AREA RUGS: They define living spaces and provide comfort under foot.

Chris Abele had a problem. His open, spacious loft needed some definition.

“A loft space is just a great big room. You need a way to visually divide it,” Abele said.

Today a thick, durable area rug clearly marks the dining area. Abele had the rug custom-made in the size he specified and a color he selected by comparing yarn samples to a swatch of sofa fabric.

“It’s great. It’s the exact size and color I wanted,” he said.

Area rugs provide more than just a soft surface to walk on. They add a splash of color or contrast to a room, like a piece of art.

“In general, people are turning to hard surfaces for the floors of their homes, and they don’t want to cover those surfaces with wall-to-wall carpeting anymore,” said Sofia Varanka, owner and partner of Hudson Home.

Rugs made of sustainable materials, like banana fiber, are increasingly popular. Banana fiber is extracted from the bark of the banana tree. The bark is soaked until only cellulose fibers remain. The fibers are then extruded into a pulp, which is spun into yarn. The yarn is then hand-dyed, saturated in brilliant color.

“The white fiber takes the color really well,” said Varanka. “It feels like silk, but it’s more durable and not as expensive. It’s one of the newest fibers out there for rugs.”

Other popular rug fibers include linen, cashmere, hemp and nettle, alpaca and wool. Linen is a renewable resource and also very soft. Cashmere rugs, generally used in low-traffic areas like bedrooms, are butter soft. Hemp and nettle have natural color variations but are extremely stiff, so are best used in high traffic areas. Alpaca rugs are very thick, as thick as 2 inches, so bare toes can sink into their heavenly softness. One advantage of wool is its lanolin, a built-in stain resister. Other rugs can be coated with a silicone substance to resist stains.

Wool rugs are gaining popularity in an unlikely room: the kitchen. More and more people are discovering the warmth a rug adds to the kitchen, and the natural stain-resistance of wool makes it a popular choice.

Still, Varanka recommends using a rug made of hemp or nettle, which are better able to take the high traffic of a kitchen. But don’t place a rug directly beneath a sink or a stove. You might end up spending more time cleaning spills than you bargained for.

Geometric designs and fun patterns are also popular right now, according to Rod Parks, owner of Retro Inferno.

“People are finding texture really appealing,” said Parks. “Flokati (a long shag) is interesting, and also dimensional patterns that lift right out of the rug.”

When shopping for an area rug, make sure the rug’s durability matches the traffic it will receive. Chris Abele knew chairs would be continually dragged over the rug he wanted for his dining area, so he chose sturdy wool. Also, walk on it before you buy, both with shoes and barefoot.

Position a rug so it can be seen. This is an economic consideration as well as an aesthetic one: You don’t want to pay for a large area that will be hidden under a sofa.

Finally, don’t forget what’s underneath: A good rug pad will keep the rug from slipping.

No More Standing In Line At eCheck-Out

Online area rugs retailers, RugSale.com, has changed it's check out process reducing the number of steps by more than two thirds. "We listened to our customers and heard what they wanted from us loud and clear" Said Charlie Kaoud CEO of RugSale. He continued "Though we had originally made our checkout process simple but comprehensive, our customers wanted it shorter".

RugSale eliminated superfluous pages condensing only the most essential elements into just two steps. They also reduced redundant tasks. If the billing and shipping addresses are the same the information automatically appears in the shipping fields as it is being typed into the billing fields.

Eliminating the requirement to set up an account was also something customers asked for. "We found that many people didn't care about setting up an account. Once they find rugs they were looking for they just wanted to check out quick and move on" Said Charlie. RugSale made setting up an account optional in case some people still wanted to use the tools that they offer account holders.

They also found that many of their customers shop by price or selection not web site loyalty. So when they shop for a rug again and they end up coming back it is often because RugSale has the particular rug or a good price not because they are a loyal RugSale shopper. In these instances the shopper may not know their password and would simply start filling in customer information all over again. RugSale now has them put in their email address first and instantly checks their database to see if the customer has shopped there before. If they have, a message pops up explaining they already have an account and asks them if they want their password. The customer then can simply enter their password and they don't need to enter their information all over again. "We would like to think people come to RugSale because they love the site but even if they stumble over us twice in a row we want their experience to be as easy as possible." Charlie Concludes.

