Carpet Bagging: A Buyer's Guide

Carpet Bagging: A Buyer's Guide

Here's what to look for when shopping for an antique rug.

AGE

The older the rug, the higher the value is the general rule of thumb. Like a favorite T-shirt, antique rugs get more malleable over time. The corners of rugs hand-woven in Turkey, Iran and Central Asia a century ago or more tend to "flop around" more readily than newer, machine-made models, says Kurt Munkacsi, an expert on tribal rugs. When shopping, grab a corner and see how easily it bends.

COLOR

The key factor in determining a rug's value is whether it's made with natural dyes (like the Caucasian rug below) or synthetic ones. Collectors who might pay $12,000 for a rug colored with dyes from mashed vegetables and insects won't pay more than $200 for the same style dyed with chemicals that more easily fade, Mr. Munkacsi says. Make sure the rug's surface isn't lighter than its roots—"tip fading" is a telltale sign the dye isn't natural.

CONDITION

Ancient weavers primarily used wool, so pricier rugs tend to boast lustrous, silky fibers pulled from well-fed breeds like the fat-tail sheep. Mughals sheared pashmina goats, and camel hair was popular among desert tribes. Run your hand over the carpet to check the evenness of the carpet's pile. Lumpy sections or bald patches will hurt its value: "I walk on my rugs, but only in slippers—no leather shoes allowed," Mr. Munkacsi says.

WEAVE

Retail rug salesmen may revel in their rugs' high knot counts, boasting of 1,200 knots in a single inch, but ancient weavers weren't so particular. Some Caucasian rugs only have 50 knots per square inch, and 400 knots is a common figure. This Kurdish Bidjar rug has around 80 knots per square inch. Rather than focusing on knot count, novice buyers should instead inspect the rug's design for crisp lines with no blurring. Quirky design inconsistencies also give tribal rugs their folk-art appeal.

IMAGERY

The symbols woven into antique rugs offer clues to the pieces' origins and rarity. The fan-tailed peacock pictured below was the signature design of the Akstafa, a single group of Kazak weavers living southwest of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Common symbols include stars and medallion shapes, often representing heaven and earth; flowering vases and seed pods symbolize prosperity. "Every region had its own weaving language, so the rug's design is actually recording its history," says Mr. Munkacsi.

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What Some of Our Customers Are Saying...

What Some of Our Customers Are Saying...

"Rug Decor has the best customer service I've experienced in a long time. Huge selection and competitive prices. We'll be back for sure for all of our future rug purchases."

—Anonymous

"On a recent trip to St. Louis we visited your Rug Decor store. We have been rug shopping for months and have not found any store with the extensive selection of quality rugs we found at Rug Decor. Even more impressive was the service we received. Everyone we came into contact with was friendly and helpful. We worked with Shannon who was knowledgeable, able to answer our many questions, and worked with us patiently to help us find the perfect rug for our family room. We were able to try it out in our room to make sure it was what we wanted. My husband and I were so satisfied with the quality of the rug and the service that I decided to make the 740 mile round trip to St. Louis to find two more rugs. Again the experience was exceptional!"

—Barb Reiff - Ankeny, Iowa

"I purchased a new rug from Rug Decor of Charleston. I would also like to compliment Karen Freischlag. She was very helpful and made shopping with your company very enjoyable "

—Tony Oliver

"I just want to say how pleased I am with the service I received from your store in Eastern Shore Alabama. Everyone was so friendly, especially Ron who brought the rug out to my car. Very pleasant experience. Could you pass this on?"

—Laurie

Rug Pads at Rug Decor

Quality padding used beneath your rug will help protect it from dirt, wear and slippage. Selecting and using the proper padding is crucial to the long-term health of your finely-crafted rug. Rug Decor sells only 100 percent PVC padding which, unlike natural rubber, will not damage floor varnish. We sell pads for laying...... rugs on top of wood floors, tile and carpet. One of our rug experts will help you select the right size and padding for your floor surface.

