From the Floors Up » Area Rugs

Karastan’s new area rug styles for 2012

creatingyourspace — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:03:55 +0000

(DALTON, GA—JANUARY, 2012) — Karastan is stepping into the New Year with a stellar line up of area rugs that celebrate timeless design yet are clearly in sync with today’s lifestyle needs. The group of newcomers—eight to be exact—joins two of Karastan’s most crowd-pleasing collections, and boast captivating colors and magnificent motifs.

All of the additions are nylon construction, woven in the U.S., and perfectly portray Karastan’s distinguished design principle of creating heirloom-quality floor coverings that stand the test of time.

Carmel Collection

Four new patterns have been created for this collection. They are fresh, fashion-forward looks brimming with botanical motifs and bold geometrics. Monte Vista Fog features a pleasing patchwork of traditional Persian florals in soothing shades of chocolate brown, steel gray and caramel that’s punched-up with paprika and lime green. Whitman Place Brown is a style that elevates a traditional classic to a modern masterpiece with its luminous interpretation of a Persian panel rendered in warm grays and cream with accents of ochre and amber. Bristol Lane Gray is a beauty boasting a Regency inspired fret pattern that caters to contemporary and classic styles with its caramel, ivory and gray tones. Portola Sage resonates with an earth-colored field of philodendron leaves that come to life against an ivory ground.

Knightsen Collection

Designed for connoisseurs of classic who appreciate contemporary compositions, this collection offers time-honored styles that have been enlivened with eye-catching colors. Among the four newcomers is Walnut Park Red, with a pleasing pairing of palmettes and vines that dance across a brilliant red field accented by ivory and chocolate brown. Equally expressive is Westridge Slate/Ivory, which entices with a scene of traditional rosettes and curvilinear vines in coral, yellow and gray. Its counterpart, Westridge Taupe/Plum, offers a similar sensation, yet is bolder in its beauty with coral, gold, purple and gray tones. A more traditional take is Prewett Ranch Fog that incorporates a decoration of spice, lime green and aqua-colored florals found within a gorgeous gray border.

Amy Butler Handmade Rugs: Lacework

creatingyourspace — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:31:14 +0000

We have to admit that we have a little design crush on Amy Butler. Known for her print and textile designs, Amy is the kind of designer who lives their design philosophy. On her website she says, “Beauty is in the way you live. Enjoy your surroundings. Let them inspire you. Follow your own path, and approach everything you do with love in your heart.” How lovely is that? What a beautiful way to approach life, our homes and gardens. Don’t you want to visit Amy in her studio in Ohio and talk about art, design and gardening over a cup of tea? We know we do.

Until that happens, we’ll have to continue to adore her designs for the home. Her new rug collection for Chandra is based on her fabric and bedding prints. The rugs are all handmade of 100% New Zealand wool that is hand-tufted, hand-dyed as well as hand-carved to create the designs. There are 13 designs in the collection, six of those have two color ways for a total of 19 rugs to choose from.

Our favorite rug in the collection, since we had to choose just one (we love them all!), is Lacework, based on one of her most popular patterns. Available in two color ways; a soft blue/grey background with yellow and white; or a deep brown with a more limey yellow and creamy white. The pattern reminds us of Liberty and William Morris and rooms in homes owned by the Bloomsbury group. Gorgeous and timeless.

Colors of India – Part II Guest Post

creatingyourspace — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:46:16 +0000

Today’s post is a continuation from yesterday’s guest post from Sam Presnell of The Rug Gallery where Sam talks about his first trip to India. Today, he shares some of his knowledge about how rugs are made.

After 37 years I thought it was finally time to share and help you understand some things that I know and take for granted. I have also included a video that gives you the visual to go along with the short version of the processes.

I love this business it has kept me interested for all these years. I hope I can help you understand what goes into making a rug and understand what a hand woven oriental rug is all about.

Weaving is a cottage industry done at home or in villages. Vegetable dyed, handspun, hand woven oriental rugs take many steps, but usually starts with the wool. After shearing, the wool is washed and dried then sent to be separated in order to remove debris from the fiber. Next, the wool is hand carded which straightens the fibers which allows it to be handspun. Hand spinning causes the yarn to be inconsistent, allowing it to be tighter and looser, which produces an evenness when dyed that we call a brash, giving more depth to the design. Vegetable and natural materials were the original methods used in dyeing . They can painstakingly remove the colors from any material. Vegetable dying is usually done in small batches which produces constant change from lot to lot. That is why vegetable dyed rugs look slightly different in every rug woven. Synthetic dyes are commonly used so we can be more consistent from dye lot to dye lot and certain colors can only be achieved this way. After dying, the wool is weighed for each color used in the rug. This allows for a quality control check. When the rug is finished it is weighed again to insure all the wool was put into the rug. Rugs are woven from graphs called Nak-Shar. Each grid depicts the placement of a knot. Stringing the looms is laborious and literally thousands of stings are aligned to produce the quality of the rug. These strings are what form the fringe at the ends.