Surfing Surface for floor covering news

Surface, the world's largest annual floor-covering trade show, recently introduced the latest in flooring fashions to industry attendees hungry to pick up new trends. Manufacturers from around the globe convened in Las Vegas to show off a host of new floor-covering looks and styles, ranging from glazed Moroccan tiles to hand-chiseled hardwood.

Here, according to retailer group World Floor Covering Association, is what was hot:

• Vibrant colors.
  
• 
  
• Plush textures.
  
• 
  
• Luxurious looks.
  
• 
  
• • Customized rugs that are works of art in themselves.
  

Tiles designed for offices, dens and bathroom floors were presented in a wide variety of materials, including glass, porcelain, cement, rubber, brightly colored aluminum -- and even pony hair -- from a variety of makers.

Many manufacturers displayed one-of-a-kind pieces. Hand-painted tiles measuring from a half-inch to a full foot were shown in a variety of settings. There were also leather tiles in flat jewel tones and animal prints for home owners looking for lively accents.

Carpets and area rugs were on show in nearly every color, material and look imaginable, from hand-woven silk to leather.

If all these sound expensive, think again. There were stylish products for every budget.

As in previous years, banana leaf and sisal were also shown in abundance. Basket weaves and knotted rugs appeared among coverings for patios, living rooms and sun rooms.

Woods from such exotic locales as South America and Thailand were exhibited as wide planks, reclaimed antique, and stalks of natural bamboo laid side by side.

In addition, a number of manufacturers offered a variety of "green" products, including cork, bamboo and linoleum. Only the bark is used in making cork floor coverings, so the rest of the tree is left intact. Cork comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. Bamboo has been on the floor-covering scene for a number of years, but recent advances present the product in finer detail and darker shades.

Linoleum, which has been enormously popular for well over a century, is manufactured from renewable sources, such as linseed oil, resin, wood flour, cork powder and pigments. Linoleum's durability -- up to 40 years as flooring -- makes it very suitable for high-traffic areas.
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=300815&z=31

Homey Rugs, Putting on a Floor Show

A big contender for this year's hot-picks list has to be a Dash & Albert woven rug. They have been showing up in virtually every home magazine in the past few months as stair runners, in kids' rooms, by kitchen sinks and under dining tables. Affordable (less than $200 for a 6-by-9-foot) and cheery (plaids and stripes), the flat cotton rugs evoke the Eastern Shore, Nantucket and an old house near the beach.

"We've definitely had an impact on the rug business," said Annie Selke, the owner of four-year-old Dash & Albert. In the early days, the rugs got a publicity boost from Real Simple magazine, which featured them on its cover and inside pages. "They gave us a ton of exposure," Selke said, "and put us on the map."

This month, Dash & Albert began selling indoor-outdoor rugs made of polypropylene. They are more expensive than the cotton versions ($288 for a 6-by-9) and available in fewer patterns. But Selke said they pass any durability test -- inside or out.

The all-weather versions were tested for nine months by messy children and drooling dogs, and with gloppy substances such as peanut butter, yogurt and ketchup. If you get one for the dining room that won't fit in the washing machine, Selke recommends just taking it outside and hosing it down. She said she has put one in her mudroom and another in her daughter's bedroom in the family's house in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where her company is based.

Selke also owns Pine Cone Hill, a furniture and bedding company, and Potluck Studios, a tableware and furniture company.

The rugs have one clear downside: Dash&Albert does not offer shopping by catalogue or computer. In this area, the only place to buy them is at Urban Country in Bethesda. For more information, visit http://www.dashandalbertrugs.com or call 800-442-8157.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/23/AR2007052300372.html

Area Rugs Retailer Adds Policy to Eliminate Return Shipping Charges

RugSale.com has improved it's return policy as a follow up to the release of the redesign of its area rugs web site. Above and beyond the extensive aesthetic changes to the site the company has added an exchange policy to ensure new and existing customers are happy with their area rugs.

We not only wanted to make the site more visually pleasing, we wanted to ensure our policies provided the customer with enough flexibility to find the perfect area rug. We think allowing them to return the first rug and get a second with no shipping charge will give them that flexibility.

