Adding
attractive area rugs to your hardwood flooring will provide many
benefits:
Area rugs add to and
improve the decor in almost any room. Rugs can be found in about any
style or color scheme including Oriental, Persian, Berber, Southwestern,
and more. Handmade area rugs are generally made of wool, silk or other
natural fiber, while machine made rugs can be manufactured from both
natural and synthetic fibers.
Rugs will protect your
valuable flooring from heavy furniture, or wear in high traffic areas.
Area rugs are easy to replace or switch compared with wall-to-wall
carpeting.
Rugs add an element of
warmth to any room. Rugs have an ability to improve the sound ambience
in a room which is acoustically harsh due to hardwood flooring. Rugs
also add a heat insulating factor between rooms.
When selecting an area
rug, bring a sample of wallpaper (or the color of your wall paint) plus
a sample of material which covers your furniture and a flooring sample
if possible. If samples aren't available, take several pictures in
different light conditions and bring them along. This helps to give an
idea of the color combinations that will work best with the decor of the
room.
Lighter colored rugs
tend to make a room look larger, while deeper/darker colors can
make a room feel more intimate. If your furnishings and walls have a
plain or solid look, choose a rug with a bold pattern to add a focal
point to the room.
Synthetic Fibers
available in rugs include:
- Acrylics: Highly resistant to
sunlight, stains and mildew. Most often found in bathmats and rugs.
- Nylon: Versatile, durable,
easy to maintain and excellent stain resist properties. Less expensive
but does not retain value like wool or silk rugs.
- Olefin: Very stain resistant
synthetic fiber. Rugs are often less expensive than those made with
other fibers.
Natural Fibers
available in rugs include:
- Cotton: Softer than wool but
not as durable. Often combined with wool in rugs. Available in a wide
variety of colors.
- Jute: The softest of natural
fiber. Jute is more susceptible to fading and moisture than other rug
fabrics.
- Sisal: The most durable
natural rug fiber, sisal is colorfast & staticfree.
- Wool: The King of rug
fabrics. Very durable, soft and cleanable, wool has been a favorite of
rug users and makers for centuries.
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