FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

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.

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:I am getting my apartment painted and want to redecorate a little but don’t have a large amount of $$$$. My question is the area rug should you make sure it matches the furniture or the wall color?
Answer: The area rug needs to have a color in the rug that coordinates with the wall color. Matching is hardly ever necessary in decorating – it just needs to blend. The color in the area rug needs to be the same family of color, not necessarily the exact shade or a complimentary color like in the picture above.

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.