How Do I Care For My Rug?

This information comes from the World Floor Covering Association: It’s important you understand that even though a handmade rug is a work of art, it’s made to be used and walked on. Avoiding walking on your new area rug is like keeping a new car locked up in the garage undriven. With usage, as the top layers of pile (in most cases wool) break, the pile looks shinier and smoother, and with light exposure the colors look more harmonious. In fact, with proper use, handmade rugs generally become more valuable. And what’s wrong with that? Remember also that handmade rugs are not easily damaged, so enjoy your handmade rug without any worries. Meanwhile, take the following few easy steps to make sure that your rug ages gracefully, naturally and beautifully. Vacuuming is a good investment but there are strings attached. You should vacuum or sweep your rug as you would wall-to-wall carpeting. But be careful that the fringes don’t get pulled or sucked in by the vacuum cleaner. For proper wear, turn, turn to this advice. Rotate your rug 180 degrees every few months, or every year, depending on traffic patterns. Rotation is necessary for two reasons. First, all parts of your rug should be exposed to light equally so that the colors fade evenly. When colors are exposed to the sun evenly, they become harmonious and the rug ages nicely, but if different parts of the rug receive unequal amounts of sun exposure, over time, one side might look over faded and one side too bright. Second, is traffic. All parts of the rug should be exposed to an equal amount of traffic so that the pile wears evenly. Here’s the dirt on spot cleaning. A water spill should be dried immediately with a hairdryer set on a warm temperature. Try to dry both sides of your rug if possible. In case of a soft drink or alcohol spill, apply salt or baking soda to the spot for a few minutes to absorb the color of the drink. Then vacuum off the salt or baking soda. After vacuuming, use a wet towel to gently wipe the stain in the direction of the nap (the direction the pile faces). You can wet the towel with regular or carbonated water. Be gentle; do not scrub your rug. For old stains, take the rug to a professional handmade rug retailer. Do not try to clean old stains yourself. Avoid washing anxiety, seek professional help. Have your rug washed by a professional every 2 to 5 years depending on the amount of traffic on the rug. It is important to have it washed professionally because, as the rug is used, dust, dirt and broken fiber get into the foundation. Professionals dust the rug with special equipment to get all of these elements out of the foundation before washing the rug. Then, they usually wash the rug by hand using natural soap. They will also make sure the rug is dried from the surface to the foundation before it is used again. Most handmade rug dealers and retailers offer appropriate cleaning services. Do not take your rug to general carpet-cleaning companies because the techniques and chemicals they use for wall-to-wall carpets may not be appropriate for handmade rugs. Do some undercover work. Consult with your retailer about the proper padding to be placed under your rug. Padding is an important element and will both stabilize and protect your rug. Good padding also makes it safer to walk on your rug and will protect its value and appearance. For rug repair, fix your attention here. Repairing a handmade rug, similar to weaving, is very time consuming and labor intensive; as a result, repair can sometimes be costly. Therefore, when considering repairing a rug, factor in the cost of repair in comparison to the value of the rug. Sometimes, it is better if collectible items remain in their original state and not be repaired because their value might actually decrease by any change, even if the change appears good. Getting the opinion of a professional is always a good idea. Most reputable handmade rug retailers offer you repair services. Smart, regular care and upkeep will keep your area rugs looking great, and your home looking as beautiful, stylish and unique as ever.

It's Karastan Month

Karastan Month

Area Rug Samples!

