Decorating your home may seem like an overwhelming task at times, but knowing where to start is key to transforming your living space into a home that makes you smile whenever you walk in. If you ask any of the top designers where they start when planning a room, they’ll tell you that the floor covering will determine the decor of the space. This is because the rug or carpet is often the most expensive item in the room and it is easier to match the other elements of the room to the rug rather than vice versa.

Nowadays designers are rediscovering antique rugs as a method to decorate interiors. Interior decorators find that the colors, the patina, and the charm of antique rugs & carpets far supersede what is available in the commercial market and that antique rugs are always truly unique and one-of-a-kind. In simple terms, antique rugs are the perfect way to set your home apart from the commercialness of mass-produced decor.

So what is an antique rug and why are they perfect decorating tools? The term antique simply means that the rug is at least 80 years old. Like most anything else rugs that were woven to meet the highest standards when they were made are constructed to stand the test of time. Not only will they be useable (granted they were kept in good condition by the owner — naturally most things of high quality are purchased by people who care about the item so many antique rugs are still in great condition today) but they also transform during their lifetime: the dyes will often take on different hues and become more subdued and beautiful over time. One such occurance of this is called an abrash which is a line or multiple lines in the rug that seem to be a different color. This happens when the weaver uses different batches of wool when weaving a single carpet and is often seen in tribal and nomadic rugs since the weaver may have to weave small amounts at a time as materials become available.

Now that you have established the reasons for decorating with antique rugs you may be wondering what kind of rug to choose and how to go about finding an antique rug. If you are using an interior designer to help you decorate, you want to make sure that that person is familiar with antique rugs and knows a good source for antique carpets. If you are decorating by yourself make sure you can find a good dealer you can trust. A good dealer will not only have a large enough selection for you to find the piece you want, but will also make sure you are 100% satisfied with your purchase from them — they will offer to have you see the rugs on approval meaning letting you keep the rug at your home so that you can see how it looks in the space. They will also take rugs in on trade so that if you decide to upgrade the rug you buy from them or are moving and would like to trade-in a rug for a new space, the dealer will take the rug back for credit towards something else. Most of all you have to feel comfortable purchasing the piece at a price you think is fair.

Antique rugs are so versatile in their designs and colors that you are sure to find the perfect piece for your home. If you are looking for a piece to match the decor you already have established it is best to ask the dealer or designer you are working with to put together a selection for you that you think will work based on the size, colors, and design of your room. Otherwise if you are just starting to design your home, choosing the right rug to set the tone of the room will make further decorating much easier. Either way, antique rugs and carpets are the perfect choice when designing the interior of your home.

MAC Carpet – the leading manufacturer of tufted printed carpets and rugs – announced lately that it will participate in the 20th Domotex Hannover, that will take place during 17-20 January 2009 in Hannover, Germany.

With 45,000 visitors from the retail trade and skilled crafts, as well as architects and interior designers, plus 1,350 exhibitors from some 60 countries, DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2009 will reaffirm its status as the world’s leading event for the flooring trade. In 2008, Domotex Hannover set new records, with 1,442 exhibitors (2007: 1,336) occupying some 97,083 square meters of display space (up from 91,757 square meters in 2007). Never before had so many exhibitors – from over 60 different nations – appeared at this global showcase for carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings plus laminate and parquet flooring; never before had they booked so much display space. Their exhibits expressively highlighted tomorrow’s trends, featuring new materials and creative designs, including the latest colors and patterns.

MAC Carpet will exhibit in Domotex Hannover 2009 the amazing ability to produce a large variety of tufted custom printed floors for different applications including indoor, outdoor, bathroom, kitchen, children, and car. In addition to rugs, mats, runners, wall to wall carpets, artificial grass and advertising floor panels.

In its home country MAC Carpet figures as one of Egypt’s top exporters, with more than 80% of its total production going to some 107 countries and retails at many world class retailers like Wal-Mart, IKEA, Tesco and others. The company corporate headquarters and main manufacturing facilities are located in Tenth-of- Ramadan City, the largest industrial estate in the Middle East. In total, its annual production capacity 58 million square meters employing more than 5,800 people

For more information about MAC Carpet;

Website: http://www.maccarpet.com

Email: info@maccarpet.com

The capacity of man to invent and create even in times of distress is truly amazing, in fact, this is how the antique hooked rug was born; from the hands of women who wanted to discover beauty and made extraordinary carpets out of ordinary rags. In those times they were used primarily to decorate humble homes of numerous families with hard-working parents and lots of children. Today they can be found even in the most select houses, as they represent the imagination, skill and craftsmanship of the grassroots American people.

