Antique Rugs – What You Need To Know

March 5th, 2012 by Harve Jasper

Rugs can be ordinary, everyday home items that we tread on without a second thought. On the other hand, there are also rugs that are very valuable – antique rugs. The first examples that spring to mind when the phrase antique rug is mentioned are Oriental and Persian rugs. These rugs are certainly beautifully crafted, and they are often antiques, but they are not the only such rugs around.

Antique rugs come from several different places. Read on to learn about some of the fascinating antique rugs that are woven in far flung corners of the globe.

One of the most popular antique rugs is the Persian Rugs. These rugs were made in what is called Iran today. Some antique rugs can date as far back as early 500 years B.C. Persia Rugs were part of a thriving Persian culture. They took pride in their weaving art. Persian rugs are known for their unique individuality.

Next is the Oriental Antique Rugs. These rugs were created in the old civilization in China, Turkey, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal; just to name a few. They are well known for the unique designs that make each rug individual. Oriental Rugs have soft fibers and colors that show up vividly.

Antique Chinese rugs are usually constructed of a pile made of wool or silk, with cotton backing. The knots here are quite dense, so such rugs are quite rough and have more pile than most other antique rugs. Some particular antique Chinese rugs include the rare, valuable rugs from the Ningxia region and small Baotau rugs. The latter are also quite rare since they were not made for very long.

Anatolian rugs are incredibly beautiful and extremely popular with collectors of antique carpets. These rugs are also brightly coloured, and feature striking designs. They can cost quite a lot, too, since they are so much appreciated. Anatolian rugs come from various regions in what is Turkey now. Kars rugs, for instance, come from the eastern part of Anatolia. They are quite different from other Anatolian antique rugs, whose designs are reminiscent of classical Persian rugs. Kars rugs, interestingly, feature dragons, which made them stand out from rugs from other regions in Anatolia, and also made them more prized and therefore more costly. Anatolian Konya rugs are characterised by a focus on polygons, and double rows of geometrical shapes. Ladik rugs, from the region of the same name, often have tulips incorporated in the design, and blue, red and yellow are the main colours used in rugs from Ladik.

Turkmen rugs that come from West Turkestan are hand knotted and flat weaved. One of the most popular rugs are the Turkmen prayer rugs.

A genuine antique rug dealer should be willing to provide a certificate of authenticity with every purchase. Be ware of dealers who are not genuine. Antique rugs are very expensive and you don’t want to lose your money.

If you are buying an antique rug for your home keep in mind that the fibers on an antique rug may not be strong enough to endure everyday wear. Keep antique rugs in a room that is not used with high traffic to preserve its beauty.

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Make Your Home Feel Cozy

March 2nd, 2012 by Barbie Williams

Is your home too sterile for your liking? Many people find that their homes are simply not that homey. This is especially true for those who have recently bought new homes and whose homes do not yet reflect the nature and character of their owners yet. Your home is your sanctuary and it should feel like a place that you are completely comfortable in. The rest of this article will give you some tips on just how to make your home cozier and feel much more like home.

Pictures are a great way to decorate a home. Pictures are your self expression of life as you live it. Take a picture of your scenery or one to highlight the seasons. If you are unsure where to put your pictures, place them on tables, on walls, on shelves, and more; anywhere you can place a picture. It will become the focal point in the room because everyone will be looking to see what you are doing and creating.

Even if you have just moved into your home you can still use the pictures of your old place to highlight the decor in your new. Place a picture of your kids running through the sprinkler or the evening sun setting behind the mountain. You can use the pictures already in your collection to bring a little bit of the past to the present.

Wooden furniture is also a great way to make your home more cozy. This is because wooden furniture has a traditional feel to it, without any of the trappings of modern life. The natural touch does wonders for the ambience of your home, giving it a warm and soft feel.

Add peace and tranquility to your home by using earth tones to your decor; brown tones, gray, white, blues, greens, and more can be added to any home decor. This can calm and soothe anyone.

Make a certain area stand out more by placing an area rug in a corner of a large room. This will give you the opportunity to make a dining area or breakfast nook without building on. The area rug becomes a focal point directing the attention to the table.

Color-coordinate your window curtains in your home. Curtains do much more than just filter out the light, the can also muffle the noise in the house which can make your room more peaceful and relaxing.

