New Zealand has become the largest producer of wool in the world and is second only to Australia in wool exports, so it is not at all surprising that a lot of wool area rugs are made with New Zealand wool. Much of the wool found in exotic carpets, even Persian rugs, Chinese rugs and carpets from many other countries, get their wool from New Zealand due to it’s renowned high quality.

(Photo courtesy of teara.govt.nz)

Many contemporary wool area rugs manufacturers, and Persian rug dealers, advertise this fact because people are aware of the rigorous inspection and grading system used in New Zealand as well as the high standard of how sheep are cared for, the climate, the abundant vegetation, the manner sheered, the length of the hair and many other factors that wool associations like New Zealand Wool monitor.

However, since this wool is of such high quality and so well tested and controlled, it is naturally the most expensive and therefore commercial wool area rug and carpet companies, as well as the small hand knotted area rug makers and weavers will often use a blend of their own local wool and give it strength and softness and added quality with a percentage of the better New Zealand wool yarn.

Note: If you are searching online for 100 % wool, you may see a lot of companies advertise 100 wool area rugs. This simply means 100 % and does not refer to the knot count, the quality of the wool or it’s price. Blends of wool from different places are still wool, and may be accurately labeled 100 % even if only a portion is from New Zealand.

It’s hard to imagine when you look at large wool carpets, but individual sheep’s hair is assessed, measured, selected or rejected based on the length of the hair and the place on the sheep’s body from where it is cut before it has been selected for use in a rug.

For example, sheep have fine, long and very soft hair on their necks, bellies and underarms and shorter or coarser hair in other areas. This hair is called qurk or kork Wool and is considered to be the finest wool which is used for weaving and also found in Isfahan and Nain Persian rugs. However, wool, when used to label clothing, weaving, tapestries, rugs and carpets may be labeled WOOL and you might naturally think of sheep, but it can also mean goat (like the Mohair from the Angora Goat) or camel hair (most commonly used in Serab rugs).

It is still wool, however New Zealand wool will be exclusively sheared sheep wool unless otherwise stated. If you are buying your accent rug from a modern area rug distributor that is well known in your region or if you are purchasing products through a reputable online dealer you can ask about what wool and what quality was used and where it came from and expect an honest answer. However if you are buying in a market or from an independent trader or importer who has select pieces that interest you, you may need to perform some simple tests to check quality before buying.

Testing Wool and Things to Check for when Buying Wool Area Rugs

• Just to make sure wool is wool and not a synthetic imitation, burn a little piece. If it smells like burnt hair it’s natural, if it smells like an acrid chemical it’s not.
• When testing your oriental carpets, give mohair rugs an extra look because sometimes the dyes used on this wool will de uneven or may have run one color into another. Small area wool rugs will look cheap if the dyes have run, especially after they have been walked on a while and begin to show their imperfections. They may also present a problem at the time of cleaning.
• When looking for the exclusive handmade Gabbeh rugs, check that there are not white cotton fringes that will be a clue to their being copies and not true gabbeh from the women of the Zagros region.

Beware of Dead Wool Rugs

Not all pure wool is good wool. For instance in cheap or discount wool area rugs, and many wholesale oriental area rugs distributors that deal in bulk, know it is common for the makers to use the hair that is left over after the long stapled hair is selected.

They may be made into hand tufted wool area rugs in unique designs, yet the second rate hair (that is short and of poor quality) used in making such inexpensive carpets and area rugs will not last.

They may look as nice in a showroom as other more expensive pieces, but in fact will shed quickly and wear poorly. In the industry, wool that remains after the long hair has been removed, is termed Dead Wool.

Gazni and New Zealand Wool

The wool that is often blended or used in Persian or Oriental rugs is sometimes called Gazni wool and is also of high quality because it comes from Afghanistan high mountain sheep who graze naturally on the slopes.

This wool has a sheen, is strong and of high quality. If you see a label on an area rug that says it is a blend of gazni and New Zealand wool you know you have a rug of excellent quality.

Worsted and Semi-Worsted Wool Accent Rugs

To get the long strands and separate it from short hairs, wool is combed and this process is called worsting. You may see rugs that say things like: made from worsted or semi-worsted wool. Semi-worsted will be a blend of high grade long worsted wool and shorter hair.

The top grade would be worsted wool since this means only the longest, strongest hairs have been selected in the combing process and all the rest has been discarded. Modern rugs of high quality should be labeled as to their quality, be they worsted or semi-worsted, and if a carpet doesn’t say, it’s probably of inferior quality.

Pashmina Wool

The wool that is very fine and delicate that is derived from Himalayan goats is called Pashmina and is well known in Pashmina scarves. It is an excellent quality wool, soft and fine and long, but is very rarely used in carpet making or area rugs because it so expensive. It is primarily reserved for high end clothing and very fine scarves and perhaps tapestries. There are some very exclusive designer rugs made from this wool, and they are often used to double as bedspreads or throws and not just floor coverings. In any case, you will be hard pressed to find very large rugs in this wool.

Some companies are mixing New Zealand wool with viscose, or simply using 100 % cotton, and creating what many call a soft Pashmina Shag rug, but this is not really Pashmina – it’s become just a word used to indicate SOFT when it comes to shag area rug collections.
Manchester Wool

Another wool term that is thrown around in the carpet and rug world is Manchester Wool, which despite it’s name is used primarily in Iranian rug weaving. The main use is for a rug called the Manchester Kashan and comes exclusively from Merino sheep which are native of Australia. The use of the word Manchester is because the yarn was at one time processed in Manchester from the wool of Australian Merino sheep and later exported to Iran for use in rug making. Despite this wool having to travel a great deal around the world it is in fact of very high quality, with luster, long staple fibers, and found in excellent quality Iranian or Persian hand knotted rugs.

Testing for Shedding and Quality

Some things to watch for when selecting a wool area rug are poor quality wool rugs that have been later chemically washed to appear to have a better sheen. This will cause the rugs to shed very quickly. The way to test the quality of wool to see if it has been artificially enhanced is to agitate the rug and see if hairs come lose easily. Good quality wool area rugs that have long sheep hair and have not been overly washed will not shed into your hand. Poor quality ones will lose some hairs and this is never a good sign.

Although you may not be able to perform an extensive test of quality in a showroom (especially if selecting a large area rug), you may be able to request that a dealer do a test for you, or you may do so at home immediately after buying, when you can still return the rug should it not be up to standard.

Here is what to do: Vacuum the rug and hen immediately agitate the pile with your hand, back and forth, about a dozen times, then see if there are loosened fibers. Roll this material into a ball and see if the dimension of the ball is larger or smaller than the height of the actual pile. If it is larger than the pile of the carpet it is likely poor quality wool.

Also when you touch a rug, really feel it. Is it course and wiry? Does it feel dry and brittle? If so it is not high quality. Good wool area rugs will feel soft, have a sheen and almost give an oily impression to the touch. This will indicate that the sheep were healthy and it has not been overly chemically treated.

Don’t be deceived by cheap imitations and poor quality because it’s not just about how lovely the rug will look and what patterns and colors have been used, but about how well the rug will wear. Will the shedding cause the knots to loosen? Will the loosened knots weaken the carpet overall? Will vacuuming cause it to shed leaving bare patches, rendering your carpet or area rug unusable for high traffic areas.

So choose high quality new Zealand worsted wool or Merino wool or a blend of Gazni and New Zealand wool (even in oriental rugs styles) and enjoy your traditional or contemporary wool area rugs for a very long time to come.

If you are looking for: Round area rugs, Oval area rugs, Rectangular or Square area rug choices, or if you hope to find exotic Chinese rugs, Tibetan rugs or unique southwestern rugs, please continue reading the articles you’ll find within this site.