The story of the antique hooked rug starts somewhere at the beginning of the 1800′s, in North America, some say that it was in Maine, out of the desire of women to save money as times were rough, but at the same time to spend their little spare time doing something useful and beautiful. They started to collect strips of disused rags, sturdy yarns or whatever textile material seemed suitable for creating a carpet which could warm the winter freezing floors. The timing couldn’t be better as in the middle of the century, some trade restrictions were abolished so there was a myriad of burlap sacks used to transport all kinds of merchandise like tea, corn, wheat or coffee. This burlap cloth could be easily torn into thin strips that could later be pulled through the back of a large piece of burlap, in order to make tiny loops.

In the beginning there were no patterns or specific designs so women hooked what they saw; animals, flowers, geometric shapes, sometimes even patriotic themes, nonetheless, the result was amazing. These improvisations quickly developed into a form of art, where the only materials needed for the hooked rug were a frame made of four boards and a hook which could be a bent nail or a wooden crochet, sometimes even whale bones which could penetrate the cloth and pull or push the strings.

By the end of the century this newborn art seemed to have had a very short life as factory-made carpets became ever more popular, however the 20′s and 30′s saw a revival of this folk way of expression. The majority of the so very fashionable clothes in pale tones which were all the rage at the turn of the century ended up a few decades later in exquisitely designed folk hooked rugs. Again, the timing couldn’t be better as the Depression era started to leave marks on the financial possibilities of middle-class families and these cheap but gorgeous hooked rugs were the perfect compromise.

The antique hooked rug is now revered as a slice of American history and because of it’s charm and vintage aspect, is worth much more than their creators could ever dream of. These pieces of art which were derived from poverty and necessity are sold along with other antiquities at high prices. Time has proved that they are also durable and sturdy, however, there are few chances that you will ever find an antique hooked rug laid on the floor in the 21st century as their value demands that you will most certainly find them hanging on the wall.

Cleaning our area rug is easier than cleaning a wall-to-wall carpet. Vacuum your area rug regularly because this prevents dirt from building up. Vacuuming your area rug regularly helps to keep your home clean and allergy free. If you see frazzled ends on your area rug while vacuuming, be careful that it does not get caught in the vacuum. Never pull those ends to frazzle them out even more. Work your way around when cleaning your area rug.

Blot any spills with either a white cloth or white hand towel. Apply small amounts of water before you blot out the spill to loosen up the stain or spill. Use solvent cleaners to remove stubborn grime. Make sure that you dry the spot completely.

For area rugs that have multiple colors, you want to use lemon juice and bleach that has no chlorine in it or maybe a solution of salt. Hydrogen peroxide used on stains can be very harmful to gentle area rugs.

From time to time, you should use hot water extraction for your area rug, but be sure to hire a professional area rug cleaner to do this for you. If you want to do everything on your own, be careful that you don’t damage that area rug. You don’t want to damage your area rug by doing too much shampooing, putting too much water or dragging furniture over your area rug when it is wet.

Be sure to rinse any excess detergent when cleaning and don’t use a strong solution. This will only cause more soiling. Move the furniture out of the way before cleaning your area rug. Putting too much water on the area rug might damage the seams, cause discoloration, stinky odors and may shrink your area rug. To dry your area rug quickly during a wet cleaning, you can use a fan for fast drying and to get rid of any odor. Make sure your area rug is completely dry before you let anyone walk on it or before you put the furniture back in place. Before you apply any cleaning solutions, be sure to vacuum the area rug first and administer any spot cleaning that is necessary.

Be sure to put your area rug pad back in place to help protect it from wear and tear. The rug pad assists with keeping furniture in place and prevents anyone from slipping on it. Every few months rotate your area rug to prevent any further deterioration that foot traffic can cause.

You should consider hiring a professional area rug cleaner to consult with you to find out what is the best cleaning treatment. Don’t wait until the area rug collects dirt. A professional rug cleaner will be able to determine what type of cleaning service you need. A visual examination will usually help to make that decision.

When the professional area rug cleaner decides what type of cleaning you need for your area rug, make sure you get a written work order before the job begins. The cost will depend on the square footage of the area rug. Make sure you get a quote before you call for the professional. Find out if there are any hidden or additional mandatory fees involved. A professional and dependable rug cleaning company will give you all the specifics up front.

