Edgar Allan Poe Rugs

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Many years ago, Edgar Allan Poe wrote "the soul of the apartment is the carpet", and he couldn't have been more correct from an interior design perspective. The carpet or rug is the building block of all the décor. The moment rugs are chosen for a room, you establish how the room will be laid out and what colors go well with it. Often people ask us, "Just how do we start a design? What are the first things we do?" Interior designers spend lots of time researching and listening to clients prior to actually designing anything, but when we roll up our sleeves, we start with the rugs.

Usually a color palette is built up from a selection of rugs. As designers, we like to say "It is easier to find a fabric to go with a rug, than to find a rug to …show more content…

One of our favorite sources for new rugs is a company that produces rugs the exact way they were made over 200 years ago. They weave rugs in the same villages in Turkey where they have been weaving them for centuries, while using the same pure vegetable dyes and wool from sheep that have grazed naturally on the same hillsides. In fact, the people making the rugs are descendants of those who perfected the craft so long ago. They have the same method of "finishing" the rugs, creating glossy or matte yarns, muted or bright colors, for an old look or newer look. They can make the rugs look more antique by dulling the colors, and cutting the nap of the rugs to create worn-like areas. The patterns are traditional (though they are starting a new line with more contemporary, simple designs) and the colors original to the design. It is fascinating to see these rugs made on the old looms in charming, quaint villages. The product is superb; often dealers have to inspect the rugs very carefully to determine if they are new or antique. We have used their rugs in grand hotels and private residences with remarkable success, and love the richness and sense of quality that they immediately bring to every …show more content…

Many ways, and there are a few rules.

First of all, rugs can be a terrific foundation for a seating arrangement. The rules are to generally keep the furniture on the rugs, avoiding the "one leg on, and one leg off" situation. When designing new rugs or shopping for them, we generally size the rugs prior to buying.

It is best to not have the rug too big for the room - we always like to see some of the wood or stone floors at the edges of the room. It frames the rug and allows the floors below to show some of their glory. But we also see rugs too small for a room. A little oriental parked under a coffee table would really be much better suited to an entryway, foyer or small room.

Always try to bring some of the colors of the rug up off the floor - use the russets or blues in upholstery fabrics or accent pillows. Similarly, art can have a sympathetic and amplifying effect of having the same hues as in the rug, which works to the benefit of both.

So with that, unroll that ancient rug in the attic, head out to an auction, or go find a lovely new rug and shake up one of your rooms. It will give you lasting pleasure and interest.

Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. Pamela

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