Thursday, December 22, 2011

DOMOTEX 2012 Carpet Trends

DOMOTEX 2012 Carpet Trends
DOMOTEX 2012 has just released an ebook with Carpet Trends for 2012. It's visual candy and wonderful inspiration for ideas on what's possible with carpet style and fashion trends.

The document refers to three trends:

1. Fashionable: Stylish and Eye-Catching Carpet


2. Natural: The New Organic Look


3. Classic: Timeless Design With a New Twist

You can download the DOMOTEX Carpet Trends 2012 by clicking on this link.

I'd love to hear your reactions. Which carpet trend do you find most interesting? Which might you include in your home design scheme?


Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Spring/Summer 2012 Carpet Style Trends From Scarlet Opus

Spring/Summer 2012 Carpet Style Trends From Scarlet Opus
My friends at Scarlet Opus always manage to create trend stories that captivate, innovate and generate ideas to inevitably inspire endless carpet style trends. Here, I share a preview of their Spring / Summer 2012 trend presentation.

Interestingly, the trend themes build on the notion of "season of collaboration" based on the UN declaration that 2012 is the The International Year of Co-operatives:

“… people who unite to meet common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly and democratically controlled enterprise.”

As Shelley Pond describes in her post: "A vast meeting of minds is occurring, a solidarity which could reshape our world. Standing together, embracing a world community, partnership, sharing, supporting. We arrive at the Spring/Summer 2012 season looking at things from a different perspective, a new stand point of positivity and determination to set things right. A global reboot!"

Furthermore, 

"The seasons styles are seductively sensorial; sound waves of patterns, high pitched colours, sharp fractured shapes … we awaken to a new aesthetic. A season of change, chaos, contradictions; products that soothe us, schemes that shake us up, patterns that reassure us, colours that alarm us. A beautifully, imperfect, harmony."

I'm ready! Are you?

Scarlet Opus' Spring/Summer 2012 Trends includes the following six themes:

Savoir-Faire: a re-establishing of Mid-Century values in the 21st Century paving the way for common courtesy, conviviality, and sobriety to reign supreme.




Eco-Carnival: a global fusion of rhythmic patterns, bright botanicals, and tribal geometrics with a South American beat.



Cultural-Nexus: a celebration of the power of the collective, connectivity, and community from the Middle East and beyond.



Colour-Capital: a dynamic mood of hi-energy, plugged-in colour, and positive vibrations from the future cityscape.



Majestic-Minimalism: a look back in order to look forward, harmoniously merging historical features with pared-down Modernism.



The-Abyss: an exploration into the depths of the world’s Oceans; the unexplored, the unknown, the extraordinary.


Thank you, Shelley, Victoria, Phil and the entire team at Scarlet Opus for sharing this vision of style trends to come!


For the full experience, visit the original Scarlet Opus post titled Spring / Summer 2012 - Sneak Peak on the Scarlet Opus Trends Blog which includes more images and perspective on each trend.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Style & Design

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design
Perhaps I should be saving most of the content from this Coverings 2011 post for Bathroom Blogfest 2011, but that seems just too far away especially when I've been speaking with a really wonderful woman who captured style and design magic on video...

Before I go any further, though, I must warn you that this post will not focus on soft coverings or carpet underfoot. Rather, it's about tile style and design with links to some fabulous blogs. My assumption is that you'll extrapolate from the content and adapt it to carpet style and design since I am willing to bet that your home also includes hard surfaces such as tile...

Coverings 2011, by the way, is the premier international trade fair and expo dedicated exclusively to showcasing the newest in ceramic tile and natural stone. It took place March 14 through 17, 2011 at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. [The series of short videos embedded on the Coverings home page give you a great feel for the show.]

Design Wonderland & Coverings
As I was researching who had written about [i.e., 'covered'] Coverings and the tile style and design trends showcased there, I came across Jessica's Design Wonderland Coverings series which is fabulous. Jessica participated in the VIP Press Tour for Coverings...

The Design Wonderland Coverings series consists of the following Coverings 2011 related posts which include fantastic photos:
Paul Anater shares his love of fine-art mosaics in this post titled Italian manufacturer Sicis at Coverings. He also explains that Grespania's Coverlam stole the show. What do you think?