Foreign Accents Rugs – A Little Rug Goes A Long Way

Expert interior designers such as Steve Appel and Lee Whitehead, from a Baltimore company called Nouveau Contemporary Goods, know how to choose a home accent rug that will satisfy even the most demanding client’s taste. So when they pick area rugs and unique carpeting designs by Foreign Accents for some of their contemporary creations, we want to know why.

What’s so special about Foreign Accents rugs? How is it that something small on a floor can pull a home decorating theme together? To answer that, we need to take a look at the people behind Foreign Accents, the unique individuals, namely Trish & Wolfgang Rempen, who took their dream of scouring the world for the top contemporary area rugs into a reality.

From A Garage In New Mexico To The World

Trish & Wolfgang Rempen, of Foreign Accents, made little rugs go a long way by hand selecting the choicest pieces, which were unique and affordable, and offering them to the world. At first, back in 1984, they didn’t have fancy showrooms or exclusive designers using their carpets in show homes, in fact they began in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in a small garage. After their first retail space, they were able to expand into Albuquerque just 3 years later, and within 11 years, had built up such momentum in the contemporary area rug market that they needed to build their own warehouse.

Meanwhile, they attended the design and furniture fairs across the US and exhibited their international wares, which originated in more than 30 countries, and eventually gained such recognition in the industry that they were honored three times with the Best New Product Award by the famous New York Home Textiles Show.

Their passion for finding the top international manufactures of unusual, and high quality, contemporary rugs has lasted more than 25 years and continues. They now offer their wares to designers, exclusive furniture stores and dealers around the world.

It’s no wonder that interior designers like those at The Interior Design Group in Nanaimo, British Columbia and the above mentioned Nouveau Contemporary Goods in Baltimore, and many others like the Nordby Design Studio in Portland as well as exclusive furniture shops like Collectic Home in Austin Texas, offer the Foreign Accents rugs to their clients.

The unusual motifs in textured pieces, and the fibers that vary from wool to synthetic, along with the selection of contemporary colors in pile carpets, shag and even leather (amongst other materials), makes their accenting rugs a top choice.

Other designers who have been known to choose select items from the Foreign Accents collections are those such as Mary Sherwood from Lake Living Lifestyles – an interior designer for exclusive homes in the Lake Gaston district of Littleton, NC.

The Main Accent Rug Collections

There are eight main collections, each unique.

Bistro Loft and Luxe

The first is the Bistro line that offers plush rugs and small shag variations as well as select items crafted from durable polypropylene. Within this series you’ll find two different styles, namely the Bistro Loft and the Bistro Luxe. Both offer thick pile, rich weaves, high quality poly yarns, and stain and soil resistant treatments which make them ideal in main living spaces that may get high traffic.

The Loft and the Luxe designs are modern, however some are earth-tone semi floral or geometric translations of circular forms and shapes as well as natural elements, while others are purely neutral beige, tapes, browns and black and white blends that are contemporary yet very elegant – even luxurious yet unobtrusive and not overpowering. The Bistro series is made in Belgium and has about a half inch pile.

Chelsea Hand-Tufted

The second series is called Chelsea and features a vibrant collection of handtufted pieces in a range of different fibers made in India.

There are unusual pieces in this line that range from leather and suede to viscose. Amongst them are mottled color blends in neutral two-tone creations and rounded stone motifs as well as large eccentric swirls, spirals and colored stripes.

Crisp modern lines in some are only outdone by the circular fingerprint patterns of others or by the blending of modern animal print patterns into unique geometric divisions.

Round Accent Rugs From All Collections

The third group they showcase is simply called Round Rugs, which is self explanatory, however many of the pieces are carved. This is an extensive collection of round area rugs in a variety of unique fibers and textures that includes what they call the Fettuccine Shag. If you know what fettuccini is like and what shag is, then you have a good idea what the carpet will be like, namely: satiny strands of shag with a sheen! This accent area rug design comes in gorgeous colors like raisin, wine, champagne and metallics like silver, gold and bronze, as well as black.

There’s also a line, (within the collection) called the Starburst shag, which offers an unusual textural element and a array of colors that includes rainbow, pastels, silver, charcoal and even a lovely modern turquoise. Since round rugs is about the shape of the carpet and not the fibers or style in and of itself, the collections of round pieces overlaps into other collections, such as the Elementz and the

Festival styles (only round) and the sumptuously soft Angelhair shag that has a shimmer. There’s also a metallic braided design that’s available in silver. They’re all made in India and most offer a pile that’s between an inch and an inch and a half in length.

Elementz – Fetuuccini Shag, Angelhair and Metalic

Elementz offers a selection of carpets that are metallic or have unusual blends such as braided shag and even the softest collection of angelhair pieces.

It also includes some of the afore mentioned Fettuccine shag, the rich Starburst shag, in all the colors from in the round rug section, such as wine and turquoise, even multicolored rainbow and antic, as well as soft neutral tones like champagne, black or metallic gold.

Festival Colorful

The collection called Festival is an explosion of color, geometric shapes and forms that is a series primarily hand-tufted and carved in what is called Favriel. What is Favriel? It’s a material that’s specifically known for its ability to retain intense color and offer a textured feel that’s akin to wool while being a none-shedding acrylic that’s very durable and great for high traffic areas.

The Festival collection offers rugs that are thick and plush and luxurious to the touch, custom crafted, dyed and tufted by hand in China. The pile of these carpets is from a half to three quarters inch in thickness. The sizes of these pieces are around 5 by 7 feet, however specific sizes can be ordered

Martini Chic

Another series by Foreign Accents rugs is the collection called Martini. These are contemporary pieces with swirls and circular motifs in modern red, black and white colors that have a chic uptown Martini bar feeling. Ideal to combine with stainless steel, sleek metals and glass, leather or modern furniture that’s minimalist or architectural in shape.

The carpet itself is finely tufted by hand in India using a variety of multi-fibers that allow for a textured, carved allure for which Foreign Accents is famed. These are exceptional quality carpets, not cheap accent rugs that you can get just anywhere. They boast being the best tufted rugs on the market and best of all, they can be customized to suite your needs. The pile is about an inch thick and the sizes are usually 5 foot by 8 foot (unless other dimensions are requested). Remember that if you want to order any of these pieces online, the ones that are in stock will ship quickly, but the custom variations can take up to 12 weeks.

Designer Home Accent Rug Creations by Michael Payne

There’s also a designer line by Michael Payne. Although they are also hand-tufted and/or carved and use the wool-like acrylic yarn called Favriel, what separates them are the singularly artistic geometric patterns from the visionary inspiration of designer Michael Payne.

They are much more than area rugs, but considered floor-art, with motifs and vibrant colors set in half to three quarter inch pile carpets.

Ragtime Fun

The final series is called Ragtime and it’s all about multi fiber and textured (handmade tufted poly, made in India) to look like plush stone squares or tied rags, depending on the piece. These are very plush carpets with an inch to an inch and a half pile. Again, the standard sizes are about 5 feet by 8 feet, but custom orders are possible.

Because many of the products mentioned are stain resistant, treated with fire retardants and protected against mildew and mold, some can be used outdoors or can be a kitchen accent rug where spills and traffic might make other cheap carpets not a good choice.

Other Stuff

We love the modern and versatile Foreign Accents collections, but we also offer information on oriental and Persian wool area rugs, as well as outdoor rugs that can withstand a lot abuse from the elements. We provide guides on buying carpets and also on choosing the best Wool Rug cleaning solutions, and offer specific recommendation on how to care for your carpets.

There’s also a segment that’s specifically written for those who are upgrading or decorating their bathrooms and are looking for bathmats, water resistant rugs and Bathroom Sets.

We know that most carpets and rugs will wear better if they have a protective layer of padding under them, therefore we offer a guide on buying Carpet Underlay, and although the products we suggest are mostly for the UK market, the ideas are valid for wherever you may live.

And, if you’re installing runners on stairs, you may be wondering where to get Stair Rods that are affordable. We provide a guide on what’s offered online and provide basic information on carpet installation.

