The site contains special features such as a quiz on what’s your ideal style where you are asked questions about the thickness, detail, field, colors and price. Then, based on your preferences, they give you a recommendation for which type of rugs you might like.

Below is an example of their suggestions that include descriptions and images:

Another section is on celebrities and their rugs!  For example, on March 2nd, the news was about Michael Jackson’s rugs being auctioned.

Another great section is a section for first time buyers where you will find an interactive rug forum, rug style guide, a stain removal guide, rug estimator pro, rug washing estimate, verification, FAQ’s, rug care cleaning and repair and purchasing decisions.

The Rug Rag forum is the best way to ask questions on and about Oriental Rugs, and have an expert in the field to respond quickly.  This is the first ever Oriental Rug Forum which is not hosted by a Rug Seller, or engage in heavy “technical talk.”  On the Forum, they encourage users to link to items under purchase consideration, in addition to asking any and all questions relating to rugs in appropriate topic areas.

The Rug Rag Style Guide is the First Ever interactive Web Tool for Consumers to be provided with key search terms for their Oriental Rugs.

Rug Rag Verifications are the ultimate tool for both Oriental Rug Buyer and Seller.  You may note in listings for rugs on the Internet, a Rug Rag Badge has been located in or near the item description.  By clicking on this badge, you will then be directed to a Report Card outlining important points on that specific rug.

There are many tools and pieces of advice on this site to help you make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing an area rug. They even have a guide to help you guy rugs on Ebay!

If you are in the market for an Oriental rug, this site is a must to check out before you take your first step.

Question:

I have several area rugs in my home over different types of floors. I am wondering if I need rug padding under every rug? If so, what kind and why?

Answer:

Rug pad is a very important part of the placement of area rugs for the following reasons:

• Rug pad keeps the rugs from slipping on hard surface floors
• It protects the finish of hardwood floors from the friction of the backing of some rugs as well as color transfer and staining
• Rug pad also reduces wrinkling of the area rugs
• Rug pad provides a cushioned feeling when walking on the rugs
• It can extend the life of your area rugs by preventing wear
• It allows you to vacuum your rug more easily

There are different types of rug pads for hard surfaces such as ceramic or hardwood and different types for carpet. There are premium pads for more cushion and there is a separate type of cushion for outdoor rugs. Some companies offer different rug pad for oriental carpets. There are also some types of tape that are designed to hold area rugs in place. A full padding works best as provides more of the assets listed above.

When purchasing area rug pad, you don’t want to buy or order the rug pad in the exact same size as your rug. You want at least a 1/2″ on all sides less than the size of the area rug. Pre-packaged rug pads already take this into account so you don’t have to do any trimming.

Another tip: Be sure and read the instructions to make sure you are putting the rug pad down in the correct fashion. Some rug pads have different textures on each side in order to either grip to the rug or provide slip resistance to the floor.

To locate a dealer in your area, click here.

First, we started off with an overview of Surfaces. Here we talked about the presence of design elements, color themes and upcoming posts on the different products shown at the show.

Then came a breakdown of trends in hardwood, tile, carpet and area rugs.Later in the month we presented an overview of the company Wicanders and their line of products and a post on how to use the hot trends of 2009.

In the middle of the month came a report on Tuftex of California. They were not at Surfaces and choose to have their own regional shows in which I was invited to participate.

Every month (or longer) we present a reader poll to get your opinion on a particular topic. Included this month is a recap of the results of a poll on laminate flooring.

To round the month out, we finished up with some industry news on ThermoSofts Warm Step radiant heat system.

A lot of February was dedicated to Surfaces, the trends presented and the products shown at the show.

In the month of March we will get back to more answers to the questions you have asked as well as what’s new in the industry. If you have any topics that you would like to see more information on, please just leave a comment!

Thanks for your subscriptions, your interest and your loyalty to Floor Talk!

• Choose hardwoods that are warm, rich and earthy in color. If you are considering changing hardwoods, keep these trends in mind
• Choose carpets in warm neutrals or these colors with lots of texture
• Use area rugs on top of those hardwoods that have greens, blues and rich oranges for accent color
• Use accent pullows on the sofa that have these colors
• Change out lamp shades to incorporate these colors
• Change out bedding or using accent pillows on bedding
• Use colorful candles

You can go overboard by using too many of these tips and hints – use these tips wisely! If you decide to make smaller accessory changes you don’t have to make a huge investment to have the current trends represented in your home. Give some of these a try and see  how you like being a trendsetter!

In case you missed the posts on each category of trends from Surfaces – here’s a recap!

Overall

This year there was a significant presence of design and high style with the new introductions. I was concerned with the state of the economy that the product offerings would be safer and more subtle choices. This was definitely not the case!