CEO and Founder Charlie Kaoud Says "We not only wanted to make the site more visually pleasing, we wanted to ensure our policies provided the customer with enough flexibility to find the perfect area rug. We think allowing them to return the first rug and get a second with no shipping charge will give them that flexibility."

In an attempt to make the industry standard "No Hassle Return Policy", that requires the customer to pay for return shipping, even more customer friendly RugSale has launched their "Try Another Rug" policy. This procedure allows customers to return the first rug they buy and try a second one with no shipping charges. If customers decide other RugSale area rugs would work better they simply call customer service and RugSale will arrange for the return shipment of the first rug and will ship the customer a second rug of equal or greater cost with no shipping charge for either. As with all offers there are certain stipulations that can be found at RugSales' web site.

Charlie Kaoud Adds "We hope this change will ensure that our customers get a rug they are really happy with. We are not just trying to sell a single rug, we are trying to earn a customer for life."

For additional information on this release contact Paul Nangle or visit RugSale.com.

About RugSale:
Rugsale.com was established in 1999 by the largest importer of area rugs in New England. After serving our friends and neighbors in the New England area for over 5 decades we decided to bring that same spirit to the internet. The RugSale.com model is to provide affordable area rugs and unsurpassed service to our web customers.

Former Buddy's Carpet exec pleads guilty to tax charge

A former executive of the Buddy's Carpet and Flooring retail chain has pleaded guilty to a charge of tax evasion.

Bruce Cohen, 61, faces up to five years in jail followed by two years of supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine for allegedly conspiring to commit tax fraud and filing false income tax returns, the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio said.

Cohen, of Louisville, Ky., served as a financial services and insurance salesman for Buddy's Carpet.

In 2005, a federal grand jury in Columbus returned a seven-count indictment alleging tax evasion, conspiracy to commit tax fraud and filing false income tax returns against the following:
Former owner Burton "Buddy" Kallick of Cincinnati.
Former owner Leif Rozin of Bonita Springs, Fla.
Former in-house counsel Alan Koehler of Purcellville, Va.
Milton Liss of Cincinnati, the company's former investment and insurance adviser.

Kallick passed away in January and is no longer a defendant in the case. Rozin, Koehler and Liss are scheduled for a trial in September.

Buddy's Carpet, based in Franklin, has about 29 stores in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Kallick once was the company's top pitchman, who assured customers in advertisements that they had "a buddy in the carpet business."

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2007/05/07/daily5.html

Monaco Carpet Designer Announces Bold New Concept

Monaco-based avant garde carpet designer Kamyar Moghadam reveals his new line of floor coverings which borrows concepts from the fashion world

Floors have not been getting quite the respect they deserve, if you listen to Monaco-based avant garde carpet designer Kamyar Moghadam. He's advocating equal treatment for these places which we may have grown accustomed to simply walking all over.

With "Fashion for Floors", his new line, he says: "You look at your floor the same way you look at yourself. You dress up: you dress your floor the same way you dress yourself."

Moghadam told the online magazine MonacoRevue.com he borrows techniques and materials from the fashion industry to create unique and luxurious pieces that could easily pass for works of art. Making no concessions to animal rights activists such as PETA, he mixes fur and leather in exquisite bed runners. "When you get out of the bed in the morning and you walk on that piece, you can only have a good day," he says. Another creation is a patchwork of raw silk and hand-dyed raw cashmere, which could work equally as a wall hanging or a floor covering, Moghadam suggests.

With saving the environment being such a hot issue, Moghadam even has a carpet that embraces eco-friendly principles. Instead of letting old jeans go to the landfill, he cuts them into squares and rectangles, then crafts them into quilted denim carpets.

Moghadam represents the second generation of the renowned Moghadam carpet house in Monte Carlo, which bears the title "official supplier to S.A.S. The Sovereign Prince of Monaco". And although the current ruler, Prince Albert II of Monaco, promotes himself as a champion of the environment, Moghadam betrays no hint as to whether princely feet tread on such recycled jeans up at the pink palace.

Moghadam presents his bold new concept in a video found at the website, an online celebrity and lifestyle magazine featuring articles from Monaco and around the world for an international readership.
http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/17739/

Carpet contractor wants payment for judicial complex work

A Rincon businessman who carpeted the two floors on the Effingham County Judicial Complex but says his costs for the project are not being covered.