Hand knotting involves the tying of two basics knots: one called Persian or Senneh which is shown here. The other is Turkish called Ghorides.

Washing produces the shine and velvet touch we all enjoy. Drying , then blocking allows the rug to lay flat and straight. A final shear, then finishing the warps to fringes. After fringing , a final inspection, then wrapping for shipping. A 9 by 12 rug can take anywhere from 7 months to 2 years from start to finish.

Thanks again, Sam for sharing your knowledge and your experience with us! – Shannon

Holiday Rugs: Reader Question

creatingyourspace — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:49:48 +0000

Question:

I have almost finished decorating for the holidays and after reading one of your earlier posts I wanted to see if you knew where I might be able to find a holiday rug to place in my entry way in order to help with some of the traffic from holiday visitors. I have friends that celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah so a holiday rug would be perfect. Thanks for your help.

- Nancy from Nebraska

Answer:

Nancy,

Thanks for your question! I have always found the area rugs from Shaw Living to be perfect for situations like yours. They have an entire collection dedicated to the holidays. There are 20 different styles that are 2’7″ x 3’10″ and include “holiday neutral” scenes such as snowmen, snowflakes, nut crackers, polar bears and even Scotties! The decorative patterns will do a great job and hiding dirt and traffic from holiday visitors. Don’t forget your rug pad so that no one slips on their way in or out!You can use the dealer locator on their site to find a retailer near you. Keep in mind, these also make great gifts!

Happy Holidays

- Shannon

Disney Carpet from Shaw

creatingyourspace — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:29:35 +0000

Does your child’s room need a special touch? Something different and unique? Check out the Disney collection from Tuftex and Shaw Industries.

Inspired by the worlds of favorite Disney friends, The Disney Collection weaves the warmth and soft durability of Shaw carpet with the magic and fun of Disney. The collection is designed around six Disney and Disney-Pixar favorites: Hannah Montana, Cars, Toy Story, Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies and Winnie the Pooh. These beloved stories have inspired signature designs, patterns and color pallets that showcase the quality craftsmanship from Tuftex of California as well as the unique style of Disney storytelling. Each carpet can compliment other Disney home products so you can create the happiest rooms on earth.

The beautifully designed, masterfully manufactured carpets of the Disney collection from Shaw incorporate several pattented technologies to unsure products that are soil and stain resistant, long lasting and environmentally friendly:

Softness: Revolutionary carpet fibers are tough and resilient without compromising softness.

R2X stain resistance: Exclusive soil and stain repellent protects carpet fibers from dirt and spills.

SoftBac Platinum: An exclusive, patented backing system keeps carpet flexible and wrinkle free.

5 Star Shaw Warranty: 10 year limited quality assurance warranty from the worlds largest producer of carpet.

Eco Friendly: To learn more about Shaw’s eco friendly carpet and manufacturing process visit www.shaw.carpet.com.

To visit the Disney site directly, click here.

5 Quick Tips for Purchasing a New or Used Oriental Rug

creatingyourspace — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:49:59 +0000

1. Condition is Everything: Well, in 98% of cases condition is everything. Pet stains, moth damage, uneven wear, color run… All going to severely affect the value of your rug. On the plus side, there are ways to prevent the majority of the above. Always be wary of reduced rugs missing minor borders, side borders or severely off-center medallions. Even for new rugs, check for even weaving (or signs of uneven), shearing and symmetrical shape.

2. Don’t get tied up in knots! Relatively speaking, Knots Per Square Inch (KPSI) means little in the scope of purchasing a rug. Sure, it may aid in attribution, perhaps differentiate it from other rugs of that type or genre. In the majority of cases, knot count should not bear any more weight in deciding whether a rug is “a worthy buy.” It’s the rug you’re going to live with, not the knots!

3. Country of Origin: Province or City Does not dictate Quality. Exceptional rugs come from many weaving countries. Excellent goods are being imported from India, Pakistan, Iran, Armenia, Turkey and many other weaving areas. Additionally, just because two rugs have the same name does not indicate they are of equal quality.

