Unique Gift Idea #1: Not-So-Ordinary Vases

Every woman can use another vase, but with these, it will seem like so much more – it will seem like a work of art!  Frosted glass, etched ridges, and multi-colored glass add style and sophistication to these vases that will look great with or without any flowers (although, hand delivered with the flowers is a sure-to-win-her-over touch that we HIGHLY recommend!).  Plus, there are dozens more to choose from, so you’re sure to find one that fits her taste and personality to a tee.

Large Blossom Vase $58

Small Round Vase $32

Callie Vase $48

Unique Gift Idea #2: Lamps to Tell Her How She Lights Up Your Life

Symbolically tell her how much you appreciate her with a lamp and include a little note describing all the ways in which she adds beauty, harmony, and light into your world!  Whether with a new table lamp, buffet lamps, or a reading lamp, this thoughtful and meaningful gesture is sure to steal her heart.

Albuqerque Lamp $250

Clemente Lamp Set of 2 for $166

Adjustable Brass Floor Lamp $114

Unique Gift Idea #3: Reignite the Fire in Her Heart with Fireplace Accessories

And protect her from the heat and the flames!  Decorative fireplace screens add so much character to a hearth…and protect you when things get too fiery J!  Let her know you really were listening when she mentioned how she wanted to get something for in front of the fire place and watch as those brownie points add up.

Rama Fireplace Screen $204

Daymeion Fireplace Screen $208

Unique Gift Idea #4: Wall Art to Remind Her of You Throughout the Year

Wall art from traditional subject matter, like birds and trees, to impressionistic landscapes, to contemporary art and wall plates – find her the right piece for the foyer or hallway and she will be ever-so-thankful!

Harvesting Birds $269

Lake James $269

Silver Strands $434

Wall Art Plate - Medium $188

Wall Art Plate - Medium $188

Unique Gift Idea #5: Pillows that She Can Get Cozy With

These decorative pillows will be a welcomed addition to her living room or bedroom, or any other accent chair in the home.  She will love that you took the time to find the perfect pair to coordinate with her wall color…and we make it easy by having every color and shade of pillow imaginable in stock for a huge selection to choose from!

Palisades Pillow $57

16" Round Dusty Rose Pillow $25

Orange Leopard Print Pillow $45

Unique Gift Idea #6: Meaningful Sculptures

She will appreciate your thoughtfulness in picking out a sculpture that has meaning and reference to a place or moment, either shared or hers alone.  Like a magnificent horse sculpture for the horse lover in your life.  Or a sculpture depicting the feeling of being welcomed home by Mom – something she will cherish and love!  Or a sculpture reminiscent of summer days to remind her of what’s to come.  Hand select the perfect piece to represent her, your relationship, a place, a moment or your time together and enjoy a new moment shared when you gift it to her!

Summer Days Sculpture $69

Solution #1: Add Florals and Greenery to Tabletops to Brighten Up the Place

The easiest way to add a sense of cheeriness to any room is by bringing in plants to brighten up the space.  However, live versions require maintenance between watering and picking off dead leaves, but life-like florals and greenery are the perfect alternative!  We have a large selection of extremely reasonably priced arrangements (the ones below are under $150!) that will bring joy to your home through the holidays and all year round.

Solution #2: Add Color and Texture with Pillows and Drapes

Pillows are the most affordable way to add color to dull sofas, benches, and accent chairs.  Or throw a couple of oversized pillows on the floor in front of the fireplace for a cozy place for family members to curl up after an oh-so-delicious and filling Thanksgiving meal!  And come see our new collection of drapes – all lined, finished, and ready-to-hang in 3 different lengths.  Makes dressing up those windows a cinch!  All of the pillows and drapes below are under $100.

Solution #3: Art, Mirrors, Runners, and Foyer Rugs Provide Quick Fixes

Just by adding a couple of art pieces to your walls, a large mirror in your foyer or a long mirror in your hallway, a colorful runner placed in the hall, or a sophisticated rug in the foyer, you can make your home look refreshed and even redone!  These are quick and inexpensive fixes to make it look like you have been tirelessly decorating the whole year through!  Each item shown below is under $299.