If you are moving into a new home you can still use the tips above to customize your home with your preference. Make it yours and be creative. If you are happy and comfortable your guests will be too.

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The Tween Girl and Decorating

January 25th, 2012 by Abbie Osborne-Wilson

There seems to be a time in every girl’s life when they want to redecorate their bedroom. It would be one thing if this came around once but it seems to roll around every few years. The hardest time is the period in their life when they’ve started to outgrow the little kid stuff but they still aren’t quite into teenager stuff – the tween years.

If you are involved in decorating your girl’s room, your main worry is often that what you come up with may not impress her. Let your daughter’s preferences and style guide you; and try to stick to a budget because this new look is probably not going to be permanent so no need to spend too much on it.

To avoid making the decoration efforts a total flop, consult with your daughter on what she would like to have in the room. She will probably have a grand plan of how she wants her room made. Do not automatically assume that she wants to remain with the conventional pink shades and bring in a large pink area rug for her floor, only to be met by her blank stare. Remember that it’s her room and some days she will be locking herself in there all day, so it must be somewhere she enjoys staying in. Respect her wishes and let her room have the look she desires.

Get the wall colors right then plan everything else around them. The only tricky part is that unlike other rooms you redecorate, where you coordinate the colors to harmonize, this room may actually end up with a weird combination of colors. However, do not impose the colors you think are ideal for her room. Give her the freedom to choose. You can tell her to pick any color she fancies or give her options to choose from. When giving her options, ensure that the colors in the list can complement each other, in case she chooses two.

The floor is the next thing that needs to be considered. Most parents are reluctant to change the flooring. If the floor is already carpeted, they would like it to stay that way and ditto if it is a hardwood floor. A good compromise is the addition of a few area rugs. Laying a modern area rug on the floor is an excellent and relatively inexpensive way for the tween to change the appearance of the floor. The parent’s should allow their daughter to pick out whatever modern area rug she desires, no matter how gaudy it might be, just make sure she sticks to the budget.

Other additions that will make your daughter’s bedroom feel more grown up is a desk. As she gets older she will have more homework and the desk is the best place for her to get this work done. The desk will also give the bedroom a more grown up feeling.

If her room is large enough, bring in a comfortable sofa where she can curl up with friends or on her own. Make this area comfortable by adding a colorful area rug beneath.

When parents and their tween daughter’s work together on the decorating project, the final result is usually something that both parties are very happy with.

Cassia is known as a well-rounded article author regarding planning the perfect party. She loves making use of table setting picture and / or etiquette for proper table setting to deliver the ideal atmosphere.

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Thinking about an Office Chair Cushion? This is a Must-Read!

January 10th, 2012 by Daniel Akinson

Are you constantly shifting around on your office chair from place to place all day long?

If so, an office chair cushion might be just the thing to help you! The simple act of making use of this sort of product may have a tremendous effect on your comfort. This will then equate to a dramatic increase in productivity and effectiveness. Many shops on the Internet provide cushions for office chairs and you will find them in a variety of colors and patterns.

Nowadays, you can find office chair cushions out there for purchase which are made to be incredibly convenient and comfortable whenever you sit. The selection ranges from cushions manufactured from memory foam to cushions which have a center filled with gel. For those of you who have trouble rising from your chair on a regular basis, you can find office chair cushions that include a built-in spring that will assist you in getting up and out of your chair in an easier manner. Once you sit, the springs will retract which makes you feel like your floating on air, which can be incredible in terms of your level of comfort when sitting.

In addition to seat cushions, people who sit a lot should also think about back cushions. The majority of them have Velcro or a strap to affix it to the back of the office chair. Soft cushions have various styles and offer various characteristics which, when taken in total, should provide a resolution to any particular problem that you are experiencing. It’s possible to pick from the ones that are memory foam, to the gel-packed varieties as well. But, if you are looking to get additional support for your lumbar region, you will want a cushion that is ergonomically designed.

A little while back, I purchased an expensive office chair because I needed one that would make me more comfortable. Well, my thinking was incorrect. While my back and neck were made more comfortable when sitting on that office chair, there was something that was making me not feel at my best if I sat for awhile. At that point, I opted to check out a quality office chair cushion. I finally found the perfect one for me. I find that I continue to need to get up and walk around from time to time, but the best part is that I am comfortable whenever I have to remain seated for long periods of time!

