Rugs

Ah, spring, it’s almost time to let your hair down, step outside, breathe in the fresh air and have some good old-fashioned fun. Or, in some cases, it may be time to start your spring home decorating projects.

The promise of the warm weather and longer days has the tendency to make almost all of us want to spruce up our homes with updated décor. With that in mind, the following are some inexpensive and highly effective ways to motivate you, while making the most of your spring decorating dollars:

Add an area rug. Unlike wall-to-wall carpet, area rugs can bring colorful designs and patterns into your room without overwhelming it, and once you buy them they are yours to keep; as you can take them with you if you move. Area rugs can be well used by the frugal decorator, as they’re extremely versatile, and can serve many purposes. For example, they can start off in the living room, move to the family room or bedroom, and eventually end up in the garage or an indoor/outdoor room.

Punch up the color with paint. Painting is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to transform a room. So, if you’re thinking of painting but are hesitant about covering the walls of an entire room with a brighter color, Pratt & Lambert Color Marketing Manager Peggy Van Allen says there are plenty of ways to experiment with color — even before putting it on your walls.

“There are numerous tools on the market that can help tap into a consumer’s imagination by assisting them in envisioning how a color can change the look and feel of a room,” said Van Allen.

One new way is with the Pratt & Lambert Inspiration Cards. They provide an extra boost of confidence when pulling colors together by showcasing photographs of how professionals combine colors on walls, trim and accent areas in various rooms. And, each of the 16 cards contain the exact color chips used to create the room design, along with tips to help consumers easily achieve the same look in their own home.

Try on a slip cover. If your furniture is tired and worn looking, or you need to match your new wall color with your furniture, you can lighten and brighten chairs, loveseats and couches with the creative use of slip covers. For less than $100 dollars, you can either make your own, or buy them at your local home outlet store. It’s amazing how an old piece of furniture can take on new life with a little help.

Give windows the treatment. If your draperies are heavy and dark, it won’t matter what color your walls or furniture are. So, shop the sales for some sheers and taffeta panels that can help brighten a room. Discount stores are great resources for inexpensive panels and curtains. Try adding something light with a beaded fringe to include a little sparkle and a bit of whimsy.

Lighten up. One sure way to quickly freshen up a room’s décor is by replacing outdated lamp fixtures. For an entirely new look, this can be accomplished by replacing old shades. Or, try re-decorating your existing lamp shades by applying fabric paint or using a hot glue gun to embellish shades with beads, feathers or other ornaments.

Tidy up and organize. During the winter our homes tend to become filled with lots of bulk and piles of things. While spring cleaning, bring in new wicker baskets or decorative storage boxes to hide away those items that have accumulated during the winter months. This will allow you to have the tidy, minimalist look we often associate with spring.

According to Van Allen, “Just remember, spring decorating doesn’t have to break your budget. Small, cost-effective improvements can really make a difference in your home’s overall appearance, and most importantly how you feel about your surroundings.”

Courtesy of ARA Content

There are many different types of wool rugs that you can choose from though using the contemporary ones will certainly help accentuate your room a lot better and the more modern ones are ideal for becoming the focal point in a room and they help in making the room look and feel more modern as well as contemporary. In fact, the contemporary wool rugs are available as either hand knotted or hand tufted and the main difference between these two types is that the latter type is created while using a tiny machine that inserts the yarn to create more texture.

Density Of Knotting Means Better Quality

When you look at different wool rugs and need to compare them, you would, in the case of hand knotted rugs look at the number of knots for each square inch of space and the more dense are these knots, the better the quality of the rug. Most of the contemporary wool rugs are made in various parts of the world and while some are made in the US, others are made in diverse countries including China, Belgium, India, Bulgaria as well as Spain and a few more countries.

It is safe to say that if you buy wool rugs made in the United States, these will most probably be machine made rather than hand tufted or even hand knotted as would be the case if you were purchasing those that were made in China and India. Still, you can get a good deal if you look at the style and also do comparison shopping to ensure that you get the best deal possible. And, don’t forget to add the cost of shipping to the costs, if you are buying from overseas or from a city other than the one that you live in.

However, there are a few online stores that ship for free and which also give sizeable discounts and you should also try and buy from clearance sales if you want to save your money when buying wool rugs. It is also smart to compare different fabrics and you should also consider asking stores (especially, online ones) to send you free samples of materials so that you are able to evaluate the type of fabric.

Finally, to have more options and find the most suitable styles, you need to look at various wool rugs outlets (both online and offline) which will provide you with lots of choices and also best prices, and the chances of finding the exact item that you are looking for will also increase considerably.

You would have heard about all types of rugs such as the Iranian or Turkish rugs, or those which come from Kashmir (India). However, are you aware that there are exceptionally beautiful ones here in the USA? Let me introduce you to the western rugs of USA.

Where Are The Western Rugs Coming From?

Most people from USA look forward to have an oriental rug if they are looking for one. Very rarely and very few people know about the existence and beauty of the western rugs. These rugs originate from the ancient civilizations of the Mexicans and the Native American Indians and are vibrant with color and stunning in design intricacies, more so that everything is done by hand.

Arizona Navajo is another area which is connected with these western rugs. All you need to have a look at one of them once you would surely fall in love with them. The colors of these western rugs are indeed attractive and the feel when you touch them extremely soft and caressing.

Among the three types that come under the label of western rugs the Mexican ones are the most attractive. On the other hand if you look for longevity, then you should go for the Native Indians ones because these are processed infinitely better than the others. The Native Indians are extremely ingenious as you will find that even without the modern processing units you would get excellently finished rugs out of natural fibers and animal skin.

A Little Bonus With These Rugs

Just when you thought that you learned everything about these wonderful rugs, you will find out that there is a little bonus. All these wonderfully colored rugs can have thinner extensions made for putting on the table for show (and protecting the table form scratches).  In case you like these rugs – and very rarely anyone who sees these rugs do not - you would also like the earthen pots, light carpets (that would be used for the top of the table and other things) among others.

The Native Indians as well as Mexicans are very talented and these talents are amply proven through their products such as cowhide musical instruments, clay pottery, wooden spoons, wooden bowls and many other things that are made specifically in the styles of ancient civilizations; this is not only very beautiful but also very fascinating.

While you are looking for these western rugs, you would find some excellent complementary products that could enhance the beauty of your home or office in a most unique manner.