If you have a particular carpet or rug brand that you’d like us to review, we’d love to hear from you. Even if you’d just like to show off your own design or how you’ve decorated a particular room, we’d be delighted to have a look, and if it’s eye-catching and unusual, we might showcase you in one of our posts.

Leave us a comment regarding your favorite rugs and carpets, perhaps an antique wool rug you might have inherited or found while traveling, or tell us about your best carpet cleaning tips, and we’ll share them with our readers.

If you’ve been looking for the top brands like 828 International or even the famous Karastan rugs from American Classics, then you need to shop direct and benefit of savings that are between 15% and 50%. You can even shop for the brand name items like the ones from KAS Oriental, American Cottage Rugs and even the popular Kathy Ireland area rugs for up to 10% off regular prices.

If you’re looking for designer area rugs from Learning Carpets, like the Andy Warhol collection, you can save between 15% and 20% just by ordering your rugs through rugs direct instead of shopping at a showroom.

Have you had your heart set on a Liora Manne or an Angela Adams creation but just couldn’t afford it? Then try buying direct and save. It’s just a click away.

How about a Liz Claiborne or a natural rug from Anji Mountain Bamboo?

You can select the same beautiful natural designs just that you will pay about 25% less. And for 15% savings on the Martha Stewart collections and 20% savings on the famous Bob Timberlake designs, go to rugs direct and stop yourself from paying too much.

What about Calvin Klein originals and the fabulous Memeni designs?

Yes, they are also discounted when you buy factory direct rugs online.

If you’ve been browsing the pages of Nourison carpets and rugs and the Couristan collections and finding them out of reach because you have a limited budget, then get a discount of as much as 10% or 20% on select pieces, or try to Rugs Direct collections of their own that come at about 30% savings.

What about Oriental and Persian rugs, round area rugs, wool rugs and shag?

Yes. You can get a discount on the beautiful Studio by Karastan, Jaipur Rugs and even the gorgeous Surya carpet collections, up to 30% off.

And how about domestic brands like Trans Ocean carpets and United Weaver?

Yes. Discounts apply, between 15% and 20%, on specific carpets and area rugs and runner rugs when you order through Rug Direct dealers online.

How to place an order with Rugs Direct

It’s really easy.

1. Browse their collections.
2. Order online using a credit card
3. You may also choose to fax your order if you feel more secure
4. A toll free number will allow you to place an order or receive service and advice

At this time the services of Rugs Direct do not include international delivery. You may only take advantage of these remarkable savings on carpets and rugs if you reside in the United States or Canada.

For more information on ordering indoor and outdoor rugs, buying carpet underlay, selecting bathroom sets and even choosing stair rods for runners and stairway carpeting, please consult the related topics specific to your needs.

Interactive children’s floor rugs; alphabet and letter squares for building customized kids floor rugs; large bilingual designs and international map and globe style childrens floor rugs to stimulate imagination and discovery; fun game center rugs and carpets that help teachers and parents educate and entertain; durable rug flooring designs crafted specifically for children and for use in high traffic areas; cute baby floor rugs that are ideal in the nursery or playroom – that’s what this weeks rug review is all about, plus suggestions on durable, easy to clean kitchen floor rug designs for families with children and recommendations on where to shop for discount floor rugs online.

The latest area floor rugs for kids are not just decorative pieces that keep kid’s toes warm, but are also educational, interactive and activity centers and game boards, designed to educate and entertain in fun and unique ways. The large floor rugs that re available through a company called Kids Carpet are colorful and well crafted pieces that stimulate children’s imaginations and may be ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, baby rooms, play areas and even daycares and schools where children can interact with each other and with the carpet they sit on. Let’s take a closer look at the kids floor rugs that are interactive and versatile.

Foam alphabet squares are nothing new, but woven carpet squares that are cozy to sit on and yet easy to play with are a new concept. Each carpet square has a letter and an image to help children learn phonetic sounds that match a letter. The pieces are large enough, 1 square foot each, to be an individual mats and are great for playing games with groups of children. These pieces may also be placed on the floor all together to form a carpeted area, and since they are very durable, will work even in high traffic areas or commercial centers like daycares and childcare facilities within stores or offices. They are rated as fire safe even in commercial applications. They are sold in sets of 26 for just under $150. If you’re planning on using these squares to cover a floor, that is an excellent price for a 26 square foot kids floor rug.

There are dozens of ABC and alphabet children’s floor rugs that are practical, but some of the newest incorporate games, like the ABC Caterpillar design that can be used as a game board to play while children sit on the carpet in a circle. The ideas for using the carpet are only limited to the teacher’s and children’s imagination.

One of the most innovative ABC floor rugs for kids is the Feelings Bold Colors design that is sold through Kids Carpet. It is a fun, colorful design that has large squares with images of feelings that can be used a means to communicate difficult emotions, open communication between adults and children by using the pictures to discuss their feelings and offer a means for young children to express themselves even by pointing to the images and in that way creating a means to breach a gap between parent or teacher when vocabulary of a child may be limited. It can also be a teaching aid for learning about self confidence and a way to play games with other children in a healthy open way that brings emotions and feelings into the open.

Another fantastic innovative childrens floor rugs concept is the one that incorporates alphabet and seasons and has interactive pieces that match the images on the carpet. With shapes, seasons and letters, children can play a variety of games, alone or in groups, at home or in a more formal setting.

A scientifically engineered carpet for kids that is said to aid the development of both left and right brain activity is the labyrinth alphabet rug. The concentration required to navigate a labyrinth can help to calm children as they play quiet games that lead them to the central star. This carpet is recommended for a space that is either for reflection, quiet-time or placed in an area to reward a child for good behavior. The activities and games that can be developed around this carpet are numerous and the design that is colorful and inspiring is at the same time designed to sooth and calm, not excite.

Large floor rugs that stimulate sports are another innovation that has come to the world of carpeting, like the Baseball Field Rug, which is the largest baseball carpet that’s commercially for sale. Kids floor rugs that can serve as a complete covering for a recreation room or playroom are few, but this 7 foot rug is large enough for a game or simply as a decorative enhancement to an area with a children’s sports theme.

But not only are there area floor rugs for sports and alphabets and games, but also to stimulate global ideas and understanding of other cultures and languages, like the Bilingual Town Rug.

Children can have fun while learning about the areas and buildings that make up a town, but not just any town, but a bilingual one, where all the words are in both English and Spanish. Learn about culture, about geography, about town relationships, right and left, directions and expand English vocabulary and practice Spanish.

Another rug flooring option that’s ideal for children’s playtime activities is the Cruisin’ Around the Town Road Rug that allows children to add cars or other toys to pretend to travel and interact with each other and their environment. It may be a means to teach directions, right and left, accept instructions, learn about traffic signals or just have fun. Even if these carpet floor rug ideas are just used as part of a decorative theme, they will still be a unique addition to a children’s bedroom, playroom or childcare facility, since they are colorful and high quality pieces suitable for high traffic areas and even commercial spaces.

If you like the items that you see here, you can save a lot of money by buying from discount floor rugs centers that operate online, like Kid Carpet, where you pay only for the rug and not for the middlemen or showrooms or sales clerks. The unique floor area rug designs we have suggested in this article, when ordered online, will be delivered free of charge within the US.

Kitchen Floor Rugs

One of the things that is often impossible to own when you have children is a rug in the kitchen or dinning room because kids spill things and drop food and drinks and therefore most families opt for tile or easy to care for flooring solutions that will not be ruined by stains. However, there are options for having a dinning room or kitchen floor rug that is designed especially with families in mind. One such fun and versatile piece is the Latitude Aztec design, that’s designed for high traffic spaces and is crafted so as to be easy to clean and not show stains. It may be used in a kitchen, living room, dinning room or even a playroom since it’s very colorful and matches a multitude of décors. It’s also very affordable starting at just under $150 for a large 3′ 10″ x 5′ 4″ rectangle, but can also be ordered in sized up to 10 feet.