"It makes me want to go in and rip out the carpet," Ronnie Phillips said Monday. "If I don't pay my electric bill, my electricity gets cut off. If I don't pay my taxes, they can come and take my property. But the county won't pay for the flooring, and I don't know what else to do. I was over there earlier today, but it doesn't seem to do any good to talk to anyone.''

County spokesman Adam Kobek said Phillips' dispute is with LPS Construction and XL Bonding. Effingham is in the process of making its final payment to the project's general contractor and bonding company.

Phillips' contract for $111,000 - which is short $11,000 - is with LPS, Kobek said.

"We hired LPS to build us the building," Kobek said. "We will finish paying what we owe to LPS, and they will settle with the subcontractors."

Paying final bills is expected to be the last in a series of problems associated with the judicial complex - the largest single project in county's history. Some of those issues came up at a meeting last month when LPS asked commissioners to split $144,000 in cost overruns.

Commissioners are still considering the request of LPS owner Wallace Wiggins, who said various construction problems with the three-story building cost his company about $2 million more than expected. A decision is expected at the May 15 commission meeting.

Phillips said he does not want to wait until that meeting to be paid. He said county officials have made sure other subcontractors were paid and he was promised a timely payment in December.

"All I get are promises," Phillips said. "I don't need to be on hold any longer. I need to be paid now. There are issues they can straighten out, and this is one of them."

The Rincon businessman said he had other projects lined up two years ago when he was contacted about covering the first and second floors at the new complex, funded by a special purpose local option sales tax. Phillips said he did not want to take on the project but was convinced to take it. The carpet and tile sat at his business nearly two years because of construction delays.

Flooring was finally installed last fall, and Phillips was paid about $100,000 in installments. But he has not received anything since December when he was told the final payment would be made within weeks.

Kobek said county officials sent a letter to XL Bonding weeks ago asking about nonpayment of the Phillips Flooring bill. Kobek said the bonding company has since responded with a letter asking Phillips for more information.

Kobek said the situation does not involve the county and was unsure if commissioners will address it.

Phillips said he is growing more frustrated with the debt.

"I called some friends and asked if they could bail me out of jail if I got arrested for going there and taking out the flooring," Phillips said.

http://www.savannahnow.com/node/280144

How to pick rugs that will floor you

The day we moved into our 130-year-old money pit, my husband Dan and I went crazy stripping away the old, worn trappings that covered the marvelous bones of our house.

One morning I awoke to find Dan ripping up the ancient carpet to see what was underneath. We struck gold by unearthing wonderful hardwood flooring. But now we had a new challenge: Finding a fleet of area rugs to warm up and pull together each room.

Unless you run into one heck of a sale, area rugs can be a hefty investment. For that reason, once you select a rug, you’re likely to keep it forever. Since you and your rugs will be married for life, you need to be careful selecting them. Here are a few tips you can use to find rugs that will absolutely floor you.

• Love the rug

First, don’t settle for a rug you aren’t head over heels in love with. Rugs are like artwork — they have to speak to you. Don’t be in a hurry or settle for second best just to get something down on the floor. Take your time to find the rug that’s just right.

• Stay true

Second, select a rug that works perfectly in your space. Pick area rugs that stay true to the architecture of your home, reflect your personal design style and harmonize with the rest of your home decor. For instance, if you’re going for a country cottage look, choose a romantic needlepoint rug over a traditional Persian wool.

• Be fearless

Third, don’t be afraid to mix up your rug styles, material and colors. In my home, I have wool Oriental rugs, delicate needlepoint carpets and durable sisal mats all jumbled together willy-nilly, and I think the overall effect works well.
One of the reasons I upholstered my living-room furniture in white fabric was so I could bring in lots of color through accents such as flooring.
I had a blast scouting for rugs in lots of different hues. In my living room alone I have one carpet in navy, taupe and maroon, a second in blue green and rusty red, and a third in turquoise and tan. Sounds overwhelming, but it’s not. Every color in the carpets is repeated in the room’s other accessories to create a harmonious, lively space.

• Always pick area rugs that match your lifestyle.

If you have kids, pets or husbands who put lots of wear and tear on your home, make your life easier by selecting rugs that are durable and cleaned easily.