Here's Talk Contract's recap of Coverings 2011. Aren't the photos fabulous?

Tile Envy offers Another View of Coverings 2011.

Here's an video interview with Patti Faisan who offers a behind-the-scenes look at Tile Style & Design from Coverings.

And check out Zoe Voigt's delicious Tile Style Dynamics.

Coverings also does a wonderful job with an installation showcase of several bathroom designs that become reality over the course of the show. For 2011, three came to life over the three days of the show and I took the following photos on the last day.

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design
Master Bath Spa designed by Annette Denham and installed by Lambert Tile & Stone

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design
Spa Bath designed by Ali Azhar and installed by Artcraft Granite, Marble & Tile

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design
Universal Bath designed by Laura Yorba and installed by Welch Tile & Marble and Cox Tile

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design

Coverings 2011 Celebrates Tile Style & Design

I also discovered from speaking with Chris Woelfel from Artcraft Granite, Marble, & Tile Co. that she had created several videos posted on the ArtCraft Granite, Marble, Tile YouTube Channel with interviews with Ali Azhar from HGTV, one of the Design Showcase Bathroom designers:
Here, too, is the recap of Dan Welch from Welch Tile & Marble of the Coverings 2011 - Universal Bath Design Installation Showcase.

The latest post I came across is from Paul Friederichsen who writes about Coverings 2011: A Thing of Beauty.

So, what do you think about Coverings and its celebration of Tile Style & Design? How do you see integrating these ideas into your own design scheme? And, how will carpet fit in?

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If you like what you've read, consider subscribing to the Carpetology Blog for email updates or via RSS.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Custom Carpet Design Matches Restaurant Decor

Custom Carpet Design Matches Restaurant Decor
Have you ever been stopped in your tracks because your feet came upon the perfect flooring design scheme? One that not only matched a room's decor - in this case a restaurant - but also integrated all of the surrounding design elements? If you haven't, I have one to share with you...

Fellow Surfaces presenter and friend, Chris Ramey, President of Affluent Insights and Chairman of The Luxury Marketing Council Florida, recently forwarded me several photos he had taken of a new restaurant in Miami that had done a particularly effective job of tying together the restaurant's visual themes with a custom carpet design. [Pretty neat when your friends are on the lookout for great carpet for you!]

Here is what Chris wrote me:

Christine,

I've attached a picture I thought your floor covering readers might enjoy because it is a custom printed carpet at the entrance for a new restaurant in Miami. Note how they carried the theme in the front window. Plus, who says custom has to be a large area?

This other picture highlights the menus using the same motif.

Warm regards,
Chris

Custom Carpet Design Matches Restaurant Decor - Front Window
View from the front window

Custom Carpet Design Matches Restaurant Decor - Menu
The menu

The restaurant is very new and doesn't yet have its own website. However, it is related to Tutto Pasta Ristorante.

[I'll have to ask Chris to let us know if the bathrooms further reinforce the custom carpet design and restaurant decor. It might be a wonderful addition to the 2011 Bathroom Blogfest!]

Imagine creating your own custom carpet design for your personal space. Which visual elements and colors would you include? How would you accessorize the rest of the space to support your custom carpet and surrounding decor?

Have you come across a perfect carpet or flooring design scheme that stopped you in your tracks? If so, take a picture and I'll share it with readers of the Carpetology Blog!

If you like what you've read, consider subscribing to the Carpetology Blog for email updates or via RSS.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

For Asthma, Should I Remove My Carpet?

Bethany Richmond, CRI, on For Asthma, Should I Remove My Carpet?
A question that comes up regularly has to do with whether to remove carpet from your home when someone in your household - say your child - has asthma or allergies, for that matter.

Recently, my friend Bethany Richmond from the Carpet and Rug Institute Blog came across the results published in 2004 of the Inner City Asthma Study, which proved that no health benefits come from removing carpet.

I asked her to share an overview with us here.

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My Child Has Asthma. Should I Remove My Carpet? Major medical study says no health benefits to removing carpet.

