Top 5 Questions (And Answers!) About Area Rugs
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed walking into your first area rug purchase.
You want something that will bring life to your space while standing up to the elements of your daily life. Meanwhile, you don’t want to waste your money by investing in a rug that you will only be replacing in a year.
Check out the top 5 questions that we’re asked so that you can avoid making common rug-buying mistakes.
What is the Best Type of Rug to Use in a High-Traffic Area?
For a high-traffic area, like an entryway, you will want to invest in a durable rug that will withstand dirt, stains, and excessive wear from boots and shoes.
The two most durable rug materials are wool and bamboo. Wool has the market cornered on durability and stain resistance, while bamboo is incredibly resilient, making it a great material to consider for a rug that you can count on to last for years.
How do I Keep my Area Rug Clean?
We’ve already touched base on organic rug cleaning, but the basic rules apply to all types of rugs.
Turn off the brush roll on your vacuum cleaner in order to eliminate unnecessary wear on your beautiful area rug, and invest in some good-quality, chemical-free cleaners. You can expect to clean your rug every three to six months, possibly more often for rugs in high-traffic areas.
When it comes time for a professional cleaning, which should be every three to five years, make sure to do your research and find a reputable cleaner. At the Saatchi Rug Gallery, we are well-informed on organic cleaning and restoring of both contemporary and fine antique rugs!
Why is my Wool Rug Shedding?
Shedding is natural for the first few months of use with a wool rug. A little bit of maintenance is required to keep the wool tufts from turning into a pilling rug.
Make sure to trim any tufts as they emerge and work the pile of the rug with a vacuum to keep the shedding under control. Make sure to keep the roller off though! The hardwood setting on your vacuum cleaner is more than enough to control your rug’s shedding while avoiding causing it any damage.
Something to keep in mind is that a lower quality rug will be more prone to shedding, so if you want a beautiful long-lasting piece for your home, you should consider looking at a higher-end brand.
Do I Need a Rug Pad?
You should always place your area rug over a rug pad. Not only will it add longer life to your rug, but it will keep it from sliding around while providing extra cushion underfoot.
As an added bonus, a rug pad will also protect your floor from nicks and scratches from debris that may otherwise get caught under your rug, as well as any dyes that may leach from the rich colors of the rug itself.
Can I Put an Area Rug on Top of Carpet?
Absolutely!
An area rug can definitely be layered over top of wall-to-wall carpet, and there are so many reasons to do so. If you are trying to bring new life to a carpeted room, an area rug can be used to add a pop of color or texture. A rug can also be used to cover a stubborn carpet stain, or simply used as protection against one.
A couple of simple rules you will want to keep in mind with layering an area rug over your carpet are to vary the texture and always use a rug pad to protect your carpeting and rug fibers from friction wear.
Do you have any other nagging rug questions that we can answer for you? Feel free to put our rug knowledge to work! Call the Saatchi Rug Gallery for answers to all of your rug, carpet, and tapestry-related questions, or to book a time to come see what we have to offer. 516-510-9188
How to Choose the Perfect Rug for Your Home Office
If most industries weren’t already shifting to work-from-home models, 2020 has been the year to push us, willfully or not, in that direction.
And if you’re going to be working from home, you might as well make your home office a space that you enjoy being in, right? Let us help you kick-off your home office remodel with some tips and tricks for choosing the perfect home office rug.
What is Your Home Office Style?
How do you want your home office to make you feel? Better yet, what home office style will make you the best, most productive that you can be?
Does a clean, contemporary look energize your ambition? Modern, or contemporary, rugs have a low pile and a flat weave, resulting in a rug that is a bit more durable against rolling chairs and heavy office equipment than classic alternatives. These usually come in a single color or very modest pattern, allowing your imagination to run a little wilder with the rest of your home office décor as well.
Those with a traditional soul need not be concerned about going with a rug that has a thicker pile. Depending on the style of furniture that you have chosen for your home office, you can get years of use out of a beautiful antique Persian rug. Undeniably, the rich colors and traditional patterns of Persian rugs stunningly compliment classic mahogany furniture and lavish decorating elements.
If you’re in the market for a rustic and homey feel for your office, a classic Oriental rug will fit the bill perfectly. These have a reputation for suiting stately spaces, but you can’t ignore the impact that a rich Oriental rug has on a more casual atmosphere when paired with soft leather furnishings and modern-rustic accents. Find one with a slightly faded appearance for the full farmhouse effect.
Pick the Perfect Rug Color
Your mood, focus, and productivity are undeniably impacted by the colors that surround you. We’ve touched on this in a previous post, but it’s so important that it’s worth looking at again. So much work has gone into color psychology that it would be crazy not to take it into consideration when choosing the color combo for your home office!
Certain colors stimulate energy but detract from focus. Think along the lines of red, orange, and bright pink. If you want that initial burst of energy when you walk into your office, without being distracted by it, consider using a nice, bright focal point in a spot that you won’t be staring at all day. An accent wall in a bright color or a vibrant tapestry hung behind your desk would be a great way to bring that energy into your office.