There are also colorful area rugs that suitable the heaviest traffic areas, like theaters, which would make a kitchen or home dinning area seem simple by comparison. The patterns being wild and fun make spills and stains invisible, and the carpet itself is so durable that it can be cleaned more frequently than many other cheap or discount floor rugs that will become matted and worn looking. The beauty of this design called Lava, is that it’s not very expensive. For example a large 6 foot by 12 foot rug will cost under $250. This is industrial strength, commercial grade high traffic area rugs at home carpet prices.

Another really great solution to having rugs in the kitchen and high traffic areas in a home with children is the Prism Carpet Tiles. These are not only fun and funky by design but very practical since they can be installed individually, and also removed piece by piece if one should be stained or damaged. Replace sections of the carpet without having to pull up your entire floor should such a need ever arise. These pieces of rug have sticky backs so they won’t move around, but are not so difficult to remove like the ones that glue. These carpet tiles are ideal for kitchens because they can be vacuumed or wiped with a damp rag to keep clean. And you don’t need to worry if you have to replace one or two pieces, your entire carpet pattern will not be ruined because each tile is a complete pattern of its own. Each piece is 36 inches square, so you can cover quite a large a surface for a very affordable price. Individual tiles start at just $32 each and they come in 6 fun contemporary colors. Mix and match or choose one or two that can be created into a checkerboard or design of your choice.

Baby Floor Rugs

In a different category are baby floor rugs, in part these floors rugs must not be so durable and high traffic resistant, but more about softness and design. Used to decorate and give warmth to a nursery or a space where a newborn can lay or play without too much movement and usually with few spills and stains. Designs that are subtle and delicate, yet still child-like are ones like the Fancy Fiddler, which has a gentle pattern spread over the carpet that is not too overpowering even for an elegant nursery that is mostly neutral tones. It gives just a touch of whimsy and fantasy without it being too bright.

There are also fanciful little rugs to add just a splash of color or to give a theme, like the Mary Had a Little Lamb faux braided rug that’s a soft place for baby to play or rest or for mommy to sit while reading a bedtime story. These delightful baby floor rugs are ideal to decorate in small spaces, since they come in oval and round shapes that can be placed in front of a crib or beside a rocker or at an entrance, or placed as a focal piece in the center of the room. A 3 by 5 foot round rug like this one costs just under $150, so it’s reasonably priced. It’s also easy to order online from the Kids Carpet shop and will be delivered free in the US.

There are many other designs to choose from that are braided rugs and wool or cotton chenille for softness, and you may also want to consider shag rugs for a baby’s room. If you would like more information on where to buy sheepskins, round area rugs, wool rugs, large rugs and even get help with carpet underlay suggestions, please browse related topics that suite your specific flooring needs.

If you’re in the UK you’re going to love the large rug selection at a place called World Rugs Emporium. Extra large rugs come in up to 3m X 4m and you can choose from Persian, wool, oriental, shaggy and contemporary designs or round rugs and hall runners.

Funky Large Area Rugs from World Rugs Emporium

Let’s have a closer look at what large area rugs they offer and see what prices you can expect to pay. One fun contemporary collection that’s really affordable is called the Patina rug collection that costs just £64 for a large 170cm x 230cm piece. That price includes mainland UK delivery.

All the large contemporary rugs in the collection are not just big and cheap but are very durable and good for high traffic areas because they are machine woven and crafted entirely from resistant polypropylene. These pieces can take a beating and will retain their color and texture and are also much easier to care for than wool. They are easy to maintain and may even be used where normally you may not place an expensive wool rug for fear of damaging it, like in a kitchen or under a dinning table.

Modern Large Floor Rugs

There’s nothing more modern and chic than large shaggy rugs from Innovation Range. These large floor rugs that are truly shaggy are all machine woven but have a wonderful soft shag pile. The most modern collection has a variety of unusual designs and contemporary black and white and red, as well as beige and grey.

The sizes range from 80 x 150cm to 290 x 200cm and there are also long hall runners that measure 60 x 230cm. Prices start at about £49 and go up to about £160. These are great value for your money because the rugs are durable, modern and varied in design, offering a variety of design possibilities, and are also easy to order and include free delivery.

If you have a large space that has hardwood flooring, it is very possible that you need very little to decorate the room if you have a large area rug that sets the theme. If you find that a geometric design is too dramatic, but you want a contemporary shaggy rug design, then select a plain color or a white or being shag design that will blend better while still being modern and chic. The most popular colors are white, cream, green and teal blues. At the World Rugs Emporium, shaggy shag rugs start at just £79, which is very affordable, and come in all the popular colors just mentioned.

Large Persian Rugs For Less

A large Persian rug is not a small purchase and often they are very expensive, so much so that many people simply cannot dream of owning a small one, never mind a large masterpiece for a living room that is very large. But, we have really good news for you. The Royal Palace rugs collection sold through World Rugs Emporium start at just £149 and come in all the Persian designs and colors you dream of. In fact they are so affordable that a 3 meter long large Persian rug need only cost you about £399 instead of thousands. There are even some designs like the Murat and the Noble Art styles that start at just £65 to £69, and come in up to 4 meter lengths. Runners are also available.

Affordable Large Oriental Rugs

If you’ve been dying for an Oriental rug but can’t afford the ones you’ve seen, then have a look at what we suggest. Large oriental rugs from the Afgan Rug Range which are machine made but are in fact 100% wool cost just £239 at the World Rugs Emporium. They are beautifully crafted and look like the real thing and are really large and soft. They are available in the 2 meter size and also in long runners. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better deal on a round 2 meter Oriental rug that is delivered right to your door for that price.

Ideas for Large Bath Rugs

Large bathroom rugs are not only difficult to find but often ugly and expensive. If you don’t have a wet room style bathroom, but a sealed or enclosed shower area and a dry space where you have a mirror and perhaps some shelves for towels and other items, you may consider a Persian or Oriental rug or a shaggy rug or even a polypropylene piece that’s good enough for indoor and outdoor use. If it can be tossed on the porch and left in the rain, it can surely be a bath rug.

Try being creative and get away from the usual rubber backing bath mats that come in pink and blue and go for something that adds to the personal décor and yet is still functional. Most machine made polypropylene outdoor rugs will work for a bathroom, and most regular rugs can be used as well so long as you have ventilation and the room is basically dry. You can also add a little piece of carpet underlay beneath large rugs in the bath so protect them from moisture.

Beautiful Trans-Ocean Terrace outdoor polypropylene rug designs starting at $14; elegant yet durable Couristan Five Seasons polypropylene outdoor rugs starting at $20;
discount designs in contemporary and classic styles from top manufacturers; all weather creations that look like indoor rugs; traditional outdoor braided rugs starting at $32; specials for online shoppers – all the information you need to decorate indoors and outdoors with alternatives to wool area rugs.

Trans-Ocean Terrace Outdoor Polypropylene Rug Designs

If you’re looking for affordable wool area rugs alternatives that are great for indoors or outdoors, you need to see the Trans-Ocean collection that has fashionable carpet and rug solutions that can really take a beating while looking great.

These outdoor area rugs are all machine woven from 100% polypropylene pile, which makes them ideal for outdoor usage, especially for porches, decks and front entryways that take a lot of abuse. But they are far from being your average doormats. You can select small 23” X 35” sizes for $14 to $19 or large rugs 39” X 59” for $43.

There are also matching runner rugs that measure 23”X7’6” also for just $43. The largest sizes are 4′ 11” X 7′ 6” that cost about $91, and the same designs in a large size that measure 7′ 10” and are square for $159, or the largest sizes that are like carpets measuring 7′ 10” X 9′ 10” for just under $200.