Solution #4: Lamps and Accessories Add Warmth and Richness

Lamps and well-placed accessories instantly add an immense amount of warmth and richness!  Dark corners can make a home seem uninviting and gloomy, and you know your MOI is sure to point this out, right?  Just add a couple of lamps and instantly transform any room into a cozy haven!  And bright-colored or metallic accessories that reflect light will add to the warmth and richness.  See some options that we have in stock (at one of our 3 locations), all under $200.

Solution #5: Small Accent Furniture Pieces are a Decorating-Must

Small accent pieces are a decorating-must for easy and simple ways to make your home look well decorated.  And with prices under $300 for everything from console tables, end tables, coffee tables, to small cabinets, painted sideboards, to accent chairs and bedside tables – your guests will think you have the gift of interior design, simply by adding a couple of these pieces in a guest room, hallway, living or gathering room, or any other nook or corner!

Solution #1: Add Decorative Accent Chairs to Your Living or Dining Room

A simple and cost-effective way to expand the available seating at the dining table is by investing in accent chairs.  These can be placed in your living room year-round or, if your dining room is large enough and has a bay window, they can be placed in front of the window for great seat with a view throughout the year, and can then be pulled up to the table when you have more company.  Everything from more ornate varieties to fully upholstered parsons chairs give you a range of options to choose from to find what matches your décor and style.

Solution #2: Place a Bench Along the Wall in the Dining Room

A bench placed along one of the dining room walls is a great way for guests to still be a part of the conversation even if they can’t be seated at the dining table.  We have a great selection of benches from solid wood, more rustic looks to sophisticated, upholstered styles!

Solution #3: Round Dining Tables Provide Flexibility

Round tables provide more flexibility than the rectangular or oval-variety because they typically have a pedestal base, therefore, you don’t have to fight with the dining table legs for space!  This allows you to easily fit more people at the table when necessary.  Check out several round table options that we have in stock right now!

Solution #4: A Table with a Butterfly Leaf Makes Life Easier

A butterfly leaf is a dining table leaf that conveniently folds away and stores right underneath the dining table for quick expansion or contraction of the table and, therefore, the number of people you can accommodate!  And the best part: no more struggling with where to properly store the leaf.  See several of the butterfly leaf dining tables that we have below.

Solution #5: Long, Skinny Dining Tables Allow for More Seating Using Less Space

Dining tables that are narrow and long, combined with armless and slim dining chairs, allow you to fit in more seating, even in narrower dining rooms!  We have several sleek options available.

Sources: This article http://www.bhg.com/rooms/dining-room/themes/small-space-dining-room-decorating-ideas/ on “Small-Space Dining Rooms” on Better Homes and Gardens’ website provided some of the inspiration and ideas for the solutions in our blog article.  Check it out for more tips on how to maximize your dining space and personalize it with your style!

Ikat (pronounced ee-kaht, not eye-kaht) is actually a technique used in dyeing that creates a pattern similar to that of tie-dye or batik prints. However, the use of the term “ikat” in home furnishings doesn’t necessarily signify the technique used to create that item, although it might for upholstered pieces, but, rather, it is used to indicate the presence of the type of pattern this unique style of dyeing creates.

Ikat designs are characterized by rough, jagged edges to pattern components, creating an almost blurred effect. These designs also often have diamond shapes incorporated in some concrete or abstract manner.

There are numerous variations of an ikat design, but whatever the style and colors used, ikat is said to be a symbol of wealth, power, status and prestige, and is even believed to have magical powers! Go ahead – bring a little magic into your own home with ikat!

Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikat

For more on ikat rugs and home furnishings and how you can incorporate this look into your own home, visit one of our locations and speak with a design associate, or ask us any questions you may have by emailing us at promotions@rugandhome.com!

Perhaps the appeal of this style is the personal feeling that handwritten messages bring in this digital world, or maybe these pieces fulfill the dream of love letters for single and married women alike!  Whatever the reason may be, you will find words and scripts in various forms from English poems, to French quotes, to more urban-looking phrases.

