more of an art form. Jan Jurtz, who collects antique braided rugs in Tilton, New Hampshire, notes that flowers and concentric circles became popular early on. She also has samples in her collection that demonstrate how precise variations in color and shading became more prevalent, and that much more attention began to be paid to the design of the rug’s border.

Braiding remains a popular hobby in America today, and to “braiders” there is nothing more satisfying than displaying an original piece of rug-art with its intricate interplay of patterns and colors. But major advancements in the technology behind machine-made braided rugs have made this popular style available – and affordable - to those of us without the time, skills or patience to painstakingly create our own!

As a side note, the mathematics behind creating a braided area rug is quite fascinating. For example, you typically start by calculating the length of braid needed for one square foot. In a rug that uses spacing of one inch and three strands per braid, this comes to 24 yards per square foot.

The next step is to calculate the area of the rug itself. Without resorting to integral Calculus, I’ve determined that a 5’ x 7’ oval rug is 29.63 square feet. After one more simple multiplication problem, we discover that a rather typical oval braided area rug uses a whopping 711 yards of fabric. Imagine - over seven football fields of fabric for one moderately sized area rug!

Colonial Mills, Inc. (CMI) is one of the largest manufacturers of popular braided area rugs. Their headquarters is in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. CMI has taken the traditional method of braiding area rugs and moved it into the 21st Century. The quantity of collections, designs, sizes and shapes they offer makes it possible to use braided rugs to decorate any room in your home. Here are some specific tips offered by the company:

• Rug size is important; the size should allow a furniture grouping to fit completely on or completely off the rug.
• When placing a room-sized rug on a hardwood floor, select a rug that allows 8” to 10” of wood to be exposed around the rug’s perimeter.
• Define groupings with an area rug. When a rug touches all furnishings in a grouping it pulls them together.
• When determining placement of rugs, ensure safety and that the edges will not be tripped over in high traffic areas.
• For a rug that is to be placed underneath a dining table, add 24” to 30” per side to the table’s dimensions so that the chairs can be pulled away from the table without moving off of the rug.

CMI also offers valuable tips on the specific care necessary for a fine, braided area rug:

Cleaning
Vacuum your rug regularly using the hard surface attachment. Do not use the beater bar on a braided rug. Remove spots with any dry cleaning fluid. Periodic professional dry cleaning is recommended.

Maintenance
If any of the threads that hold the braids loosen or break simply sew them together with a needle and strong thread. Trim loose ends with scissors; never pull them out of the rug. Reverse the rug twice a year to achieve twice the wear.

Padding
Floor padding is strongly recommended to prevent yarn color dye transfer and provide comfort, safety, and durability.

Laying a New Rug
Due to tight packing for shipment, a new braided area rug might not initially lay flat. Starting from the center, work any wrinkles out with hands or pole, but be careful not to stretch the fabric.

Originally most all braided area rugs were oval in shape. Occasionally, depending upon need, people would weave a circular one. For a long time, that was pretty much it. But today, innovative manufacturers such as CMI, are making rectangular braids, square braided rugs and even shapes such a hearts, half-ovals (also called “hearth rugs”) and long hallway runners. The design possibilities have opened up tremendously, so if you are partial to traditional American braids, you no longer have any limitations as to where you can place a braided area rug.

Rugs Direct has over 330 braided rug collections available in their online showroom. To explore some of the exiting designs that might go perfectly in your home, please click here.

Difference Between a Rug and Carpet

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Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a "rug" and a "carpet?"

Many people use the terms interchangeably, but in the floor-covering industry there is a distinction. The following is how this difference is explained at Nourison University:

The difference between a rug and a carpet is purely a matter of size. Within the customary terminology of the industry, any piece less than 40 square feet is called a rug while anything larger is considered a carpet. Today, however, the term rug is most commonly used to distinguish an area rug from wall-to-wall carpeting or broadloom. (Courtesy of Nourison University)

Simple enough, but what then is a "Flying Carpet?"

Viktor Vasnetsov. The Flying Carpet (1880). Oil, canvas. On exhibit at the Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum.

A flying carpet, or alternately a magic carpet, is technically a rug that has the ability to transport people standing on it to a distant location. In some instances it automatically transports its users, but most often it flies through the air.

There have been references to magic carpets throughout literature for more than two thousand years. They are most prevalent in stories originating in the Middle East, ancient Persia and India. They captured the imagination of Western audiences with the collection of stories called 1001 Arabian Nights.

Of course there have been many references to magic carpets in popular culture, ranging from Disney's 1992 animated film, Aladdin to  the Super Mario Brothers 2 videogame.  The Ministry of Magic made them illegal in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. And who can forget the classic 1968 song from Steppenwolf, Magic Carpet Ride?

A very interesting article on the Secret History of the Flying Carpet can be found at museum.com.

Of course we invite you to search for your very own "magic carpet" by visiting Rugs Direct.

Area Rug First Aid

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

Accidents Happen

No matter how carefully you care for your area rug there are going to be times when it will be necessary to apply a little judicious first aid. Spills are a natural part of life, but they needn't be something to fear if you respond to them correctly.

The most important rule to remember is:

Don't do anything to increase the area of the spill!

Food Spills

Obviously most dry foods don't present a problem to a well-made rug. Pick up what you can and vacuum up what you can't. If the food is moist or greasy, react quickly before the liquid component has a chance to soak into the rug's fibers. Often a dry rag or paper towel will lift any residue. Be sure to blot and not rub.

A liquid food spill can be a bit more of a problem. Again, blot the spill with a dry white cloth or paper towel. Keep blotting until absolutely no more liquid is picked up. Then, if necessary, wet the area slightly with warm water and start the blotting process all over again. Don't be impatient. It could take a while - and several rags or towels.