These are not some ugly green indoor/outdoor plastic, crunchy-feeling rugs that will detract from the look of your outdoor space, but elegant carpets that could just as easily be in the living room or dinning room. Many have pile, are soft and comfy to sit on, and even have elaborate patterns and motifs. Some are contemporary and others have classic designs. There are even the popular zebra rugs, floral patterns and outdoor leaf and flower designs, as well as beach and exotic themes to match almost any décor.

The zebra rugs come in natural black and white, tiger colors, black and orange and even in wild red and white. They start at about $19, but some of the color and texture and pattern variations are $39 to $99, like the hot pink and red zebra pattern that’s 3 feet 6 inches by 5 feet 6 inches, rectangular.

The amazing thing about these outdoor rugs is that have a ½ inch pile, so there’re really a lot more than a mat on which to wipe your feet, but warm cozy places to sit outdoors and read a book or to have underfoot when you’re barefoot on the deck or under a patio table and chair set, even as a floor covering inside a garden gazebo.

Couristan Five Seasons Polypropylene Outdoor Rugs

If you’re impressed by the outdoor patio rugs we suggest so far, then you will be equally delighted to see what Couristan rugs are all about. From ultra modern graphic designs in stripes and geometric shapes to classic neutral tones and beachy fun, the Five Seasons collection is power-loomed in Turkey, with a flatwoven construction in 100% polypropylene by Courtron. These are not indoor rugs that you can drag outside on nice days, but genuinely designed outdoor rugs that are really durable and made to resist the elements without being difficult to care for. They have a UV stabilized so the sun doesn’t effect their color and they have been crafted in such a way that inclement weather will not cause them to disintegrate either.

The price will depend on the design you choose, but mostly on the size. The smallest ones are 1′ 11” X 3′ 7” and cost just $20. The matching entryway or stair runners measure 2′ 3” X 7′ 10” and cost just under $50. For large rug options like the 3′ 6” X 5′ 5”, you’ll pay just under $60 and matching larger runners that are almost 12 feet long cost about $75. The rugs that are large 5′ 3” X 7′ 6”, great for patios and decks under benches and tables, cost around $110 and the ones that are over 9 feet long are just under $150.

The two largest woven outdoor rugs in the Couristan Five Seasons collection that are made from polypropylene are 7′ 6” X 10′ 9” and sell for about $230, and the huge 8′ 6” X 13′ all weather outdoor rug that could fill an entire porch or deck is just under $320.

There’s a really fun collection called Taos Lodge, also by Couristan, that is bright and colorful and has Native American motifs and Southwest motifs that are a wonderful way to brighten up an outdoor area. They come in outdoor rug runner sizes and even extra, extra large rectangular shapes to fairly cover a deck. Just add a cactus a clay pot and your patio is all done.

These Taos Lodge pieces are also excellent for indoor high traffic areas in cabins, lodges and retreats or even on the floors of a small country B & B. They are casual elegance with a contemporary feel that creates a warm atmosphere of rustic frontier without roughing it. Yet the carpets themselves are designed to endure since they are power-loomed heat-set polypropylene with a dense weave of over 500,000 points/ square meter.

For nature lovers choose the blues and yellows and terracotta hues, and for the more geometric contemporary look choose the ivory and dark neutral tones with diamond and triangular geometric shapes. The large outdoor rugs in the Taos lodge collection are a little more expensive starting with the one that measures 2′ 7” X 4′ 11” and costs $89, and moving up to the long runner designs that measure almost 8 feet for about $120. The other rectangular shapes are 3′ 11” X 5′ 3” for around $140 or the 5′ 3” X 7′ 6” for about $270.

The two largest sizes of polypropylene rug design for garden decoration in this collection are 7′ 10” X 11′ that costs about $580 and the really large 9′ 6” X 13′ 2” piece that is about $850.

Other Cheap Outdoor Rugs

If you want a zillion different styles that are unique, from round outdoor rugs to the ever popular natural varieties of treated outdoor bamboo rugs and the super durable sisal outdoor rugs, you should take a look at what Rug Studio have in their collections. Aside from having all the above suggested items from Couristan and Trans-Ocean, they also have some rare finds like polypropylene outdoor braided rug styles that look just like the ones from wool that are used indoors.

For a country cabin look, these outdoor braided rugs from a company called Rhody Rug in New England, braided and hand sewn and come in the Pilgrim rug designs that are classic. Although they are not wool, they are finely crafted texturized polypropylene and can be purchased alone or with matching chair pads for outdoor seating. The colors are almost endless and the designs are as a braided rug should be – wound around and around in a mix of coordinating hues and tones as if made from strips of rag.

Here are the prices for the braided outdoor rugs and matching chair pads:

You can have a set of four pads that measure 15” around for just $32, and a matching rug that’s 2′ X 3′ for just over $40. The larger seat covers that measure 8” X 28” , also sold in a set of 4, are just over $43, and the matching 2′ X 4′ rug costs about $55.

The larger braided rugs that measure 3′ X 5′ start at just over $100, and the beautiful 4 foot round design is just under $120 and the 6 foot round are $256, and the 8 foot round outdoor rug costs $455. The 10 foot braided round outdoor rugs are priced at just over $670.

The oval 4′ X 6′ ones are about $163, and 5′ X 8′ are about $277, while the larger 7′ X 9′ costs just over $400. The largest oval ones are 8′ X 11′ and costs about $540 and the 10′ X 13′ are around $910.

For more information on round area rugs, cheap rugs, Persian rugs and wool area rugs from around the world, as well as beautiful shag rugs, please select related topics.

Photo of Bazaar by Joel Meadows

The carpet and rug bazaars themselves are places where classic, ancient and new, contemporary come together; classic being the barbars who are bent from carrying rugs on their backs, and ancient are the designs and motifs that mimic great Islamic architectural patterns, and new is the fresh wool and the dyes, and contemporary are the colors that illuminate piles of rugs spread out on platforms for viewing or draped on walls, and spilling out into the walkways…rolls and rolls of carpet and miles and piles of wool area rugs from every dealer’s stall or shop or office where international rug trading is as ancient an art as it is a modern industry.

Photo of Grand bazaar by Fabien Dany

The scent of these market places is one that any rug lover knows without looking – the aroma of musty wool, the earthy smell of the bowls of liquid dye, mixed with the scent of narghile sheesha tobacco from hookah pipes, perhaps a simmering pot of sweet Persian tea or cardamom-scented coffee on a coal fire, some incense, and a distant whiff of kebab.

A Persian Rug

Here, in a bazaar in Tehran or Tabriz, is where you will find the Heriz design wool area rug, brought from other cities, like the famous Ardebil, with its distinctive geometric pattern, different due to straight lines and jagged edge motifs like the Kazak rugs of southern Azerbaijan – more modern than what you’d expect from a Persian wool area rug. The Heriz (or Hariz or Heris) wool area rugs are thick, tough, and often less expensive than the more classic Tabriz carpets.

Although in the bazaars it can be tough to wade through the piles of rugs that have been loosely woven, or that have a low knot count, and are of poor quality, it is certain that by the time they have been inspected and reach a boat or a plane and are imported to a distant country, only the best and strongest rugs have survived the rigorous scrutiny of dealers and merchants trained in carpet buying.

Quality control is to some extent what an importer is all about. The carpets that are collected by the initial buyer with an eye for color, texture and design, will then be passed on to be thoroughly examined by experienced carpet inspectors who spend of their lives on their knees.

When buyers select carpets, more than half of what they see is rejected quickly by the first inspector. Subsequent inspection may reveal an odd dye tone or a warp or a crease or a crinkle that no amount of stretching will fix, so the next ones are eliminated, and so on, until only a few select area rugs and carpets are chosen for shipment overseas.

Mehraban runners or Mehriban area rugs, which use the Hamadan weave, are often decorated with flowers and medallions on dark (often blue) backgrounds. These fantastic and historic rugs come from a place west of Teheran, between Sarouk and Hamadan, and are considered sturdy wool rugs having one heavy cotton weft and then thick, high quality wool, coarsely woven into fine and durable rugs, perfect for hallway runners and high traffic areas.

