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.

Round Area Rugs

Round area rugs are made with wool and are woven using a hand hook, similar in shape to a crochet hook, to form a looped pile. These Round area rugs are regarded as having originated in rural England during the late 18th Century and had taken root in America. Round area rugs attained immense popularity and Round area rugs are still today recognized as specialty of American craft.

However, most Round area rugs today are made in China on a canvas backing.
Many people who need Round area rugs are unaware of the incredible opportunity to find quality area rugs on the internet. At first glance, you might not think that Round area rugs are the best items to buy online.

Traditionally, folks go to the rug store and sift through the Round area rugs offered on the display floor. You'd have to fit the rugs you buy in your car and drive them home yourself, unless you want to pay extra for delivery.

If you wanted Round area rugs, you would have to go to a store that you felt would have good prices. If you want to compare prices, you would have to go to another shop and try to match up the same style rug.

Online shops’ strength is in their relationships both with their artisans and with their clients. Their relationships with suppliers allow them to eliminate the middleman and layers of markup by going straight to the weavers and merchants to purchase and distribute their Round area rugs designs. The result is an unbeatable selection of beautiful wholesale rugs at or below wholesale prices.

Finding quality products and competitive pricing on today’s web sites can often be a daunting and tedious task. For finding affordable quality Round area rugs on the web online shops are number one. Online shops makers decided to eliminate the guesswork in the online store industry today and compile a reputable list of sites for the most price conscience shopper today. The sites they list are constantly changing their prices to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced market, and list their Round area rugs by brand for your convenience.