If you have a child with asthma, it’s likely that, at some time or another, your doctor or other healthcare provider will recommend you remove the carpet from your home. Many consumer websites recommend the same thing, based on the fact that carpet will hold more dust and allergens than hard surface floors.

Carpet manufacturers counter this, saying research shows that the fact that carpet will hold more dust is actually a good thing: dust that is trapped in carpet is not circulating in room air, where children can breathe it in. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), which represents U.S. carpet manufacturers, says dust in carpet stays put until it is vacuumed or extracted away. The group tests vacuum cleaners and other carpet cleaning equipment, and posts a list of the best ones on its website, www.carpet-rug.org and more specifically in a section detailing Seal of Approval Carpet Cleaning and Maintenance Products.

So, what should you believe about carpet and asthma?


One major study of inner city children with asthma found that when allergen sources are removed from their homes, through improved cleaning practices and elimination of tobacco smoke, asthmatic children will do better, no matter what kind of product is on the floor. A large-scale medical research project called “The Inner City Asthma Study” showed that, when allergen sources such as mold, rodent, and cockroaches are removed, as well as a child’s exposure to tobacco smoke, children’s asthma greatly improves. Further, the Inner-City Asthma Study found no difference in the improvement experienced by children who lived in homes with carpet versus children from homes with other types of flooring. In addition, no difference was found in the levels of allergens measured in carpeted homes compared to homes with hard surface floors.

An article describing the study, titled, Results of a Home-Based Environmental Intervention among Urban Children with Asthma,” is published on the website of The New England Journal of Medicine.

The study followed 937 children from seven major U.S. cities over the course of a year. Of the participants, more than 50% of the children, aged 5-11 years, had positive skin tests to three or more allergen groups. Other common elements of the group were that they were from families whose incomes were at or close to the poverty level, as well as these factors: Cockroaches were reported in 58% of homes, wall-to-wall carpeting in the child's bedroom in 55%, a smoker in 48%, mice or rats in 40%, and furry pets in 28%.

At the outset of the study, researchers sought to remove carpet from the children’s bedrooms, but factors such as rental agreements, kept them from it. Still, family members were instructed to remove the carpet from their children’s bedrooms wherever possible.

Family members were given HEPA-filter vacuum cleaners and cleaning products and educated about various allergens and how to remove them from the home. Children’s beds were encased in dust-mite-blocking covers, and professional pest exterminators were called in where needed.

The study found that children in the intervention group missed fewer days of school, slept through the night more, and made fewer trips to the emergency room. Contrary to researchers’ expectations, children with carpet in their bedrooms improved as much and did just as well as children who had hard surface floors.

The interventions also produced marked declines in the measured levels of allergens in the home. Again, in contrast to predictions, no difference in allergen reduction was found between homes with carpets and those without carpeting.

The Inner City Asthma Study was sponsored in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health. According to published disclosure statements, none of the researchers or institutions were affiliated with or sponsored by any representative of the carpet industry.

The findings of the Inner City Asthma Study refute the widely-held notion that patients with asthma and/or allergies must remove their carpet, and according to Carpet and Rug Institute President Werner Braun, the study confirms the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) assertion that clean, dry carpet is a healthy flooring choice for everyone, including children and adults with asthma and allergies. “CRI’s position is based on a body of sponsored as well as independent research, but the Inner City study is significant in that it comes from the medical community,” Braun said.

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Thank you, Bethany, for sharing this information and helping answer the question whether or not to remove carpet from your home when your child or someone else in your household has asthma! If you'd like to learn more about the Inner City Asthma study, you might want to read the posts that Bethany wrote on the CRI Blog. More specifically,


Given Bethany's observations about the importance of vacuuming your carpet to remove allergens, here is a link to the Carpet and Rug Institute's website where they offer information about selecting vacuum cleaners and which ones are Seal of Approval certified.

You may also find these previous posts I've written helpful. Although they address allergies and carpet, the advice they offer remains relevant for asthma:
What are your reactions to the research and to Bethany's summary?

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If you like what you've read, consider subscribing to the Carpetology Blog for email updates or via RSS.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Wayfinding With Carpet: Cell+LED

Wayfinding With Carpet: Cell+LED
Sadly, intense carpet innovation doesn't happen that frequently as FastCompany's FastCoDesign observes. However, in this case the carpet innovation is intensely brilliant!