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Ways Of Making Beaded Lamp Shades

January 8th, 2012 by Peter Bachman

Beaded lamp shades are a widespread style for glass light shades due to the simple fact that it is one of the limited number of decorations one is able to add to the surface of the home accessory. Whereas fabric can be sewn with thread and needle to attach other pieces of fabric or decorative materials, hard surfaces are not so amenable in the same way.

Two major choices are left for people interested in decorating their lighting. First, one can use glue or cement to stick pieces of trim and beading to the outer surface. For proper placement, one can use a pencil or crayon to mark the areas where the bead and trim is supposed to go. This process results in beaded shades.

The alternative to beading is to paint the glass surface but this requires a lot of skill with paint. More than a single coat may be required, and even multiple coats may not look pleasing after the paint dries. Dried paint has different optical qualities from wet paint. Again, use pencil to mark out the shapes prior to painting on either inner or outer surface.

Stained shades have a long history in the style widely known as Tiffany. The creator, Louis Comfort Tiffany, was a man of the early 20th century, forging novel art and improving the field of interior design. There are two main reasons why Tiffany indulged in these products. The first is that he had classical training in the arts and understood the construction of stained glass windows in churches. The second is that he was by trade also an interior designer who thought up novel home decor ideas. Many years later his early works are still sought after, but many need serious restoration.

A good shape for amateurs wanting to decorate their own lighting is the torchiere. Torchieres are versatile as they can be moved to different locations as need be in the house. The tall lamp projects illumination upward, casting a soft glow on everything. The lamp itself frequently shaped like a wide conical shape opening skyward to cast the bulb across a wide area, resulting in the fact that the illumination is diffused evenly all over the area. Torchieres may be obtained in a number of tones and sizes. Measure the width on top for the size and also on the bottom of the fitter.

Amateurs who wish to move on to more difficult projects can try two other styles. The hurricane style is characterized by a very special profile, taller than wide, which reminds one of a vase. It fits well for rooms with very tall ceilings that is completed by the tallness of the hurricane. An additional unusual style is the traditional gas lamp shade that became popularized in the age of Queen Victoria. This age saw the coming-to-age of gas power and therefore a increase in usage and production.

Peruse the latest information in relation to glass lamp shade. Uncover the most recent thinking and articles in regards to purchasing choosing a beaded glass shade.

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Mid-Century Icons: The Alvar Aalto’s Villa Carre’

January 2nd, 2012 by Mark Jennings

During his long career through the Mid-Century, the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto designed many houses: in Finland as abroad. The most famous one is probably the Maison Carre’ in France, close to Paris.

The Maison Carre’ was the result of the encounter of the gallerist and art collector Louis Carre’ with Alvar Aalto. The house commissioned in 1956 was ready in 1959. Carre’ had very specific ideas about his house, as he said: “I wanted a roof, I don’t know why, but I absolutely wanted a roof…I had several minor requirements” like “a room surrounded by books (…) Above all I had told Aalto: I want a house where I can work (…) and built with materials that have lived” Aalto realized his wishes.

The main entrance hall has a free-form vaulted ceiling which draws the visitor to the living room. The transverse living room forms the final point of the diagonal view that starts from the entrance, its heart is the fireplace situated in front of a panoramic window.

In the library the space is divided into different levels to obtain a cosy and quite -almost hided-space. On the ground floor of the villa there are the master bedrooms and a guest house.

As in many of his projects, also for the maison Carre’ Aalto put high attention to the lightning – both to the artificial and natural- using panoramic windows and specially designed lamps that replaced the natural light in the evenings.

What makes this house special is the fact that everything was specifically designed by Aalto or his staff -including his wife Elissa who designed many of the textiles like the red and white rug in the living- with an almost maniacal attention for details: from the door handles to the swimming pool. And this is what makes the house a global work of art. The furniture are made of different kind of wood species -birch, ash, teak, pine, beech, sycamore and mahogany- the chairs are covered with black or natural leather the door handles are from bronze and leather.

Since 1996 the Maison Carre’ is an historic monument -owned by the Alvar Aalto en France association- and open for visiting.

Mid-Century has been one of the most creative age for design that influenced the interior decors of the last decades. To discover everything about it , check Mid Century Home now!

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