Wool Area Rugs

Wool rug embraces old world traditions in color, styling and technique. Mainly wool is harvested from sheep raised in Bulgaria where the climate is perfect for a quality of wool that is high in lanolin (the rich emollients in wool that provide luster, softness and resilience). Only wool fully absorbs the dye colors to produce the richest, most vivid reds and softest, antique ivory tones, resonating warmth and luxuriosness to fine decor.

Most of rugs leave much longer than the people that buy them, so they are all good enough. The parts that might require repair, after 10 years of normal use, are the fringe or the edges. What you are paying for is a particular look. A certain type might only be available in a more expensive hand-knotted construction. However you might get that expensive look in a somewhat less expensive hand-tufted construction or even a good machine made area rug. Buy the area rugs that you want to look at for a long time. A cheap rug will probably last at least 10 years or more in residential use.

You should concentrate mainly at:

1. Color: The color really is a matter of personal preference. Pick your rug first before you choose fabrics. It is easier to find fabrics, wallpapers, and paint that will go with your rug than finding a carpet that will go with your fabrics, wall coverings and finishes. Professional designers usually start with the area rugs. One way to select your carpet for a furnished room is to find a color combination that will tie all of the colors together. Fabrics, wallpapers, draperies, wall color, and floor color and type are important considerations. Another way is to pick one major existing contrasting color that will set off the others. Another possibility is to select the colors of a favorite flower, picture, or fabric. Look through magazines that have rooms pictured and you will get some ideas of what can be done. It is relatively easy to copy a color combination. Visiting a fabric store and find a fabric that appeals to you, then build your color scheme around it.

2. Design: All area rugs can be divided into three major designs: all over patterns with and without a central medallion, asymmetrical patterns. Complicated patterns or less busy designs. Border types and solid colored carved ones. Will it have flowers? Will it be traditional, contemporary, Country French, abstract, southwestern, or tribal? Pretty much, anything you can imagine is available as floor covering.

3. Size: The space that you want covered is more important than the size of the room. Measure the space with a tape measure. Place four pieces of paper where the corners will be and you get a visual impression of the area. Should the furniture be on the entire rug or all off the rug? This is a matter of opinion. There is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes the furniture is partly on and partly off. You may have to compromise because the area rugs you select may be available in a limited number of sizes and shapes. The correct size for a dining room table and chairs is found by getting up from the chairs on both ends and sides of the table leaving the chairs out. Then measuring a few inches past the spot where the back legs of the chairs are. The rugs should be large enough so that the chairs back legs stay on the rug.