Dutch company Lama Concept recently introduced Cell+LED which integrates lighted wayfinding into the carpet.

You can read more in FastCoDesign's article titled Dutch Company Integrates LED Wayfinding Into Its CarpetsLEDs tucked into Lama Concept's Cell+LED carpet create customizable lighting where people look the most -- on the ground. Do check it out. The photos alone were enough to have me re-imagining the future and carpet!

The article shows examples of the product in new concept airplanes and refers to a concept Land Rover. Cell+LED creates a dynamic corporate space, too.  I'd love to see this used in medical or hospitality environments. Imagine a movie theatre or a school!

What's your reaction? How might you integrate wayfinding into your home?

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tania Johnson: Nature Inspired Rug Design

Tania Johnson: Nature Inspired Rug Design
Meet Tania Johnson, founder of Tania Johnson Design. She specializes in custom made, contemporary, hand knotted rugs, based on a rich heritage as a textile designer for such brands as Martha Stewart, Chilewich, Vera Wang, and Calvin Klein Home. In fact, as a designer for Calvin Klein Home, she created the brand’s first rug collection in 2002.

Tania's publicist, Dania Ahmad, shared with me news about Tania's latest collection which is "inspired by the natural world, the way light creates shadows and reflections, the microscopic details found in nature and the infinite textures created through layering."  You can imagine how intrigued I was.

As Dania explained, "Johnson creates ethereal designs and translates them into intricately woven rugs. The collectable pieces feature original, cutting-edge designs, and are hand knotted by artisans in Nepal using lustrous combinations of silk, wool and pashmina."

Can you imagine walking up such deliciousness?  I can.

Tania Johnson is New York based albeit British born designer who graduated from London’s Royal College of Art with a Master of Arts in woven textiles. According to Dania, Tania Johnson "takes a hands-on approach to her business which is reflected in her commitment to promoting fair labor standards in the carpet industry. She works with GoodWeave, a certification program which aims to eliminate child labor and to improve working conditions for adults; any carpet with the GoodWeave label means that the rug was made only by adult artisans. In addition, the certification program helps fund educational opportunities for children as well as support and resources for families and weaving communities in South Asia."

My recent email exchanges with Dania focused on Tania Johnson's recent rug introductions, consisting of "four stunning hand  knotted rug designs ... The  earthy but contemporary patterns are inspired by intricate  details  of  nature - among them delicate plays of  light,  shadows and  reflection.  Johnson portrays these elements  through  meticulous  color  choices, very high knot counts, and combinations of silk and wool that create nuanced textures and sheens.... As with the other designs in the collection each of these  rugs - Reflected  Trees,  Textured  Daisy,  Branches, Drops of Light - is a bespoke collector's piece that pushes the boundaries of creative and technical possibilities."

Per the press release: “As an avid world traveler and photographer I have found my rug designs to serve as the perfect canvas for capturing memories from my travels. The inspiration for the patterns often comes from the subtlest details of my own photographs - rain falling on tree branches, or a close-up of a Nepalese Buddhist shrine. The colors and materials allow me to translate these small frozen moments into usable pieces of art,” said Johnson.

Furthermore, "as with the other designs in the collection each of these rugs - Reflected Trees, Textured Daisy, Branches, Drops of Light - is a bespoke collector’s piece that pushes the boundaries of creative and technical possibilities. The designs benefit from Johnson’s penchant for very low pile heights. This detail offers an added layer of luxury and a supple and sumptuous surface quality that is equally pleasing to the eye and to the touch. The entire Tania Johnson Design collection is ideal for a wide range of residential and hospitality settings – from a living room or foyer to a hotel lobby."

Go ahead, feast your eyes!

Tania Johnson: Reflected Trees
Reflected TreesAn image of trees reflected in a lake. As the sun moves across a lake, an image fleetingly appears only to be replaced moments later by a new pattern. The use of warm colors and blending of different shades with varying percentages of wool and silk in a single knot recreates the beautiful interplay of light and movement in the original photograph. Boasting a burnt orange ground, Reflected Trees is made from wool and silk. 100 knots per inch, 4mm pile.