Another great area rug from the region is the Bakhtiari area rugs and carpets tinted with vegetable dyes, and although sometimes the yarn is spun by machine, they are fine carpets made from symmetrical knots single or doubled wefted. The single wefted rugs may be similar to Hamadan except that Bakhtiari tend to have larger wefting.

Karadja carpets, although similar to Hamadan, and can also be decorated with hooked medallions (somewhat like the Lambaran), but are in fact different because the wool is coarser and therefore the rugs are heavier. Karadja rugs are primarily runners or small area rugs, rarely large carpets.

Although the word ‘Persian’ or Oriental carpet or rug may instantly conjure in western minds the idea of an ancient, old or traditional rug, this is not at all the case for the rug makers or their dealers. Since carpets are constantly being designed, woven and knotted, each piece is new, and motifs that may appear traditional may actually be variants of the original patterns, and the coloring or dyes may be in keeping with modern trends, and therefore considered very contemporary.

The other thing is that ‘antique’ to those who make carpets may simply mean something that was not made this year or last. When you live and work and sell your wares amidst buildings with walls and arches that are truly ancient, in a land that has a history as old as man, then perhaps the words modern and contemporary versus antique and traditional have a very different meaning indeed.

It is interesting to note that about 5 million weavers in Iran create carpets and a million of those are for export alone. Needless to say there are styles created that mimic both old and new flooring styles. The most common sizes are the Farsh or Qalii which are anything over 6×4 feet, the Qalicheh is anything under 6×4, and the famous Kilim rugs of the nomads are all much smaller in general (usually prayer rugs) and used abroad as toss rugs or small area rugs.

Speaking area rug sizes, one really, really big area rug, perhaps the largest on record is the one in the Grand Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Muscat which is 4,343 square meters in size. (Photo of Sultan Qaboos Mosque courtesy of Iran Carpet Co.)

When seeking wool area rugs, Persian and oriental rugs are almost all made of wool. Cotton is only for the foundation, wool is what creates the pile and what receives the wear. Some of the wool is Kork wool, Manchester wool, and even Camel Hair wool, while silk may be softer and finer it is also more expensive and less durable. Oriental silk carpets are most often wall tapestries and not intended for heavy traffic on the floor.

When it comes to Persian rugs motifs and designs, weavers often create patterns from memory since most rug makers are born into the trade from childhood the designs become second nature, however many patterns are just variations of similar classic designs and are not replicas anything but the creations of the weavers as they work. This is true of geometric shapes more so than the designs of area rugs that are curved or vine-like or floral or have medallions. The truly elaborate motifs that are traditional have now been put onto computer and these create perfect antique replicas. Fortunately the hand woven and knotted rugs are still the ones most prized and the most expensive. The motifs that are most well known are the Boteh, Gul, Herati, Mina-Khani, Rosette and Shah Abbasi

The boteh design for area rugs is the Farsi word for flower bud or palm leaf or cluster of leaves that can also include shapes that we see as a flame or a teardrop or pear and yet is most widely called the paisley pattern because the Scottish town of Paisley imitated the pattern that was found from a Kashmir shawl with a boteh design. I used to think it had been the other way around. But next time you see a carpet with paisleys you might be inclined to give it a second look.

Gul area rugs come from the Farsi word for flower and therefore it is common area rug motif, but it is argued that the word gul is also the Turkish word for tribe, and therefore a family emblem and not a flower. That would explain why not all gul rug patterns are floral!

Herati area rugs are elaborate patterned rugs that come from the Farsi word for fish –
Mahi, however there are many gorgeous motifs in this category that are flowers centered in a diamond with curving leaves that stretch beyond the diamond shapes. Many of these area rugs are made in Heart, Afghanistan and therefore the name we know today.

Mina-Khani area rugs use a type of pattern that is repeated over a rug and often has a central palmetto and vines and eight flowers in a lattice design that might also be described as the way you might see flowers or fruit if standing above them. The rugs from Tehran, Belouch and Tabriz often have this design.

Rosette area rugs will commonly have a circular pattern of designs that are based round a focal or central medallion or motif such as those found in the Nain area rugs.

Shah Abbasi is a common pattern of the Tabriz area rugs derived from the word for men’s cloaks which is Abaas that were woven in the city of Nain where these rugs originated. The cloaks didn’t do very well, so weavers switched from cloak making to rug making and used the same motifs – usually vines and curvy shapes of flowers and animals intertwined in complex layered patterns.

How are these Persian rugs made? Well, the weft is passed through the bottom warp to form a base and then loosely piled knots of wool are tied around adjacent warps to form the area rug designs. It’s very time consuming because a knot count can be up to 550 knots per square inch. It’s almost a crime to walk on such a rug!

There are looms for weaving rugs also and the main function of the loom is to provide tension. There are horizontal looms which are used by nomadic peoples and produce small area rugs vertical looms that can produce unlimited lengths of rug, which is where runners are often made. In Iran, the Tabriz loom, which has a fixed upper beam and a moveable lower one, is the most common. Tension is created by adding wedges into slots along the sides and weavers position is raised as the rug is woven.

Many of the carpet styles and motifs and knots and patterns as well as the overall rugs themselves are derived from the names of the cities where the technique or the motif originated. That is why carpets are named Abadeh, Ardabil, Herat, Heriz or Hariz or Heris, Nain, Shiraz, Tabriz, Veramin or Zabol just to name a few of the most well known centers from which Persian come from.

Another famous floor covering are the Gabbeh rugs, which are traditional tribal carpets made in the Zagros region of northwestern Iran, and are considered natural fiber carpets since the term gabbeh is exactly that – natural.

These wonderful wool area rugs are great for any home that is looking for new contemporary area rugs because each carpet is unique depicting women’s lives, emotions and stories of what surrounds them but translated into geometric and asymmetrical patterns that are akin to modern styles and avant-garde designs. These are artistic and individual masterpieces woven with thick pile wool although the knot count is low, they are of high quality and very coveted in the western world.

These gabbeh rugs are often seen being sold by discount wool area rugs sellers and they are not genuine from the women of the Zagros area.

Many of these fakes are made in India or China and may be immediately identified because they are not good quality wool, have been dyed with chemicals and not the natural tints used by Zagros women and usually have a white fringe that the originals don’t have.

If you want a genuine gabbeh wool area rug then a good place to find them online is gabbeh.com. there are many expensive varieties that appear original, but if they say made in India they cannot possibly be originals no matter how expensive they are.
However a true Gabbeh area rug will cost no les than about $1,000 and most are closer to $2000, $3000 or more.

Here are some Gabbeh to choose from:

• Amalehbaft
• Basic Gabbeh
• Kashkoli
• Kelim
• Luribaft
• Oushak
• Shekarlu
• Sumak

Each rug is handmade and unique and there are no two alike, but to give you an idea of size and price:

• Gabbeh-Amalehbaft Wool Area Rug – 10′ 2″ x 15′ 4″ –$13, 200.
• Gabbeh-Amalehbaft Wool Area Rug — 10′ 2″ x 12′ 5″ — $4,980.
• Gabbeh-Amalehbaft Wool Area Rug — 9′ 8″ x 12′ 10″ — $4,260.
• Gabbeh-Amalehbaft Wool Area Rug — 9′ 8″ x 12′ 4″ — $5,640.
• Gabbeh-Amalehbaft Wool Area Rug — 9′ 5″ x 12′ 7″ — $6,860.

If you seek hand tufted wool area rugs in a modern, geometric or contemporary pattern you will probably be able to find it in a Persian carpet style. These oriental rugs can be large enough to fill a room, or simply be hallway runners or accent rugs. Because of their strength and durability they are sturdy enough to be kitchen rugs in a modern home with lots of foot traffic.