The color theme seemed to be along the warmer, darker and richer shades. This applies to every category of flooring, more than likely because more and more homes are using mixed types of flooring and they all need to coordinate!

Hardwood

In the up and coming months there are going to be hardwood  styles that are going to change the direction of hardwood floors.  Floors at the show showed higher sheen levels with some that you could almost see your reflection in. These finishes will give rooms and design schemes a totally new look and feel.

The majority of the hardwood colors shown were darker and richer shades. Color shades seen resembled coffee  colors, rich furniture colors and warm spices.

Wider boards are still popular although many narrower boards are still being shown.

There were styles of hardwood shown that were clean, crisp and elegant as well raw, rustic and anything but refined. There seemed to be more options for different design styles than ever before.

Tile

It seemed like almost everyone had tiles that were linear in shape. Shapes ranged from 1×6 to 18×24 and every size in between. Installation examples were shown of these linear tiles used as a stand alone product as well as accents to standard shaped tiles. Some installation patterns used these linear tiles to create stripe effects.

There were introductions of tiles with higher sheen levels than the past couple of years. Mirrored finishes, crystal tiles and polished metals were prevalent. These higher sheens were shown in mosaics and even large format floor tiles. Some of the mosaics were mixed with high polished tiles and unpolished tiles. Finishes like rust and bronze verde took the stage for the patinas.

There will always be beige/neutral tiles out there because there is a place for them, but this year there were many offerings of gorgeous tiles with high ranges of color. The color shades were rich and warm. The shades were mixed between the field tiles and the listellos and decorative tiles so neutral tiles could be used with bolder accents and vice-versa.

Tile sizes ranged from micro mosaics 5/8″×5/8″ to 24″×24″. The interesting thing was to see the mixes of the different sizes. Larger format tiles were mixed with micro and mini sized tiles where in the past we have seen more standard size tiles mixed with smaller sizes that were closer in size to the standard size tiles.

Like hardwood styles, there was something offered for everyone. From rustic natural stone to high polished crystal tiles no design group was left out this year. Look for tiles that are irregularly shaped and formed, bright colors to bold colors to dull, rich and muted colors – something for every style. With the variation in sizes, shapes and colors more design options are possible. Emser tile also reported that the chiseled edge tiles are regaining popularity and are offered at excellent price points and mosaic tiles ares still popular.

Carpet

The carpet shown at Surfaces 2009 this year was a different showing than last year. This year there were not just an abundance of carpet styles and colors, but choices seemed to be quality choices rather than just quantity.

The primary colors that were used for displays were neutrals, but the colors that were shown were wonderful. Oranges, greens, blues, grays and earthy shades of brown took center stage. The oranges and blues were muted and rich. The greens were light and lively. The browns were earthy, coffee insprired and looked like great candidates for hiding traffic! Along those same lines, there were some beautiful heathered products that have more range of color than I think we are all used to seeing in once piece of carpet.

Like other products shown there were patterns that were outstanding. Look for linear patterns, grid patterns and texture on texture patterns. Look for patterns that are not just floral, but floral with a textured background. I think you will be excited about the upcoming releases!

Area Rugs

Talk about texture! Area rugs this year are all about texture. Not just texture, like thick yarns, but texture like felt discs and sculpted carpets. From conservative to comtemporary to outrageous, Surfaces had it all.

The area rug selections compliment the trends in hardwood and other hard surfaces so well it will make you want to remodel just to get a piece of these trends. Your feet are sure in for a treat when walking on all of the textures and soft yarns.

F. Schumacher (photo to the left) is always my first stop to check out color trends and styles. As usual, I was not disappointed. They offered gorgeous carpets and rugs with linear striations, large oversized patterns as well as smaller scale more traditional patterns that they are known for.Their color schemes included the softer shades shown to the left as well as the rich oranges, greens, greys and blues that are so popular right now with carpet.

Natural Carpet Company introduced sisal rugs that is treated before it’s woven so when water hits it – it just beads up. This is a great advancement  with natural fibers. They also displayed bamboo carpet, linen rugs and the Roger Thomas Collection that is even approved for vertical use.

Some companies showed rugs that can be bound with materials laced with metallic fibers. Leather and fabric bindings are still available and very popular.

The area rug selections compliment the trends in hardwood and other hard surfaces so well it will make you want to remodel just to get a piece of these trends. Your feet are sure in for a treat when walking on all of the textures and soft yarns.

One thing to keep in mind with these highly textured rugs is maintenance.  For daily maintenance, be sure to use a vacuum without a beater bar when cleaning these rugs.