Tania Johnson: Textured Daisy


Textured Daisy - A daisy’s shadow falls on a stony path, creating a softly blurred flower pattern on a textured ground. Subtle shades of color are finely knotted in wool to create the blurred edges while an uneven silk grid is layered on top to add movement and sheen. Textured Daisy is made from wool and silk, 200 knots per inch, 3mm pile.

Tania Johnson: Drops of Light

Drops of Light - Light is captured as it falls in drops. Through the use of high knot count and tonal shades, the delicate nuances of light are recreated within the lemon colored wool ground, while the drops shine in silk. Drops of Light is made from wool and silk. 200 knots per inch, 3mm pile

Tania Johnson: Branches
Branches - Tree branches in the rain are viewed through a gauzy mesh. Made from pure silk, the rug gradually shifts and transforms from an intricate design to a sheen of olive green tones as one moves around it. Branches is made from 100% silk. 200 knots per inch, 4mm pile.

If you'd like to order a Tania Johnson rug, you'll be interested to know that the standard sizes for Tania Johnson Design rugs are 5'x8', 6'x9', 9'x12' and 10'x14'. At the same time, everything in the line is made to order and completely customizable - which means that you will have a field day!

You can also learn more about Tania Johnson design and her inspiration via her blog.

For many of you, I expect that you're looking to create a consistent or integrated feel in your home. And, if you're looking to meld the soft rug interpretations that Tania Johnson has created with hard surface concepts, I suggest you visit the Avente TileTalk Blog and specifically New Leaf Imprint Tiles for Spring which - in my mind - would coordinate beautifully together.

What's your take? Do you enjoy nature inspired designs in rugs as well as tile?

Special thanks to Tania Johnson and Dania Ahmad.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Rug Rag For Area Rug & Carpet Style Inspiration

David Dilmaghani, Rug Rag
Area rugs and carpet represent the ultimate flooring design statement. For that reason, I share with you an interview with David Dilmaghani, co-founder of RugRag.com, which specializes in traditional and decorative rugs and carpets, and an article he wrote for The Carpetology Blog about rug and carpet style inspiration.

C.B.: Dave, tell me about Rug Rag. How did the company get started?

DD:  My brother Matthew and I co-founded the website RugRag.com in 2007. Rug Rag is a resource for those interested in learning about Oriental rugs, antique rugs, and area rugs. As the tech man for Rug Rag, Matthew has brought many of our interactive consumer widgets to life. With my specialty in hand knotted rugs, I author the vast majority of information in our Rug archive and on-site tools, and serve as a rug consultant for our readers and their questions on a daily basis.

One of the first tools we created was the Rug Estimator Pro: an interactive sampler tool to help consumers understand some determining factors which go into the assessment of new and used hand knotted carpets. Estimates rendered from this tool are actually derived from several thousand individually assessed and valued carpets from around the world, many of them from notable auctions and inventories of nationally recognized rug importers.

C.B.: How did you become interested in rugs?

DD:  My brother and I come from a long line of history in Persian rugs, so it was natural for me to learn about them at a very young age. Many memories of our younger years consist of being surrounded by carpets at our father's rug showroom in New York. However, it was not until I reached my late teens that a true appreciation for this artisan craft quickly turned into a hobby, and then passion.

C.B.: So your passion for rugs, a marvelously tactile and visual product, led you to the online world. How did that happen?

DD: In the late 90s, I truly pursued my interests in rugs and started researching the subject. As with any research project, there's a very steep learning curve at the beginning. With rugs, the mystique of a fine rug often either intrigues an individual to know more or overwhelms them to the point of confusion. Additionally, a great deal of misinformation on rugs remains rampant online. In many instances, less reputable sellers continue to exploit first time buyer misconceptions with "sale" prices.

We saw a need for a reliable resource for rug information and launched Rug Rag.  It's a destination for consumers to learn with us or, using easy-to-use tools and resources we've made available on our website, they can learn on their own. One example of this is our Oriental rug forum, which continues to be an excellent resource and unadulterated center for interacting with specialists in the field of Oriental rugs.