Contemporary area rugs, made in villages and cities in Iran and Afghanistan and Turkey and many other parts of the world, are natural rugs, created by men and women who have made wool carpet weaving and knotting, not merely a profession, but their life. Most Persian area rugs online have come from the hands that have perfected the art of creating area carpets and contemporary rugs that blend well with any modern décor.

1. Shaw Area Rugs

Here is a small sample of some of the top selling Shaw area rug designs from classic traditional to contemporary Shaw rug creations:

• Shaw Vineyard Ebony for $207.from The Home Depot – a contemporary rug in a nontraditional design.
• Kathy Ireland Young Attitudes Rug — Garden Girl for $229.from Amazon, which is a fun children’s woven area rug
• Shaw Contempo Round Area Rug for $375.from The Home Depot is easy to clean and resistant to stains.
• Shaw Living Scrabble Area Rug for $218.00 from Lowe’s
• Shaw – Area Rugs Sonnet Border – Garnet Rectangle Rug for $1,099. from South Cypress Floors
• Shaw Antiquities English Garden Gold Area Rug for $499. from RugStudio
• Shaw Area Rugs by Kathy Ireland Essentials Rug Diamantes for $89.from PowerSellerUSA
• Shaw – Kathy Ireland Essentials Buenos Aires for $276.from Rugs Direct
• Shaw Area Rugs: Reverie Rug: Haiku Orchid Rectangle area Rug for $449.from Amazon.

2. Mohawk Rugs

Mohawk area rugs are a flooring company that have a wide range of products from wool area rugs to bath mats and all in between. Here are a few of their cheap area rug designs.

• Mohawk Home Shag Starch Tan Woven Rug – $14.
• Mohawk Guzula Camel Machine Woven Rug – $69, high pile contemporary design and subtle floral pattern in natural colors.
• Mohawk Home Rugs Bloomfield, Olive –$79, structured design with movement
• Mohawk Home Tribute Square Oyster Square Area Rug $95. tufted area rug in fashion color trends
• Mohawk Home Rugs Prismatic, Brick Red –$169, intense colors, rich reds contrast darker hues
• Mohawk Constellation GlimmerArea — $39.
• Mohawk Home Prismatic Rug – Brick Red –$147, woven area rug, easy to clean
• Mohawk Home Modern Squares Rug Runner –$39.99, mocha pale blue and caramel
• 1927 Mohawk Rugs & Carpets with Colonial Couple – Vintage reproduction

3. Nourison Rugs

For contemporary area rugs, traditional and transitional pieces, Nourison Rugs has something to offer, including special rugs by Calvin Klein and Liz Claiborne. They also have southwestern and tribal wool area rugs and country styles in large square, rectangular and round rug designs as well as oval rugs. They offer animal print rugs, the famous zebra rug, dinning room and living room round rugs and lots of kitchen rugs that you can mix and match. There are many Nourison dealers online and lots of showrooms, but here are a few designs and their prices to give you an idea:

• Nourison Cheetah Print 5′ x 8′ Rug for $300.
• Hand-tufted Galleria Rug (5’6 x 7’6) for $155.
• Hand-tufted Galleria Green Rug (5’6 x 7’6) for$164.
• Nourison Rugs Heritage Hall for $2,949, 17th Century Persian rug replica
• Nourison Calvin Klein Home Luster Washed Chrome Rug for $348.
• Nourison Rug Julian Wool Area Rug for $799.
• Nourison Rugs Heritage Hall Heritage Hall Gold Round Area Rug for $879.
• Nourison Rugs 16th Century Gold for $1,479, hand-stitched micro-hooked rug
• Nourison Rugs Heritage Hall Aqua color antique replica for $979.

4. Kathy Ireland Rugs

If you don’t know who Kathy Ireland is then here’s what Wikipedia has to say: “she is an American former model, actress, CEO and designer of her eponymous brand product marketing company, Kathy Ireland Worldwide.” And that explains why there are many products for the home that bear her name, including an extensive range of contemporary and classic wool area rugs.

Shaw Rugs have many Kathy Ireland products like her line of kids area rugs for which she has become rather well known.

There is no specific design involved and many are washable area rugs and very practical, while others are massive square area rugs or runners rugs for hallways and entrances or even small discount area rug styles that anyone on a budget can afford.

Here are just a few of her top selling rugs:

• Kathy Ireland Young Attitudes Garden Girl Sandy Beach Rug –$229.
• Kathy Ireland First Lady Imperial Garden Old Republic Black Rug for $349.
• Kathy Ireland Essentials Manor Natural Rug by Shaw Rugs for $689.
• Kathy Ireland Young Attitudes Cherry Pop Dark Shadow Rug for $229.
• Kathy Ireland Essentials Manor Ebony Rug by Shaw Rugs for $1,749.
• Kathy Ireland Essentials Manor Ruby Rug by Shaw Rugs for $89.
• Kathy Ireland Young Attitudes Flying Machine Locker Room Blue Rug for $229.
• Kathy Ireland Essentials French Countryside Natural Rug by Shaw for $689.
• Kathy Ireland Essentials French Countryside Celadon Rug by Shaw for $1,099.
• Kathy Ireland Essentials Windsor Multi Rug by Shaw Rugs for $829.

5. Couristan Rugs

Couristan is a huge successful manufacturer and importer of carpets and area rugs, from wool area rugs and little sisal rug styles for outdoors to full outdoor area rugs and lots and lots of wool area rugs for every budget.

They also have wall to wall carpet solutions for home and commercial uses as well as large oval rugs and square rugs for living rooms and dinning areas. They offer custom rugs services to the hospitality industry and discount rug alternatives for large volume buyers. But because they deal in such a wide range of carpets and tugs, they do have a selection that rivals any top flooring company, and they have distribution centers and online retailers who often offer further discounts of select outdoor area rug and indoor wool area rug designs.

They are an official affiliate with Wools of New Zealand for the best New Zealand wool area rugs.

Here are but a few of the items that Couristan Rugs have to offer:

• Couristan Rugs The Royal Imperial Collection
• Couristan Rugs The Taj Mahal Collection — $2,294., power-loomed of 100% semi-worsted New Zealand wool using
• Couristan Rugs The Mirage Collection $849. — mirage rugs are cross-woven

• Couristan Rugs The Woven Treasures Collection –$296. handmade area rugs
• Couristan Rugs The Kashimar Collection 5’5 x 7’10″ — $560.

• Couristan Rugs The Pera Collection 7’10 x 11’2 — $322. Persian area rugs replicas

• Couristan Rugs The Gem Collection 2’2 x 4’9 — $177. replicas of museum rugs
• Couristan Rugs The Chateau Collection 2’3 x 8’2 $330. handmade area rugs
• Couristan Rugs The Progressions Collection 2′ x 3′ — $52. innovative area rugs

6. Southwestern Rugs

The American Southwest and Mexico that’s what Southwestern area rugs are all about. Toss in a cactus, a Navajo or Mexican pattern, a bit of rustic driftwood and some terracotta clay pottery tones and you’re well on your way to the South West!

There are many native American peoples who create magnificent area rugs, some are flat woven and others are braided rugs or hooked rugs, even leather rugs and lots of light pastel blue area rug shades in geometric patterns. As far as area rug cleaning goes, these rugs are the best because they are often made from cotton and can be easily hand washed or tossed in the machine.

There are some wool area rug creations that have the traditional Mexican or Southwest patterns and there are odd variations on tradition with purple area rug creations that blend art deco colors and dessert sandy tones together. The native styles can also come in stark shades like the black area rugs styles that have an animal motif and little else or are predominantly black with a jagged pattern like the black Kokopeli are rugs.