Because I entertain so much in my dining room, I’ve had more than a few glasses of red wine spilled on the formal Oriental carpet under my table. Tired of stressing out about rug stains, I decided to trade the Oriental with a forgiving sisal rug.

I’ve fallen in love with natural fiber rugs because they are attractive, durable and affordable. A friend of mine absolutely swears by natural sea-grass carpets because they can take anything kids dish out. Made from salt marsh grass, sea grass carpets are wonderfully water and stain resistant.

One night her teen boys spilled cola on the rug. When she discovered the puddle the next morning, she simply wiped it up. The rug still looked fantastic.

Finally, make sure you size your area rug correctly. I like a border of wood showing in my rooms, so I pick rugs at least 1 to 2 feet smaller than the dimensions of the room. Old design rules dictate that all the furnishings in a seating arrangement have to be on or off the carpet, but I prefer the front legs on the carpet and the back legs off.

To get the rug size right, arrange your furnishings just as they’ll be when you have your rug, then mark off the rug dimensions with masking tape. Be sure to get two measurements before you go rug shopping: the largest and smallest size that would be acceptable to you.

When you’ve found the perfect rug, you’ll be amazed by how it adds character and charm to your room.

By MARY CAROL GARRITY
Scripps Howard News Service

Rugs with pedigree

You admired hip designer Nanette Lepore's peacock-patterned dresses, but they were so three years ago. Now you can resurrect the pattern for your floor.

Lepore has joined a growing list of fashion designers -- Calvin Klein and Liz Claiborne (with Nourison), Oscar de la Renta (with elson & co.), Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Diane Von Furstenberg, Lulu Guinness (with The RUG Company) -- all translating their passion for fashion design to floor coverings.

Lepore recently introduced a bold-patterned area rug with her peacock design for the Doris Leslie Blau carpet gallery in New York. The gallery also in early March unveiled two nautically-inspired rugs designed by Tommy Hilfiger (one blue with white anchors, the other navy with a red chain-link pattern).

In a phone interview, Lepore said she was approached by the carpet folks and is happy she did the project, especially since she now has one of her rugs in her own living room.

"The way it transformed my living room with color and a bold pattern, it would be fun to do more of that," the designer said. In fact, she's considering designing another rug for her pool table area that the public may see in stores some day.

What do those in the world of interior design think about fashionistas stepping in?

"I believe good design is good design and a good designer is a good designer," said Thom Filicia, best known as the design expert on the television series "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy."

Filicia, who has also designed for celebrity clients including Jennifer Lopez and Marc Antony through his New York firm, Thom Filicia, Inc., said the important thing in interior design is understanding people's lifestyles, something fashion designers do well.

"A good designer can transcend from the area they are focused on into other areas and do it very successfully," Filicia said.

But would he recommend consumers start buying area rugs based on what's in their wardrobes?

Filicia said he wouldn't go that far. Still, he has a new show on the Style Network called "Dress My Nest" in which he will use fashion as a springboard to help folks figure out interiors.

"I do think there's a relationship. Saying you want to match your house to your clothes is too literal but clothes do indicate your point of view, your aesthetic," he said.

"Young and hip or traditional or conservative, you can tell when you see someone," Filicia added. "And you get color from people's wardrobes."

Filicia will also soon launch a series of seminars in U.S. cities as spokesperson for Karastan carpets. His big advice: Designing from the floor up is a good start.

"When they (his clients) don't know where to begin I tell them to start from the rug, in terms of colors and what sets the tone whether classical or modern, or whatever."

And yes, he foresees having his own rug line (in addition to furniture and bedding), but not for a year or two.

Designer Lepore said what was appealing to her about designing rugs was that rug patterns have a longer shelf life.

"People don't change their homes as much as they change their closets," she said.

As for the trend of fashion designers stepping into rug design, she said, it brings "a fresh eye" and new brands that will create more interest.

Julie Rosenblum, brand manager for Nourison, the manufacturer of the Calvin Klein and Liz Claiborn carpets, agreed.

"In this day and age people associate certain looks and concepts with fashion designers," Rosenblum said. "It's reaffirming to the consumer that the product has a point of view and they understand that point of few."