I spend much of my time attending rug auctions - this picture of me was taken at a recent Sotheby's auction - browsing carpets online and consulting with consumers about their carpets.

C.B.: Absolutely fascinating!

And now, here is the article that David Dilmaghani from RugRag.com shares with us about area rug and carpet style inspiration.

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There is little question that many years ago your interior designer would say timeless designs and classic motifs of reds and blues were the bread and butter of their business. Now, the new wave of area rugs is of an entirely different breed.

Contextually, area rugs are among the easiest and most versatile decorative items within a space. By mere definition, area rugs are movable. By exploiting this inherent characteristic comes clear benefit of freedom. Without question, it is an exciting time to be a consumer in this market as the carpets now available are clearly
aligned with this spirit of decorative freedom.

Centuries ago, it was not uncommon to find what we now call area rugs to be throws and cover-alls above the floor. Carefully draped atop tables and chair-backs of the elite and well-to-do, Post 18th century, area rugs (traditionally hand-knotted rugs) were introduced back onto floors. Not only was this an aesthetic movement, but also in part, to serve their intended utility. Although rugs have been made for many, many centuries with varying techniques, weaving styles and textures, specifically now what is being presented to the market are extraordinarily progressive, and perhaps exponentially more integrative area rugs. Revivals, new weaving styles, materials, motifs, and even artist statements are bringing this somewhat traditional market to an entirely new era of floor covering. With the onslaught of the internet, almost any permutation of an area rug floor covering can spread like wildfire.

area rug style inspiration: Color Reform

As an ode to classic and traditional and classic designs (and a bit of shabby chic) with a twist of color come worn semi-antique Turkish carpets. Exhibiting wear pattern and strong overtones of post-production coloring, Color reform, as ABC calls their line of transformed art, makes new headway by rejuvenating otherwise deemed retired carpets.

Reinventing relics with brilliant, upbeat colors for a dazzled effect is what these whimsical carpets are all about. What a statement in how simple and effective use of color can bring entirely new emphasis on decorative value. Plus, they can be green. Literally and figuratively.

Area Rug Style Inspiration: Patchwork Style Rug

Old design adapted and reintroduced into the marketplace is not limited to Color Reform carpets. Patchwork rugs, perhaps many years ago seen as the “seersucker” of area rugs, are exploding within the marketplace – so much so they’re being woven in one piece as opposed to being sewn together. These sometimes mismatched and haphazard integration of snippet designs completely transcends traditionalism in many ways.

With few exceptions, hand knotted rugs have largely been unbranded for the past century. Samad, a renown importer of fine hand knotted carpets, literally brings art back to the floor with a new twist.

Area Rug Style Inspiration: Rex Ray Samad Collection: title=

Examples such as the Rex Ray collection provides duality - the prestige of a Samad rug with additional decorative appeal from the work of San Francisco based graphic designer, Rex Ray. Beautifully rendered and expressive designs adapted within the age-old technique of a hand knotted, piled carpet.

Traditional Flokati shag, not entirely dissimilar to the thick piled carpets of the 60s and 70s, seemed to have risen back into the marketplace as a high contender in the 90s and early 2000s. However, it seems many forgot how frightening these types can potentially be to keep clean, let alone vacuuming. Newer developments include a thick pelted felt pile with fat, nubby pile. This translates into an entirely different visual effect, but more so, a completely new consumer experience AND sensation while walking on these unique area rugs.

Timeless and classic motifs of yesteryear continue to have heavy momentum within the new market of area rugs. Although the new market in area rugs is constantly evolving, often incorporating bits and pieces of the old (literally). In a highly interactive world, with constant changes and developments continuing to propel the area rug market forward there is no question that rugs are the best investment of choice: Adaptable decorative items within interior design in many cases, providing a tangible experience in home decor harnessing your
room, whether on the wall, table, or of course the floors.

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Thank you, David, for sharing this marvelous area rug and carpet style inspiration! Rugs truly are the ultimate in design statements and these examples you've shared with us are marvelous!

I'd love to hear reactions to these area rug styles. Which is your favorite? How do you see using such design statements in your home?