For a calmer feel that feeds focus, green and blue are great natural colors to include in your home office design.
Whichever direction you decide to go in, make sure to choose your area rug first. This will allow you to pull an accent color from it to use as a central theme for the rest of your décor. It is so much easier to fall in love with a beautiful rug and build a room around it than it is to try to find a rug that will fit into an already-established design.
Consider How Much Space Your Rug Will Fill
A wall-to-wall area rug in a small space, such as an office, will have the unfortunate effect of making it feel smaller and possibly crowded.
A good rule of thumb to stand by is having your rug sit no closer than 18” from your walls. But don’t go too small either. The perfect home office rug will fit your desk and chair without consuming all of your floor’s real-estate.
When it comes to the design of your new home office, your options are endless. You might want to stick with the style that you’ve chosen for the rest of your home, or you might see this opportunity for what it really is – a chance to branch out into a design that truly reflects your personality in a space that is entirely your own.
Be bold! But don’t go it alone. We have decades of experience finding the perfect rug for daring personalities and styles across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Call the Saatchi Rug Gallery today and see what we have waiting for you. 516-510-9188
Four Great Reasons to Include Tapestries in Your Interior Design
When it comes to interior design, the sad fact is that wall coverings more often than not end up being an after-thought. In reality, a beautiful tapestry can completely transform the mood of a room.
By side-lining wall art, you are missing out on an incredible opportunity to bring character into your living room, bedroom, or… any room, really! If you’re still unconvinced, let us help to explain how tapestries, classic and modern alike, can be used to transform your favorite space.
Bring Color into Your Space
Picking the right color palette for your space can easily become the most daunting task of your interior design project. The good news is that if you start with wall art, you will have an instant color palette to work off of.
It is so much easier to fall in love with a tapestry than it is to fall in love with a color palette. Once you have the art chosen for your space, you can easily build around it by picking out two or three shades to incorporate into the rest of your décor.
If you need some help with choosing the exact shade to match your beautiful wall art, check out ColorSnap for an easy-to-use visualizer that works right from your cellphone.
Create a Focal Point
One of the most basic principles of interior design is that every room needs a singular design aspect that will draw the eye as soon as a person enters a room. This is known as a focal point, and a breath-taking classic tapestry can very easily fit the bill.
When you are choosing a piece to use as a focal point, bigger is always better. A small piece will be dwarfed by its surrounding furniture. Just be sure that it fits the space it's in and it doesn’t overbear the rest of the design elements of the room.
Add a Sense of Texture to Your Space
Not all wall art is created equal. A simple two-dimensional piece will only go so far when it comes to decorating your space. Simple art works in simple spaces.
A rich and vibrant tapestry, on the other hand, will work in nearly any space. Minimalist furniture is easily offset by a complex tapestry. One that is full of character will also work in a busy space, sidling in nicely next to bright colors and eclectic furniture.
Classic tapestries, by virtue of often telling a story or depicting a theme, will bring intrigue, warmth, and intimacy to any space.
Give Your Home a Finishing Touch
Any space that feels less-than-put-together is usually characterized by plain walls. More often than not, this is not a design characteristic but a lack of inspiration. You should feel inspired by your home as much as your personality should inspire the art that you place upon your walls.
Take your space from functional to inviting by donning your walls with warm and welcoming tapestries that pull the entire space together.
After all, you’ve put your college days behind you, why should your home still feel like a dorm room?
Wall art shouldn’t be the last piece of the puzzle when it comes to decorating your home. It should be a starting point, setting the stage for all of your other design elements. Find a piece that you really love and build off of it, creating a space that you truly love to spend time in.
If you aren’t sure where to start, we can guide you through the process of transforming your space, starting with a beautiful wall-hanging. Give us a call today to see our extensive collection of tapestries currently in stock. We have something for every taste and budget.
For the best selection of rich hand-knotted rugs and tapestries across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, check out the Saatchi Rug Gallery. 516-510-9188
What is the Science Behind the Color of Your Rug?
How do you want your favorite room to feel?
Are you looking for a high-energy power room that encourages long conversations about deep thoughts? Or maybe you’d like it to be more serene – the perfect place to relax and ground yourself through peaceful meditation.
The colors that we choose to coat our living spaces might seem completely arbitrary, but the science behind the psychological impact of those choices tell a different story completely.
The Psychology of Color
Color psychology has been used in advertising for decades. It is no secret that specific colors can be used to evoke different emotions in consumers. Take, for instance, the bright and energetic tones of sports drinks compared to the soft and soothing shades used in naturopathy. Think about the vibrant red color of a can of Coca-Cola. How does it make you feel?
Brands have poured hours upon hours of their time into researching the psychological response to particular colors in order to better package their product. But that doesn’t mean that the same science used to sell skateboards and soft drinks can’t be applied to the interior design of your home.
You want your home to have a particular energy about it, and the foundation of that energy derives from the colors that you choose for it, right down to the carpet or rugs that you lay upon your floors. Not sure how to figure that out? Let’s breakdown the science behind a few colors.