These unique rugs are not made by one specific manufacturer, rather they are a style made by many companies and private rug makers.
Here a few Southwestern rugs to give you an idea of what you might find:

• Black Kokopeli Southwestern Area Rug (4′ x 6′) $49.
• Southwest Shag Area Rugs – 7’10″ x 10’6″ $599.
• Southwestern Red Area Rug (4′ x 6′) $49.
• Home Dynamix Native American Southwestern Area Rug $101.
• Stainmaster Wide Ruins Southwestern Rug Rectangle Rug $249.
• Southwest Shag Area Rugs – 5’3″ x 7’6″ from Cabela’s $249.
• Southwestern Kokopeli Red Area Rug (4′ x 6′) from Overstock $49.

7. Outdoor Rugs

Outdoor area rugs can be difficult to select because of dampness and rain and all the elements these rugs must face.

If you need a rug to lay at the front door or on the porch or to cover an area of a deck or patio, then you will have to stay away from those fibers that disintegrate easily and rugs that are not designed specifically for outdoor use.

There’s a lovely little website called gardenroomshop that has lots of outdoor rugs.

However, you will be surprised when you see all the possible choices.

Here are just a few:

• Orian Cancun Border Outdoor Area Rug from Walmart for $39. brown/beige
• DuraCord Outdoor Rug – 8′ x 10′ from Sam’s Club for $149. soft outdoor rugs
• Casual Elements Chloe 5′x8′ Outdoor Rug from Sears for $69, polypropylene
• Cafe Series Indoor/ Outdoor Rug (7’6 x 10’9) by SCI from Overstock for $156. humidity and UV resistant

• Couristan Saddle Stitch Outdoor Rug from JC enny for under $60, in earth tones
• Geo Crafts Polypropylene Outdoor Rugs from Amazon for $249. polypropylene
• Casual Elements Camille 5′x8′ Outdoor Rug from Sears for $70, fade, stain and mildew proof
• Striped Outdoor Rug by Brookstone for $50, weather-resistant, braided rugs
• Estate Design 8×11 Ivy Border Outdoor Rug by Meijer – $159.for patio or garden.

Offset Square with Round

So, I try to offset some of the boxyness that surrounds me with as much ROUND as possible. It’s not possible to redo all the walls or furniture in a rented apartment or a house built in a community where walls that are square must match other square walls, but it is possible to add round area rugs to my square floors! It’s possible to add a round rug under my square table and it’s possible to have round wool rugs beside my rectangular bed.

Renovation in a Day with Round Area Rugs

For an update to a room or a quick, inexpensive “renovation in a day”, shift some of your square furniture around and throw down some round area rugs to change the whole feel of a room!

Best rooms to start:

• kitchen and dinning room. In front of the kitchen basin add a half moon or round rug. Under the dinning table add another large one, preferably a wool area rug for durability.
• Living room: A round rug accents a square fireplace. Or, you can place a small wool area rug under a coffee table or under a half moon console table.
• Entrance and hall: runners are not needed. Try a series of three round area rugs, like stepping stones down a garden path. These are high traffic areas. Stay away from a shag rug or a delicate natural fiber like silk or 100% cotton. Wool area rugs, or a blend of 80% wool and 10% synthetic or acrylic will wear better for this high traffic area.

The best round area rugs:

Persian, Indian and traditional braided rugs. But, I recently saw a great zebra rug that was round. Also there are sheepskin rugs that are almost round, or at least oval, but not square.

An Area Rug Secret from the East

If you have a lot of square or rectangular area rugs and you love them and they work for you, but you’d like a little something to spice up the floor, here’s a secret I learnt while living in India and Northern Africa. Area rugs needn’t be individually placed one by one. Piles of rugs are fantastic. You can place a round area rug on top of a square or larger rug and give it a whole new feel. It’s especially good in a sitting room or bedroom or as a basement renovation idea. It also works well in kids rooms. Kids rugs can be layered for warmth and when one gets dirty, you can send it out to be cleaned and the floor isn’t left bare.

Round Area Rug Color

Don’t worry so much about color matching. The worst decoration consists of carefully matching paint and drapes and sofa and carpets so that everything becomes one big mishmash of exactly the same where nothing stands out.

You can have a totally neutral color scheme overall and add a few layers of round area rugs in vibrant (or traditional oriental) colors and the room will come alive. I’m not saying that you should mix styles and themes or that you can freely put floral patterns with polka dots and stripes, not unless you’re after a retro or art deco effect, but don’t match peach bedspreads with peach rugs or pastel blue walls with pastel blue rugs.

There are several materials used for making this pile, such as cotton, silk, bamboo or any number of synthetic yarns or fibers, but despite all the options with modern processes and materials and technology, the best, most durable, most comfortable, most versatile, and the most sought after floor coverings, remain wool area rugs.

How are Area Rugs Made?

• Woven and Knotted Rugs – may be produced on a loom similar to how cloth is woven except that the pile is cut to the length required; short for low pile rugs, long for shag rugs. There are other techniques, such as “needlefelt” which is a process using electrostatic attraction of fibers, and this method is used to make rugs for industrial or commercial flooring. Wool area rugs are most commonly knotted, which means that the weft threads of the rugs framework alternate with a complimentary weft that comes up in right angels. This secondary weft is knotted to the warp and knotted. This is how the classic shag rugs are created, and also the method employed by eastern and Persian rug makers using one of the two main knots, symmetrical/Turkish, or asymmetrical/Persian.
• Tufted Rugs – which are used for wall to wall carpeting, especially in North America, and are sold in rolls and not as individual wool area rugs or decorative throw carpets, are “tufted”, a process of infusing fiber into an initial backing and then fusing that backing to a second back for extra strength. It is a totally automated manufacturing process for large quantities of carpet and not the method used for small area rugs.
• Flatweave for Kilim and Soumak Area Rugs – and simpler rug styles use a flatweave process; simply a warp and weft weave used for tapestries and even fabrics such as damask. This weave is also used for kilim rugs and soumak rugs. Many people who make rugs as a handicraft or hobby use the above flat weaving style or a hooked rug technique.
• Embroidered Area Rugs – It is rare to find area rugs today that have been made solely by embroidery, but they used to be very common especially in the Victorian era, and in the 1800’s in Germany, there was a wool rug style that employed embroidery to create rugs that told stories or had very intricate patterns.

Wool Area Rugs and Common Wool Rug Blends

A wool area rug blended with nylon will be especially durable, and you will often see rug tags that will say, 80% wool and 20% synthetic fiber, or something like “80/20″. The reason for the blending is partly to strengthen lower quality wool and offer more affordable prices since high quality wool for pure wool area rugs is expensive.

Other Area Rug Fibers

• Nylon – There are also many area rugs that are made of nylon and used especially for small area rugs that will be exposed to the elements. These may be good for door mats and print intensive designs, since nylon can be printed easily and does not fade readily. The problem with nylon is that it isn’t very nice to touch or rub or walk on with bare feet for any length of time. For cozy, comfortable indoor area rugs it is best to go with a wool area rug or a wool blend.
• Polypropylene or Olefin – area rugs are popular because such petroleum based fibers make cheap area rugs. However they are nowhere near as durable as wool area rugs and cannot be dyed well. Looped Berber carpets and rugs made from polypropylene may seem attractive due to their low price, but they tend to become matted quickly and wear poorly unless they are a commercial grade level-loop rugs designed specifically for high traffic areas.

  Usually these high grade Olefin carpets are not sold as area rugs but are used for wall to wall carpet installation that is fused or glued or nailed directly to the floor and insulated with padding. The other thing that is made from polypropylene is the indoor-outdoor carpets and rugs that are used for porches or decks or patios. They often mimic the look of grass.

• Polyester or “PET” – is also popular for cheap area rugs but be aware that it is not like bouncy wool, but it is known to crush or become matted very quickly. It’s only advantage for area rug manufacturers is price.

  Another label you may see on an area rug is PTT or something with Dupont. This is similar to polyester, creates a cheap area rug, but is better because the fibers are more resilient, don’t mat as quickly, are easier to clean and resist mold. However, they are not wool, they are not natural and they will never last the same or be quite as snuggly for cuddling into as a large wool area rug.