Incoming search terms for the article:

• faro gardens (1)

First came the trend of traditional rugs in the initial stages when it was new for all people then slowly other types of rugs like modern rugs, shaggy rugs came into existence. Traditional rugs are easily available from any rugs shops or market. The traditional rugs are known for providing alleviates the stress of your body. Sitting on a hard floor may strain your back or leg but on rugs shows positive effects. Connoisseur people have long back recognized the magnificent work of art to décor their palace or home. While for those who are rich & healthy obsesses traditional rugs of ancient times considering as an elegant & luxury item for mark of status symbol.

The traditional oriental design rugs are readily available in the market made by hand craft work or use of machine. Traditional rugs come in Arts & Crafts, Persian, Floral and Aubusson patterns. Generally, traditional rugs are made of hand hooked, hand knotted, hand tufted, flat weave, braided and machine made. The hand knotted rugs in common terms is known as carpet. The genuine Oriental rug is a hand knotted carpet which in most of cases is either knotted with pile or hand woven without pile.

Traditional rugs refer to both Traditional Persian Rugs as well as Traditional Oriental Rugs. These rugs because of its age are known for its high value. Traditional Persian & Oriental rugs are very expensive for one to afford. The demand of traditional rugs lies in the artistry works which differentiate out every piece of rug because of its uniqueness which are dated back to biblical times. These rugs were hand crafted and hand knotted which lacks words of appreciation and admiration. The finest piece of traditional area rug does not include any noxious element. Rugs made with 100% cotton, wool or silk also add up some health benefit points in your body. If you want to compare between the traditional handmade rugs & machine made rugs then you clearly get the distinguish features of them. Traditional handmade rugs lasts for long time and its durability is much better. While machine made rugs show off their poor result within some limited period of time as they could stand by the wear & tear of the environment. Traditional handmade rugs give back to the weavers creating job and opportunity for the artists & weavers. While machine made rugs seize of hundreds of weavers job. As a result, a kick on their starving stomach to feed on.

Thus, it is your prime duty to take the utmost care of your traditional rug as it is highly valuable and unique too after knowing its importance. A little care with proper attention will serve you the best. Don’t forget a traditional rug is an integral part of your home and a finest piece of artistic work that decors your room, so better take care of it.

If you are the one who is really worry about your carpet, here is some simple guide for treating stains and maintaining carpets and upholstery.

1. Always clean up spills quickly to avoid staining. Start by removing any solid debris. Clean the spill using clean, cold water and blotting with white paper towels or cloths. Never scrub or brush the spill as it will damage fibers and possibly set the stain. Only if this method does not work should you move on to harsher treatments.

2. Regular vacuuming and spot treatment will improve the quality and life span of your carpets and upholstery.

3. Since chemicals are hard on the fibers of carpets and upholstery, you should always start with the weakest solution before moving on. Start with clean water and move onto a mild solution of liquid soap (never use laundry detergent) or an oxygen based cleaner which usually works well on organic stains (food, animal, blood) before using chemical spot removers.

Carpet spot removal products are made with some of the most dangerous chemicals and should always be applied when wearing gloves and in an area with good ventilation.

4. Test the cleaning products for carpets or upholstery in a hidden spot to make certain it won’t stain. Place a white paper towel or cloth on the tested area to check for color transfer. If the cleaner is safe apply a small amount of spot removal product to a clean, white cloth and work your way from the OUTSIDE of the stain inwards. Keep at it only using a stronger solution when you are no longer getting results with water or mild detergent.

Upholstery stains can also be treated with a 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution that can be left on and dabbed. You do not need to rinse. Hydrogen Peroxide works equally well on vinyl furniture.

5. When the stain is removed rinse with clean water and blot the excess out. Replace towels when they are too wet to absorb anymore water. Be careful to avoid over wetting as it can also damage your carpet or cause mildew in your carpet or upholstered furniture.

Taking the time to treat spills before they’re stains will go a long way in keeping your carpets and upholstery looking as good as new!

We live in a world which needs more and more fast, economic and durable solutions to all our problems. History has showed us that we are capable of reinventing ourselves for the sake of comfort and speed, yet a the same time we still need to feed our spirit and thought to satisfy our vision and our touch sense. We need ergonomic houses which consume less but please more and yet we still want that personal warm and the feeling of belonging when we come home from a hard day’s work. For all of those reasons, the modern man invented the Karastan Oriental rug, which is the magic balance between the technology of the 20th century and the traditional craftsmanship of the Oriental rug weavers.