A great way to incorporate this look into your own home is with a single piece to become the focal point of any room!

Use a chest like this to dress up a bedroom, foyer, or even as an elegant focal piece in the living room with a gorgeous pair of lamps on top!

Or brush up on your botany with this chest that has an antiqued look with tasteful elements of plants and insects and would add whimsy as an end table or bed side table.

This bistro rug makes the perfect addition to anykitchen.  And the added benefit: it is an indoor/outdoor hand hooked rug constructed with polypropylene, so it is easily cleanable – just take it outside and hose it down after any of those disastrous kitchen mishaps!

Use a pair of these accents chairs to romanticize your living room or nesting cubes as an elegant solution to storage.

Be reminded of your favorite beach or vacation spot year round with this Tommy Bahama rug!

Wish someone would write a poem in your honor??  Now you can pretend like they did with this sophisticated poem rug!

Find scripted rugs and home furnishings at any one of our 3 locations today!  Contact the store closest to you to find out more about this great new look http://www.rugandhome.com/locations1.aspx.

A: As we mentioned briefly in Caring for Your Handmade Rug: Part 1 and Part 2, using a rug pad is a relatively inexpensive way to ensure that your purchase lasts as long as possible. A rug pad can offer protection from mildew (a concern for renters and homeowners in humid climates) by allowing air to circulate under the rug and preventing moisture from collecting. In the event of a small liquid spill, a rug pad can buy you time to blot the spill with a clean cloth and then keep air circulating so the spot dries without mildewing.

You can also think of rug pads as bodyguards for your floors. When placed on hardwood flooring for an extended period of time with no pad, a rug can cause scratches and other damages. A rug without a pad also has the potential to damage a tile floor, so we recommend a pad for use on tile as well.

If you’re placing a rug over wall-to-wall carpeting, a pad is not entirely necessary. It can, however, help keep the rug in place—on carpeting and any other type of flooring.  A pad’s “gripping” action not only keeps the rug where it should be in a space but also helps prevent slips and falls. Rugs on hardwood, tile, or other non-carpeted surfaces can slide around easily, and they “walk” when on top of carpeting, creating raised areas of the rug that can be very hazardous and may cause someone to trip.  A pad provides a little extra cushion for added comfort when walked on, too!

At  Rug & Home, we carry and recommend rug pads by Leggett & Platt that are made of an environmentally friendly organic polymer.  Most pads sold in big-box home stores are made from latex, which, over time, can break down and damage your flooring. Leggett & Platt’s pads carry a 20-year warranty and promise that their patent-pending construction and materials will not break down.

So, show your rug some love, and protect it (and your floors) with a pad! Stop in any one of our stores and ask a customer service associate to show you our nifty ‘rug pad board’ to see and feel samples of the various types and thicknesses we carry.

Braided Beginnings

In the early years, wooden floors of American homes were covered with straw or rush-woven mats. These primitive coverings didn’t contribute much to a home’s comfort or warmth. While European rugs were available beginning around 1750, only the wealthy could afford woolen imports, so the average American used the straw they had. Wool did become readily obtainable in the states in the early 1800s, and, around 1839, the power loom made commercially produced rugs available. However, these coverings were still too expensive for the general public. So, New England housewives got crafty. They already knew how to braid straw mats, why not try the technique with wool, they thought. And the braided rug was born.

Braided rugs were an extremely popular floor covering then, as they were more durable, warmer, and more decorative than their straw counterparts, all while remaining affordable options. Also called “rag rugs,” they could be created from leftover scraps of materials and even strips torn from old clothes and blankets.

It’s thought that the braided rug reached its height of popularity in the early 1900s, during the Arts and Crafts movement. The housing boom and its promotion of wall-to-wall carpeting that occurred after World War II brought their—as well as area rugs in general—decline. Unfortunately, the craft of rug braiding experienced a decline in popularity, too, leaving fewer expert rug braiders to carry on the long-standing folk art tradition.