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Wool vs Synthetic

Both of these materials have their advantages. Either material makes beautiful and fashionable rugs for your decorating needs. Wool Wool rugs are popular for their unique feel, exquisite look, and incredible durability. A rug is labeled as wool if it has a wool fiber content of 90 percent or more. A rug may also be considered a wool rug if it has a 100 percent wool face on a non wool backing. Many wool rugs are handmade in India and China. Although the majority are made by hand there are machine operated looms. The different types of wool for various rugs come from different species of sheep. The softest and highest quality wool in the world comes from the sheep raised in the island climate of New Zealand. The biggest advantage that a wool rug has over its synthetic counterpart is its longevity. The natural wool fiber has a memory that resists crushing and wear. It also has natural oils and lanolin that keeps it soft and pliable (depending on the type of wool.) This same feature protects the fiber from accidental stains by locking the liquid outside and on the surface of the yarn. Because wool is a natural fiber it is important to clean the rug regularly to keep it in good condition. Some wool rugs are dyed with natural vegetable and insect dyes which will fade in sunlight. This natural fading will cause a variegated pattern to emerge, which increases the value of the rug. A wool rug, which is carefully and diligently cared for, should last 20 to 30 years or more. Unless the rug is destroyed or not taken care of properly, it should not decrease in value. A hand made rug, which stands the test of time, may one day become a genuine antique worth much more than the original purchase price. Synthetic There are many benefits of owning a synthetic rug. The rug can be inexpensive while still being fairly durable and extremely stain resistant. Many synthetic rugs are available for $100 to $400 in a 5x8 or 6x9 size. A thicker, denser synthetic rug with more colors and a more intricate design will be on the high end of the scale while the thinner rug with more basic design will cost less. A synthetic rug is made of any material that is not a natural fiber (i.e., wool, cotton or sisal.) Most synthetic rugs are made with a polypropylene or olefin fiber. Polypropylene is a thermoplastic resin that is most commonly used as a tough plastic. Olefin is an open chain hydrocarbon. Both of these materials are basically hard plastics. This material is heated and, while molten, spun by machines into ultra fine threads. These fine threads are then twisted together to make a very durable, stain resistant yarn. Because these materials are non-porous, it is almost impossible for any stain to set into the fiber. This man made yarn is produced specifically for us in the looms which weave carpet and rugs. Some synthetic rugs may only have eight or nine colors in the entire rug due to the methods with which they are woven. A newer method of weaving and new looms, known as the side woven method, mimics the look and feel of a hand knotted rug. Under this new process, the finished product may have 12 to 30 colors available. After the machine weaving process is completed the rugs are cut from the roll then serged and fringed to finish the product.

Springtime Inspiration

Springtime Inspiration

Does this winter weather have you dreaming up plans for redecorating your home? Here are a few pictures to inspire your spring remodel and how to create your own open space with gorgeous area rugs.

Area Rug Sizing

When choosing the size of rug to buy, the basic rule of thumb is to choose a rug that is two feet shorter than the smallest wall in the room (e.g. a 10x12-foot room would need a rug no bigger than eight feet wide). Beyond that, there are many other factors to consider depending on the space utilizing the area rug. So we’ve broken them down by room type. Hall – rugs should leave at least six inches of floor showing on all sides. Also make sure to swing open the front door and measure the floor from that point so the first three feet or so remain clear. Dining Room – rugs should extend at least 18 inches beyond the edge of the table so that the rug is situated under the dinning chairs as well. Bedroom – rugs can be placed one-third of the way under the bed so the rest of the rug creates a nice mat at the end of the bed. Also try placing runners on the sides of the bed as well as at the foot of the bed. Living Rooms – rugs should fit the configuration of the room and furniture arrangements. If you have one main conversation area, choose a rug large enough to sit under at least the front third of the furniture. If you have two smaller conversation areas in a room, feel free to try two separate rugs as long as they match in color or material. No matter what space you’re filling, count on Rug Décor to help you find the perfect area rug!

First Lady Sale

It's our "First Lady Sale" only at Rug Decor. Come in now and see the timeless and distinct collection from Kathy Ireland and Shaw. Save up to 20% off all Shaw Rugs, and save an additional 15% off clearance rugs. You can't beat our selection or prices. See you soon.

Word of the Week

Arabesque Intricate patterns of intertwining flowers and vines.