Rosenblum said she suspects more fashion designers will introduce area rugs, and that's a good thing. "It brings rugs to the forefront. They (the consumer) may not know who the manufacturer is. What they know is there's a line by that designer. It takes the business to a whole new level."

www.dailyrecord.com

Rugs to Reinvigorate the Floor

Like anything else you buy for your house, an area rug is one part functional, one part decorative. Some people buy rugs to protect the floors underneath; others buy them to cover up what’s there. Some buy them to keep their feet warm on winter mornings and, yes, some of us buy them to aid our ailing pups.

Whatever the reason you’re considering adding rugs to your decorating dream list, says Celia Tejada, senior vice president of product design for San Francisco-based Pottery Barn, you ought to carefully consider your purchase, because the right rug can make a room.

“You want the rug to be the heart of the room in which the furniture plays around it,” she says.

In recent years, rugs at Pottery Barn, Target and other furniture retailers have become increasingly popular. More homes these days have wood or tile floors, rather than wall-to-wall carpeting, and new fabrics and manufacturing methods have lowered the prices. People are using rugs to bring in color and pattern into a room, because they can take it up and move it within the house. Regardless of your budget or personal taste, design experts say certain rules of the rug apply.

Not All Rugs are Created Equal

Tejada says some rugs, such as Persians, are like a couch, a household item that you’ll have for years, if not generations. Other rugs, like shaped novelty bathmats, are more like a vase of flowers that you change from season to season. Know why you want a rug and how much you want to spend before you go shopping. Once there, in-store decorators can help you by showing you the rugs to fit your needs.

Know Your Fabrics

Looking through a rack of rugs can be confusing; there are as many different materials as are likely to be hanging in your own closet. But just as you don’t pull out your boiled-wool jacket in the middle of June, floor-covering fabrics vary because they have different purposes.

Sisal, seagrass and coir are all natural fibers woven from plants. The rug buyers at Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based HomeLife say sisal in particular is popular now because it is durable and neutral in color. But even when woven, sisal has a rough texture, meaning it may not feel right on bare feet, and Tejada cautions “people with pets and kids do not want to have a heart attack every time something spills on a light-colored rug.” Dhurrie rugs are flat weaves made from either wool or cotton. Kilim rugs are similar to dhurrie rugs, but they often have more elaborate patterns and sometimes are reversible. Looped rugs, as the name suggests, have cotton loops from back to front and back again. These look great, but if your dog’s paw or kid’s toy truck gets stuck in one, you’ll have a permanent pull. Cotton rugs are generally softer than those from wool or plant fibers, but they show wear over time and stain easily.

Size Matters

More homeowners who have wall-to-wall carpeting use area rugs as a way to add color to a room. In general, leave at least a 2-foot border between the wall and the rug so visitors can see the differences between texture and color of the floor coverings. In large rooms, use two area rugs. Placed correctly, one can create a conversation area while the other works as an entranceway. In those cases, the two rugs don’t have to match exactly, but they should have coordinating colors and styles, she says.

Just a Dose of Whimsy

Tejada likes to use inexpensive shaped rugs, such as flowers, fruits, leaves and moons, to brighten children’s rooms, bathrooms and tie in to the seasons. Whimsical patterns, she says, can give personality to a room: “You can put something like that at the foot of the bed and it really lets you bring a sense of humor into the room,” she says.

www.courierpress.com

Choosing a carpet comes down to color and material

Carpet: The difference in what makes a house a home.

Fashionably speaking, people don't have to follow trends to dress up their homes.

When it comes to carpet, Steve Brociner, owner of Carpet Mill in East Hanover, takes the rugged individualist approach.

"Each family is different depending on size and traffic," he said. "And everyone has different taste. A couple starting out in an apartment will have different needs than a family with kids or pets."

In carpet-speak, that translates to color and material.

"Some people like nylon because it resists dirt," he said. "Others like wool because it cleans very well. But again it's about individual preference."

If your preference is to follow trends, then carpet diem this: In with color; out with solids. In with patterns; out with plush.

"People are going for more patterns such as floral or trellis," said Peter Kaufman, owner of Abbey Carpet Center in Succasunna. "They're moving away from the more plain or solids and going for more colors."

Berber, or looped carpet made from wool, nylon or olefin, has created a customer buzz, Brociner said.