Of course the problem can be minimized tremendously if you treat your new rug with a stain protector such as Scotchgard from 3M. A special formulation made for rugs, carpets and automobile mats is available from Rugs Direct.

Pet Stains

The greatest enemy of any area rug is dog or cat urine. First of all, it can easily discolor the rug unlike almost any other "liquid" with which your rug may come into contact. It can actually cause chemical damage to the rug by changing the structure of the foundation. The area that came into contact with the pet urine can become more stiff and hard than the rest of the rug. It's not uncommon for a rug that is subjected to repeated urine stains to crack or break! Then there's the odor. Other animals may find it interesting - or even pleasant - but you and guests in your home will not. Even is you're successful in ridding the rug of any visible traces of the urine, the odor can linger for weeks. Unfortunately this sends a signal to the offending animal that it's OK to come back and leave a little more! And, as if this wasn't enough, the urine odor attracts moths, which will most certainly cause irreparable harm to your expensive floor covering.

Obviously anything you can do to prevent your pet from urinating on your rug should be strongly encouraged!

As referenced earlier, pre-treating your rug with Scotchgard or equivalent can help reduce the permanent damage pet urine can potentially cause. If you must remove a pet-urine stain that has soaked into the rug's fibers, try this spot-cleaning solution - but be careful and go slow. You do NOT want to saturate the rug at any time.

• 2 cups of warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent
• 1/4 cup of white vinegar

If you'd rather use a less dangerous, dry-method of cleaning the rug, try Capture Carpet Cleaner. It is a powder that is safe on virtually all rug fibers and lifts dirt and stains with use of your vacuum cleaner instead of steam or liquids. It won't clean everything that might drop on your rug, but it certainly won't cause any damage. It's a relatively inexpensive alternative to more drastic cleaning steps.

In case you're thoroughly disgusted at this point, we'll deal with how to clean pet stool and regurgitation in a future posting. For now, just keep Fido and Kitty away from that expensive Oriental rug!

Construction of Oriental Handmade Rugs

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

An authentic Oriental rug is a handmade work of art. This exquisite art form dates back to about 3000 B.C. Often called "functional works of art for your floor," the warmth and beauty of Oriental rugs brings interest and luxury to any room in the house.

Originally, Oriental rugs were hand-knotted with wool and silk fibers. Over time, newer and non-traditional constructions and fibers have been introduced and mixed, resulting in a larger category into which Oriental rugs now fall, broadly referred to as area rugs. The variety of qualities proliferating the industry allows for versatility in function and design as trends come and go.

One of the premier manufacturers creating top-quality handmade rugs today is KAS Oriental, from which this information is collected.

Handmade area rugs now include these popular qualities and constructions:

Hand-Knotted
A traditional hand-knotted rug is made with wool or silk. They are usually finished with a special luster wash for softness and shine and come with a fringe. Hand-knotted rugs take the longest time to make and therefore the most expensive, but allow for the most flexibility in design and color placement. To construct a hand-knotted rug, the weaver strings cotton threads, called warps, on a frame which becomes the foundation of the rug. The pile yarns, usually wool or silk, are looped around cotton threads one at a time to create a thick pile. Cotton yarns are then woven side to side through the warps to hold them together; the cotton threads are generally tied off into decorative fringes.

Hand-Tufted
A hand-tufted rug can be made with many types of fibers including wool, silk, acrylic or a combination. Hand-tufted rugs are generally less expensive than hand-knotted rugs and offer a tremendous value to the customer. To construct a hand-tufted rug, a cotton canvas is stretched on a frame to form the foundation of the rug. The design is drawn on the canvas in stencil or in outline form. Using a hooking tool, pile yarns are pushed through the foundation, making a loop, which is then cut giving the finished rug a plush or cut pile surface. The back of the foundation is given a latex coating to lock the pile yarns in place. A secondary canvas backing is applied to the rug to give it more stiffness and to cover the latex. In a Hi/Lo hand-tufted rug, the pile of the rug is a combination of cut and loop pile, which is used to create a three-dimensional effect.

Hand-Hooked
Hand-hooked rugs are made exactly the same way as hand-tufted rugs, except that the hand-hooked rug usually has a short, looped pile instead of a thick, cut pile. Also, the backing on a hand-hooked rug is often a light-weight mesh instead of a heavy canvas backing.

Flat Weave
Similar to hand-knotted rugs, flat-weaves are woven on a foundation typically made up of cotton warps strung on a frame called a loom. Instead of looping around and making a thicker pile, the yarns which form the pile are threaded back and forth, covering all the cotton thread like a blanket or a tapestry, creating a very flat pile. Usually, flat-weaves are the quickest hand-made rugs to produce and therefore, generally the least expensive. Flat-weaves can also be produced on power looms, making the production of these rugs even faster.

Bamboo Rugs
A bamboo rug is constructed of natural bamboo fibers. The bamboo is cut into narrow strands for woven geometric designs or cut into strips to create a hardwood floor effect. Bamboo has the tensile strength of hardwood trees and has a very casual yet elegant look.

Jute Rugs
Jute rugs are woven with natural plant fibers. Originally introduced and used as doormats, jute rugs have become a decorative rug suitable for many other areas of the home. Today, jute rugs are woven in loop or flat constructions, and are then dyed or have printed designs.

The best online source for handmade area rugs from KAS Oriental is Rugs Direct. Shop for over 700 styles of hand-knotted, hand-tufted and flat-woven rugs by visiting the Luxury Department of 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.