Question:

“What should I know about the manufacturers of area rugs? In the purchasing mode, I would like to find out who are the ones I should be looking at because of their quality and reputation. For instance, what are the differences between Karastan and KAS?”

Answer:

How long a company has been in business is often a good indicator of the quality of their product, and reputation for customer service before and after the sale. Most vendors offer a range of price points, but please do not confuse price with value. Natural fibers like wool and cotton, and the labor intensive processes of hand dying and hand knotting are time consuming, and therefore more expensive than many of the synthetic products and automated processes. The adage “You get what you pay for” still holds true and an accurate indication of value requires and apple-to-apple comparison.

I wanted the opinion of someone in the rug business for this question and I trust the opinion of rugsale.com to answer the question because: they are a division of Kaoud Oriental Rugs which has been in business for over 54 years and have found the following vendors to be there; Nourison, Momeni, Dalyn, Kas, Shaw, 828 International, Couristan, and Chandra. The broad range of styles these vendors offer have gotten many favorable comments from their customers.

Question:

This question arose from yesterdays post: 10 Quick ways to decorate and update your home

Is your home boring and tired? Are all of your walls and floors beige? There are many simple ideas that you can do to spruce up your home and make it feel almost new again.

1. Rearrange the furniture. Changing the way the furniture is laid out can make a room feel completely different.
2. Paint an accent wall. This is a fast, easy and inexpensive way to change the look of a room.
3. Add an area rug. If your floors and walls are all neutral and your furniture is wood and solid colors, an area rug can add color and life to a room.
4. Change a few key light fixtures. Updating light fixtures can add more light to a room as well as more stlye.
5. Change plumbing fixtures. Changing facuets to a more updated style and finish can make a bathroom, especially look more updated.
6. Declutter. Take a serious look around at what you really need versus what you have collected over the years!
7. Recover or slipcover worn upholstered pieces. If you have chairs or barstools that are worn or the fabric is last decades style, a slipcover is a fast and easy way to get a whole new look.
8. Add greenery. If your home doesn’t have greenery, adding it can make a room feel more complete. The greenery doesn’t have to be real if you don’t have a green thumb!
9. Change cabinet hardware. Changing cabinet hardware can change the whole look of a kitchen. Be careful to make sure the replacement hardware has the same type hole as the previous or that the new hardware will cover the old holes.
10. Add a backsplash. Adding a backsplash is not only a great idea from a functional standpoint, but it can make a room feel put together and stylish!

Trying any of these quick tips can help change the look of a room. Everyone doesn’t need all of these tips, but one might inspire you to get the look that you want. Happy Decorating!

Natural Fiber Floorcoverings – Sisal and Seagrass

Of all the natural fiber materials, sisal and seagrass are the most widely used and well known.

To spruce up your home for spring or summer, try changing out your area rugs to sisal or seagrass. This will lighten and brighten your home for the spring and summer months. You can even use area rugs over your existing wall to wall carpet. There are many different patterns within each category of natural floorcoverings, including colors other than the natural color.

These products can be installed wall to wall, (seams are very noticeable and are simply a characteristic of the product and are to be expected) area rugs and even on stairs. They can also be installed in wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens provided water is not continuously splashed and left standing.

For installation on stairs, the longitudinal weave must be 90 degrees to the riser and fixed securely. This installation is more labor intensive and may cost more to complete.

Most natural fiber floor coverings can be installed by gluing directly to the floor or with padding. It is important to check with the manufacturer’s guidelines before making these decisions.

The beauty of these products being installed as area rugs is the different binding options that can be used. These products can be bordered with fabric, leather, and many other textile choices.

The latex backing makes these products easy to care for because the latex prevents the build up of dirt underneath. They can be vacuumed with a regular vacuum with a beater bar. Like any flooring material, spills should be wiped up as soon as possible and treated properly. For a natural fiber stain removal chart, click here.

Most natural fiber floor coverings are very durable and will wear as well as or better than conventional carpeting as long as they are properly maintained. Many are rated for commercial use!

Warning: If your sisal carpet or area rug stand between you and your coffee pot in the morning, you may want to invest in slippers. Part of the beauty of sisal is its texture. That comes with a price. This is not a product that is soft and soothing under your feet. Although some say your feet will get used to the texture in a few days.

There are sisal and seagrass carpet alternatives that have a similar look that is more comfortable underfoot.

Another great reason to choose a natural fiber rug is that they are eco- friendly and sustainable. These products are 100% bio degradable and made from real grasses making them an earth friendly choice you can feel good about making.

So, go to your local floorcovering store and check out some samples of natural fiber floorcoverings and see if there is one that is right for your home’s style or lifestyle.