"It has a utilitarian look," he said.

Rolling out the red, berber or trellis carpet isn't for everyone though.

Joy Nan Rodia, president of the Design Studio of Spaces in Morris Plains, has answered many calls for area rugs.

"The benefits of rugs over carpets is that there's no installation costs and they can be easily cleaned," she said. "They add warmth to a space and provide sound-proofing for hardwood floors."

Area rugs can tie elements of a room together or serve as the main focal point, she said.

"For example, if you have a large family room with a fire place and separate seating area you can use two rugs," she said. "You just have to color coordinate with the furniture and walls and make sure that the rugs are similar in design and color to themselves."

If you wouldn't wear plaids and polka dots, the same dress code rules apply to your floors.

www.dailyrecord.com

Understanding The Different Types of Carpet Fibers

Carpeting can be a major purchase for your home. You want it to have a long life, look good, and be comfortable to walk on. Before you choose your carpet, it is important to understand the different types of carpet fibers that are available and their advantages and disadvantages.

The type of fiber used to make a carpet determines its visual appearance, overall durability, feel, resistance to stains - and the cost.

Synthetic materials are the most popular of the fibers used in today’s carpets accounting for about 97% of all fiber used. Synthetic materials are adaptable into a variety of styles and applications. They are generally easier to maintain than natural fibers.

Common materials used for carpet fibers are:

• Nylon

Extremely durable, stain and mildew resistant and static free, Nylon is an excellent choice for all levels of traffic and applications. It maintains its fiber height allowing it to withstand the weight of heavy furniture and people. Nylon is dyed during the production of the fiber thereby avoiding any color run after it is produced

Nylon accounts for approximately 90% of all residential carpeting. Expect square yard prices from $10 for Cut Piles increasing to $30 for Multi-Level Loops.


• Olefin (polypropylene)

Controlling the commercial market with an 80% share, Olefin is the least expensive of the man made fibers. A very strong fiber, Olefin is resistant to moisture and mildew and is easy to clean and maintain. It is an indoor and outdoor fiber and is the common fiber used for artificial turf.


• Polyester

Less expensive than nylon or wool, Polyester fiber creates a very attractive carpet.

Commonly used in soft loop or Berber loop carpets, Polyester is a fiber that is used to make a luxury product. Crush resistant, available in a vast array of dynamic colors and its resistance to fading provides Polyester fibers with a lot of advantages. Polyester fibers are easy to clean and are resistant to water based stains.


• Acrylic

Acrylic is the closest synthetic fiber to wool. Because of its wool like attributes, it is used extensively in Velvet and Plush Level Loop carpets. Acrylic fibers offer the appearance and feel of wool at a much lower cost and has the advantage over wool of being moisture and mildew resistant. The Acrylic fiber resists crushing, stains and will not fade from sunlight.

Acrylic fibers are not suitable for high traffic areas, such as hallways, family rooms, and stairs as they are a high wear product. Hence, they provide a perfect carpet in master and guest bedrooms.


• Wool

When it comes to luxury and performance, no other fiber compares to Wool. Wool carpets maintain their height; they are ultra soft with a feel that is incomparable.

Wool fibers are easily died or you can choose natural colors of off white to black, and they repel water. They are very easy to clean and have an exceptionally long life. Wool fibers are usually used in cut pile and textured carpets.

Wool is one of the most expensive of the natural fibers and much more than synthetic fiber carpets. Wool carpets are also less resistant to moisture than synthetic fiber carpets.


• Blends

The aforementioned four fiber types are often combined in a many variations to produce carpets that take the best qualities of each fiber type to produce a group of exceptional finished products.

For the luxurious look and comfort of wool with the durability of nylon, consider a Wool/Nylon blend.

Other common blends include Acrylic/Olefin and Nylon/Olefin. Although less expensive these blends are usually subject to staining.


• PET

If a “green” environment is part of your criteria then you may want to consider the purchase of a carpet made of PET fibers.

Recycled plastics, primarily soda containers, are the basis for polyethylene terephthalate or as it is more commonly known in the industry PET. Fibers made from PET are not as plush or soft to the feel as other synthetic fibers but they are very durable, water and static resistant and offers extremely good value.