Rag Rugs Rise Again

Trends come and go, and despite going out of fashion in the 60s, braided rugs are now back on the scene. In fact, since many are taking a “green” approach to furnishing their homes and are opting for area rugs over carpeting—which can negatively affect indoor air quality—rugs in general are experiencing a rise in popularity. Just as they were in the 1800s, rag rugs are durable, comfortable, and affordable choices. They’re reversible and can be made of a myriad of materials—from chenille to cotton and acrylic to wool. They’re also, as mentioned in the opening paragraph of this post, symbolic of a simpler time.

We’ve Got You (Well, Really Your Floor) Covered

Rug & Home carries braided rugs by Colonial Mills, a Rhode Island manufacturer who is the leader in braided rugs and who blends old-school craftsmanship with innovative design.  Their braided rugs are 100% U.S.A. designed and manufactured, plus, their styles and designs are fashion-forward with colors and patterns to coordinate with today’s home decors.  You’ll find samples for almost every braided rug in their product line in our stores, and our design associates are happy to go through them with you to help find and order the best option. While you may begrudge the ordering process (and we don’t blame you; it’s nice to leave with a new purchase in-hand), we offer our braided rugs this way so you can get exactly the size, colors and materials needed for your space. And because it’s Rug & Home, you can get them for 30% off the suggested retail price!

Big On Braids?

We’d love to hear why you’re single-handedly helping bring braided rugs back in style. Do you choose them for durability? Their cottage feel? Their symbolism? Comment here! Or, email us photos of braided rugs in your home, and we’ll upload them to our customer Facebook album!

Sources: We consulted a variety of sources for this post. A Google search of “The History of Braided Rugs” brings up many articles. If you’re interested in learning the craft of braiding rugs, check out the book we mentioned published by local publisher Lark Books: The Braided Rug Book by Norma and Elizabeth Sturges, which also includes a detailed history of the craft. You can read a preview HERE.

Q: I hear a lot about how “indestructible” indoor/outdoor rugs are, but I’m skeptical that one could really hold up on my patio. What exactly makes an indoor/outdoor rug suitable for exposure to the elements? – Suzie from Greenwood, SC

A: Nowadays, you don’t have to flip far in a design magazine before you’ll find a feature on an outdoor room, and homeowners and renters alike are doing some amazing things in the world of exterior design. In fact, people aren’t just creating comfortable sitting spaces on their patios, they’re even creating full outdoor kitchens—range, refrigerator, bar…the whole nine yards! Just as area rugs play an important role in the design and function of your indoor space, so can they too in you outdoor room.

Indoor/outdoor rugs come in a variety of designs, from traditional to contemporary. Today, the majority of these rugs are constructed of either synthetic polypropylene or polyacrylic fibers that are made to withstand almost anything Mother Nature could throw at them. Polypropylene is a plastic that can easily be dyed and turned into a fiber (it’s also often referred to as olefin). As a plastic, it’s rugged, durable, and resists permanent stains. Unlike nylon, a comparable fiber found in rugs for indoor use only, it doesn’t soak up water, making it mildew-resistant. Rugs hand-tufted with a polyacrylic pile are also mildew-resistant, yet they offer the look and feel of a wool rug (typically at a lower price point). These synthetic fibers can also be dyed with a solution that is colorfast and resists bleaching and fading. In other words, sun and rain are no match for them!

Of course, you want to allow the opportunity for both sides of your outdoor rug to dry, whether it’s wet from rain or a quick hose-off. While these rugs can resist mold, mildew would surely put up a good fight with a rug left completely saturated for a lengthy period of time.

Because of their durability and stain- and wear-resistance, these rugs are often used in high-traffic areas inside the home as well. As mentioned above, polypropylene has a feel similar to nylon, and tufted polyacrylic pile mimics wool, providing a soft, yet strong option for rooms like your kitchen, living room, or bathroom.

This summer, find indoor/outdoor rugs to fit your style and space at any of our locations. Or, CLICK HERE to shop indoor/outdoor rugs online.