The first Karastan Oriental rug was ‘born’ in 1928, on April the 8th at 2:02 a.m. It was the beginning of brand of carpets and rugs which literally last forever. When the Marshall Field’s company invented, after 7 years of working, the first powered loom that could really imitate the hands of a seasoned master weaver they probably didn’t realize that they had worked a miracle. In a few years the whole system was perfected to the most insignificant detail. The loom could weave or tuft the carpet, the materials used were impeccable (New Zealand wool, silk etc.), skein-dyed yarns – it was fast, more accessible and of extremely high quality.

To prove that their carpets could rival any hand-made rug, they tested a large piece of Karastan Oriental rug at the World’s Fair in Chicago in the 1930′s. Instead of showing it as an exhibit, they asked the people to come and literally walk on it as much as they wished, and whenr the carpet was filthy with stains and footprints, they started to clean half of it. The result was astonishing, the difference was clear – there was a vivid contrast between the brand-new-looking half and the other which was horribly stained. Since then they have been assigned the title of “The wonder company of America”, understandably, of course. The test was repeated a few years later, this time 9 million people walked on a Karastan Oriental rug and history repeated itself; it will surely keep repeating it, because Karastan seems to reinvent itself periodically.

Karastan has passed from the first, axminster loom, to other, more sophisticated and more efficient looms, it has also improved the material used, the techniques and the pattern. Nowadays there are considerable collections of Karastan Oriental rugs which will meet even the highest expectations, the most exigent tastes and the most strict artistic requirements.

Diversity is the key to success and Karastan Oriental rugs are available in a wide range of designs, in rich colors, pale or bright, with elegant contrast and gracefully shaped patterns. They are warranted for 20 years for manufacturing defects and with proper care they moths and insects will never touch them. Most certainly, a Karastan Oriental rug is the much-needed detail for the house of the 21st century man.

Ever since the man appeared on earth, he has always been searching to better himself; better home, better food, better comfort and last but not least, better ways of expressing himself. Surprising as it may seem, the expert weavers of the city of Kashan discovered the panacea of how to improve their life. They have found the balance between functionality and aesthetic comfort by reinventing the beauty of carpets, and by having a Persian Kashan rug you can also bring this equilibrium directly in your home.

Kashan is an oasis city in the province of Ifsahan situated on a caravan route in the Dasht-e Kavir desert, which is right in the heart of Iran. It is heavily dependent on the mountains nearby, which provide water for the inhabitants; many houses in the city are built below the ground level to protect them from heat and scorpions.

The weavers of this city pride themselves on having more than 5 centuries of experience producing stunning rugs and carpets, with only one recorded interruption in the 18th century caused by the Afghan invasion. In the 16th and 17th centuries the city was famous for its royal workshops, it is said that kings from wide spread corners of the world went there to buy carpets in person. The oldest remaining Persian Kashan rug dates back to 1542, and is displayed in the Victoria and Albert museum in London.

At the end of the 19th century the flourishing garment trade took centre stage, however, it wasn’t long before the rug trade retook it’s rightful place in history. At the beginning of the 20th century they used to import Manchester wool, but they shifted to Sabzavar which is, of course, geographically more accessible.

A Persian Kashan rug is easily recognizable because they have quite a limited range of patterns; most of them having a single diamond-shaped medallion in the middle, with a typical combination of curves and right angles and completed with a myriad of floral motifs (Shah Abbasi), leaf motifs and arabesques. Wild hunting scenes, palmettos and vases can also be found.

A Persian Kashan rug will usually have a rather limited palette, with red, ivory, navy blue and some greens being the predominant colors. Ocre, olive green, white and brown can be found occasionally. Generally, the colors will be arranged in such a way as to convey a very pleasing contrast, not bold, but more conservative and sober in appearance suited for stylish classical interiors.

Most of the carpets have a very fine base with wefts and warps made of cotton and a short, tight and thin wool pile. However, the most beautiful pieces, the ones of exceptional quality, are made entirely of silk. These, and those with a large number of KPSI (over 700), are quite rare and cost proportionally.

Persian Kashan rugs are among the finest and most exquisite carpets in the world, so, just like in the case of other Persian rugs, be careful about fakes as there are many countries which produce chemically dyed, low-KPSI carpets who pretend to be Kashan producers but aren’t. It would be a pity not to enjoy the original splendor of a real Persian Kashan rug!