You can reach David Dilmaghani on www.RugRag.com, on Facebook or via email at info@rugrag.com.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Karastan Carpet Valentines

Karastan Carpet Valentines - Wool'd You Be My Valentine?
"Wool-d You Be My Valentine?" That's the question my friend, Josh Schoenfelder, asked in an email as he shared with me marvelous Valentines from Karastan Carpet.

Josh works for Veeder + Perman which represents Karastan Carpet & Rugs [and Coverings where I offer educational seminars]. He and I have exchanged tweets and emails for over a year - about carpet, Coverings and Tweetups.  One of these days I will make the trek from my office in New Jersey to his in New York City to meet him in person.

Meanwhile, Josh, in honor of Valentine's Day, shared with me these carpet-inspired Karastan-A-Grams that you, too, can share with those who care as much about carpet as you do. He writes:

Hi Christine-

I wanted to send some Karastan-A-Grams your way.

This year, Karastan was “feeling the love” and created the catchy and cute Valentine’s cards using the beautiful designs of Karastan rugs as the artwork. They're also part of a Facebook contest, where consumers can fill out and upload on Karastan's Facebook wall:  www.facebook.com/KarastanCarpetsandRugs.

Thought this might make for a fun blog post? If not, "wool-d" you still be my Valentine? Ha!

Best,
Josh

The last time I wrote a post in honor of Valentine's Day, I focused on the color red. [You might enjoy the post. It's titled Red Around the World.] As much as I enjoyed learning about the different meanings of the color red, I love the idea of Valentines based on carpet and rug artwork.

In addition to the Valentine above, Karastan created four more as you can see below:

Karastan Carpet Valentines - Animal

Karastan Carpet Valentines - Check

 - Snug Bug

Karastan Carpet Valentines - Stop and Stair

So, which is your favorite Karastan Carpet Valentine? Go visit the Karastan Facebook Page and spread the carpet love.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Want Carpet? Pick a Number!

Want Carpet? Pick a Number! The Mathematical Carpet
From what I've observed, flooring - and carpet - tends not to get the attention and credit it deserves for completing a room design. The floor matters aesthetically and practically. It also creates opportunity for conversation (i.e., human warmth) and I love encountering carpet examples that help make that point. In this case, it's via numbers. Hence the title to this post: Want Carpet? Pick a Number!

More specifically, numbers as in this carpet labeled "The Mathematical Carpet" which I learned about via The Mathematical Carpet in The New York Times.

This "Mathematical Carpet" features - what else but... numbers. The end result is a numbers-based, Abstract-Expressionist inspired carpet designed by Hokanson's Carpet [Note: website relentlessly plays Sinatra's "Do it my way"] in Houston, TX.

Each rug is custom made which -to me- means that you can pick and choose which numbers best suit your fancy.

I particularly love the range of colors and the lack of bland beige-ness.

Imagine the conversations you might have as a result of a number-inspired carpet: the state of the economy, how successful you were in closing your last deal, reviewing addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with your children, the order of numbers, probability, proportions in recipes, ... The possibilities are endless!

Wouldn't an alphabet version be fun, too? With a mixture of script and print and a range of handwriting styles. I'd identify it as "The Handwriting Carpet".

What's your reaction? What carpet designs have you come across that lead to interesting conversations? Any that are number-based?

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Around the World With Carpet.... At Airports

Around the World With Carpet.... At Airports
Bethany Richmond from the Carpet and Rug Institute Blog just published "The Colorful World of Airport Carpet: George Pendle's Carpet For Airports Site". It's a delicious romp around the world with carpet at airports all from the comfort of your computer!

I was so excited about her find that I had to share it with you here.

First, it literally shows you carpet around the world from a multitude of airports.

Next, Carpets For Airports' author - George Pendle - has a delicious sense of humor that will have you in stitches.

Finally, I'm a big believer in carpet in airports - to absorb sound, add warmth and generally create a more welcoming environment there as well as in other public environments. These two posts - Pounding Las Vegas Pavements and A Foot's Perspective - Episode 4 - offer perspective on why.

Check out Bethany's post and visit Carpets For Airports. Will you? Then, let me know which is your favorite carpeted airport!

I can't wait to hear back from you.

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