Red emotes feelings of energy, power, and strength. It is a color that is never boring! Used to make a cool room feel warmer, it has also been known to increase appetites, making it a great color choice for a kitchen. Beautiful, hand-knotted Oriental and Persian accent rugs are well known for their deep red hues.
Pink is a very romantic color. Often used in children’s and teenagers’ bedrooms to give them a girly feel, it can become sweet and sappy really quickly if not used in moderation. If you’re tickled pink by the rose-colored hue, consider draping your floor with a rug with pink accents instead of one that dives head-first into the color.
Orange is the color of joy and sunshine. It is often associated with feelings of enthusiasm, happiness, and creativity. It is one of those colors that is usually either loved or hated, there is no in-between. Like red, it is known to increase appetites as well as energy levels, making it a great shade for a dining room rug or an accent tapestry in an exercise room to release your inner warrior.
Yellow is also a very joyful color, evoking happiness, intellect, and positive energy. It is an excellent color choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. Bright yellow is an optimistic color, but be sure to opt for small quantities. Like pink, it is a shade that can quickly become overpowering.
Green is considered the most restful color for the eye. This comes as no surprise, considering it is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, and freshness, often making people feel safe in their surroundings. Well-suited for any room of your home, it is especially powerful when used as an accent color in a home office, stimulating productivity without causing over-excitement or anxiety.
Blue, unsurprisingly, is the most popular interior design color in the US. This is attributed entirely to its calming characteristics, often evoking a feeling of peace and tranquility. While this is true of light or pastel blue shades, darker blues are often associated with knowledge, power, and integrity. Sapphire blues make for an impeccable accent color, and the deep blues often adorning antique Persian rugs bring a touch of luxury to any bedroom.
Color psychology has been utilized in interior design, marketing, and even architecture, for decades as a result of its intuitive grasp of human emotional triggers. There is very little doubt that the chosen colors of any project or interior can affect a person’s state of mind and even overall disposition. We’ve even found that the science of color coding holds its roots in ancient Egyptian times, where color psychology was used for its holistic benefits and healing powers.
Have any of these colors, and their meanings, piqued your attention? Don’t start your next interior design project without first letting us find the perfect rug for your space and the emotions that you want to evoke. Call today to book a viewing of the Saatchi Rug Gallery’s showroom, we have just the right rug waiting for you. 516-510-9188
A Short History of Oriental Rugs
Oriental rugs have a deeply rich history, not only as a practical means of protecting floors and warming homes but as a form of ancient art painstakingly crafted in accordance with decades of cultural traditions.
Oriental Origins
Beautiful, hand-woven rugs are classified by their place of origin. The richest traditions of hand-woven rugs belong to Turkish, Indian, Caucasian, Turkmen, and Persian rugs.
That being said, these carefully crafted beauties can come from a number of other regions. There is a long history of Tibetan, Chinese, and Afghani rugs. Hand-woven rugs from this broad region are typically referred to as Oriental rugs.
While today these stunning works of art can be produced in many parts of the globe, with quick and affordable versions being created with machines, the most striking oriental rugs are still hand-woven in the places where their traditions began centuries ago.
Textiles and Designs
Wool, silk, cotton, and nylon are the most commonly used fibers for rug-making. The majority of fine Oriental rugs are crafted from wool because of its resilience and stain resistance.
The most intriguing aspect of Oriental rugs lies in their rich colors and complex symbolism. Historically, you could trace a rug back to its origin simply by looking at its design, as the most authentic designs reflect the area of its creation.
Ancient rug makers would weave colors, patterns, and shapes related to their surroundings into their intricate designs, a tradition that still holds true today.
Persian Rugs Vs. Oriental Rugs
By the strictest definition, Oriental rugs are only created in Asia. Persian rugs are also considered Oriental rugs, but they are only hand-crafted in Iran.
There are a few distinguishing design features that help to differentiate the two types of rugs as well.
Persian rugs tend to have an unusually thick pile – up to 160 knots per square inch. Alongside this, Persian rugs are known for their extremely rich color combinations, unique designs, and a distinct knot that distinguishes them from Asian varieties.
Introducing Oriental Rugs to the West
Western Europe was a little late to the party when it came to introducing woven carpets into their homes.
During the 17th Century, Oriental rugs began to make their way through European doorways by way of trade through Venice, but it would still be another 100 years before Europeans started putting them on their floors.
At the time of their introduction, Europeans preferred to hang the beautifully woven fabrics on their walls, in the form of tapestries, or to lay them decoratively across their tables.
We have come a long way since then. Across the globe, carefully woven rugs and carpets have become an integral part of interior design. Modern conceptions have joined traditional patterns, creating more choices than ever to bring character and color into your home.
Feel free to browse our collection online, or better yet, give us a call and book an appointment to see some of the beautiful pieces that we carry in person. Serving New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, our showroom has dozens of gorgeous, hand-woven rugs in all sizes and color patterns, just waiting to find the perfect place in your home. 516-510-9188