4. Is Relevant Information Readily Furnished? Perhaps an elaboration on the above. However, if a seller does not readily display the item’s country of origin, beware. Proper ID of a rug should be as follows in this example: A Chinese Rug with a Persian design should be called an “Chinese Rug with Persian Design”, or “Chinese Interpretation of a Persian Design.” It is not uncommon to find some sellers simply state “Persian Rug”!!! Although not integral, it’s important to know truncation of a country in addition to a vowel may indicate Country of Origin: Indo (Indian), Paki (Pakistani), etc. Check out Standards for Sellers.

5. Quality of wool and dyes: If a new rug has coarse & dry wool at a very high price point, be wary. Determining quality of dyes is not simple, and years may be the only real determining factor. However, there are ways to test! If you suspect dyes may be inferior due to over-saturation of color, grab a worn out but fine cotton/linen handkerchief you don’t care about. Moisten with cold to lukewarm water and wipe with firm pressure on colors throughout the face/pile of the rug going with the direction of the pile. If a significant amount of colors pull from tested areas, this may be an indicator of potential color migration after a future wash or spot cleaning. Either negotiate a fair price accordingly or keep looking.

When and where possible, take the opportunity to see a rug in person. There are many, many well-trusted and established rug sellers in the states. Purchasing at a well-known importer or retailer showroom does not necessarily mean you will pay more than online! If you ever have questions, we are here to help.

Thanks, Rug Rag for this very informative post on oriental rugs!

Karastan Lets The Customer Customize The Rug

creatingyourspace — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:04:18 +0000

What’s the true definition of luxury? Most arbiters of style would say customization. From clothing to handbags to jewelry, nothing connotes elegance and indulgence like something that’s created especially for you.
Now Karastan, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of premium quality floor coverings, is taking this idea to the floor—literally—with the introduction of Inspired Luxury, an innovative program that allows you to design your own custom area rug by choosing from a wide array of colors, sizes, and wall-to-wall broadloom styles.
“Inspired Luxury gives Karastan customers a unique opportunity to design a rug to their specifications, so that they can create a signature floor covering to complement the room of their dreams,” said Connie Berry, director of marketing at Karastan. “We’re thrilled to offer consumers this novel way to truly ‘make a statement.’”
The process of creating an Inspired Luxury rug is simple and fun. The first step is to select from 15 broadloom styles featuring a variety of textures and patterns, including such Karastan favorites as Coastal Elegance, a hip, fun-loving shag, and Natural Desire, an elegant diamond pattern. Then, choose a color from the options available in your selected style.
Once you’ve settled on a color and look, the next decision is what size is best. There are three popular options to choose from: 6’-x-9’, 8’-x-10’, or 9’-x-12’. And for the finishing touch, Inspired Luxury offers four custom bindings.
Cotton, available up to 1 ½” on the face of the carpet, is a clean, classic choice. Jute, a natural fiber, is another binding that lends an airy, organic appeal and is available up to 3” on the face of the rug. For a sophisticated, edgy variation, Karastan offers a supple leather binding of up to 2” with mitered corners. Finally, a sleek, streamline finish is achievable with 100% wool fiber serging. While all styles are not available with all binding options, there are myriad combinations to be created to suit a range of décors.
Once your order is placed, you’ll receive your rug within four to six weeks. Prices for Inspired Luxury rugs range from $599 for a 6’-x-9’ to $2,199 for a 9’-x-12’, depending on style and binding.
Exquisite, cut-to-order custom rugs are just one part of the Inspired Luxury program. For discerning design junkies in search of broadloom carpeting that’s just the right shade and style, Karastan offers a Custom Color option. Select a carpet style from the 15 Inspired Luxury designs. Then comes the really fun part: choose from a veritable rainbow of 100 colors, ranging from subtle neutrals like taupe, caramel and grey to eye-popping hues including purple, sea-green, and yellow. Karastan will specially dye 3 swatches that will provide you with a range of saturation, from deep to pale, so that you can find the best, most precise match to your walls and furnishings in the actual lighting of the room you’re decorating. You’ll receive the swatches within two to three weeks. Decide which one is best and place your order (minimum: 66 square yards). You can expect to receive your carpeting four to six weeks later. Consult your local Karastan dealer for pricing information for the Custom Color program.
The Inspired Luxury program is now available at Karastan dealers nationwide. For more information on Karastan, or to locate a dealer near you, visit www.karastan.com.