It's Karastan Month

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.

Word of the Week

Abrash: Change or variation in the color of a rug due to differences in the wool or dye bath. The effect of abrash is subtle shading differences. In older or antique rugs, Abrash occurs naturally. In new rugs, both machine made and handmade, Abrash is carefully created by changing the color of the yarns to mimic a vintage look.

Winter is Here!

Winter is here- and if it's time to start looking into the color trends of 2010 so you can be in the know and have the best interior decorating around! This color palette below is the Chic Color Trend of 2010. All of the earthy and somewhat heavy on the brown colors will leave your home feeling very idealistic to an old country home. Classic Color Trend of 2010, which represents a more vivid and saturated feel of all the colors. These colors will remind you of the beach. Absolutely calming and lovely. Casual Color Trend of 2010 leaves the old country feeling behind and moves into the more modern and city feel of colors. Alot of these colors will start to remind you of street lights, which represent the concrete feel and unusual feel of a fast paced "city" life. SO, when you are searched for a new area rug and or carpet, keep these color trends of 2010 in mind so you can capture the feeling that you want for your ideal home.

Colors for Fall 2009

A summary of the top Fall 2009 colors that make up the diverse color palette are:

• American Beauty — this flattering true red is neither harsh nor over-the-top. Designed to suit all skintones, this warm but robust hue can be blended with almost any shade.
• Rapture Rose — represents all that is new and fresh about this fall’s designs. With nurturing and feminine tones, this color plays upon the vibrancy of last season’s fuschia but is toned down a little with soft pink. This key shade transcends clothing into cosmetics and accessories.
• Burnt Sienna — more a pinkish, earthy orange, reminiscent of Mediterranean terracotta roof tiles. Warm and comforting, probably the most-fall like of all the Panetone shades.
• Majolica Blue — adding an exotic feel to the color group this cross between teal blue and navy complements oranges and purple hues perfectly.
• Purple Heart — sitting somewhere between true purple and lilac, this refined tone is soft and sensual.
• Warm Olive — a rich yellowy green, reminiscent of an olive in a martini, which, according to Pantone's Fall 2009 report “makes all other colors come alive.”
• Honey Yellow — a warm and welcoming yellow with a hint of honeyed beige. A perfect partner to Burnt Sienna for a wintry feel.
• Crème Brûlée — needs no explanation for those who love its namesake, the delicious French desert. Providing one of fall’s classic neutrals, this paired down mix of gray and ivory beige looks good enough to eat!
• Nomad — another timeless neutral which falls between light gray and beige serves as an anchor for more robust colors
• Iron — represents the “new black” of the season. Neither a true gray nor brown it falls more in the category of a cross between slate and gunmetal. This serves as a grounding color for all other tones.

As you can see below these new colors for Fall can be encompassed into any carpet or rug that you are going to purchase this fall of 2009. Base your carpet and rug choices off of these new darker and richer hues and you will be known as the one who is in the fashion realm of what's hot and what's not. So go ahead and indulge in these decadent colors and see for yourself how wonderful they will make your home look.