Why use bamboo?

Because bamboo is one of the most environmentally friendly materials we can use for building, furniture making and floor covering. Bamboo is not a tree - it’s a grass. It grows very fast and matures in five years. Comparatively, hardwoods grow slowly and take from 30 to 100 years to mature. Also, given that bamboo is a grass, the same plant can be cropped many times.

Bamboo is not only eco-friendly but it’s strong, hard-wearing and water-resistant. It’s stronger than many hardwoods such as red oak and maple..

This is a preview, read Bamboo floor in full.

Bamboo & wool rugs 

Bamboo Rug

Bamboo is one of the most eco-friendly materials because it grows and matures fast and the same plant can be cropped many times. It’s also strong (stronger than many hardwoods), hard-wearing and water-resistant. Read more about bamboo flooring if you want to find out more about it. Bamboo rugs are made of narrow strips of bamboo sewn together with a contrasting thread, or glued on a underlayment.  They are easily cleanable..

This is a preview, read Natural rugs 2 in full.

Sisal, seagrass, jute & bamboo rugs have been popular with the ecologically minded for some time, whilst wool rugs have been made for thousands of years to warm and soften up interiors.

Most natural rugs go with almost all interior design styles, adding texture and a touch of nature to a space. Most of these natural fibres & materials are strong & durable and ideal for domestic use. But, of course, there are far too many different types & styles - so which natural rug should you choose?
The following guide will hopefully help you to make the right decision.

This is a preview, read Natural Rugs in full.

Being a designer myself, when I hear the label "designer" attached to a product I get excited yet suspicious at the same time. When it comes to rugs - what is difference between a designer rug and a contemporary rug or traditional rug? Is a designer rug actually unique and of better quality - or just more expensive because of its label?

Having searched on the net, it seems that designer rugs either have a famous artist or designer’s name attached to them or have some strong bold patterns to justify the word "design". Indeed some of them look like they have been designed, but rather badly - in fact some of them verge on the edge of vulgarity.

This is a preview, read Designer Rugs in full.

Traditional Rugs

Some people call rugs Traditional that are made by hand rather than by machine. These are the Persian and Oriental rugs made mainly in China, India, the Middle East and North Africa. For me a traditional rug refers to its style, as it tends to follow traditional designs and patterns..

This is a preview, read Traditional Rug in full.

Modern Rugs have come a long way. There was a time when most area rugs were either traditional looking (Persian or oriental) or ethnic (Mexican, Mediterranean etc) - and it was almost impossible to get a contemporary rug for a modern space. Then, the 60’s & 70’s changed everything - we had the shag rug, the oval braided rug and those large prints of flowers, geometrical shapes and animal prints! Rugs went wild!

This is a preview, read Modern Rug in full.

There are thousands of area rugs to choose from - in fact, there are too many. So which one should you get?

If you’re buying online, you should only go for cheap rugs -  anything that costs several hundred dollars  you really need to see and feel for yourself. I, personally, don’t think it’s worth spending a fortune on rugs - only for a particularly special or formal kind of room.

This is a preview, read Discount Area Rug in full.

Area rugs

As I discussed in my previous article, carpet flooring is not the most sensible solution for areas of heavy traffic; where food & drink is consumed; or where children play.

It’s much more sensible to have wooden floors or laminates, and spice these up with an area rug. There are thousand rugs to choose from - some are cheap and cheerful (ideal for kids and teens!), some are durable and affordable ( ideal for living rooms and bedrooms), some are expensive & glamorous ( ideal for formal rooms).  Of course you can also get trendy or timeless rugs, depending on what sort of style you’re after..

This is a preview, read Area Rugs in full.

How to install a carpet

Installing carpets is a job that generally can be done by a competent DIYer - it doesn’t require specialist carpet layers, only a few good carpet tools..

This is a preview, read How to install carpet in full.

When you choose a carpet, practicality must be your main concern. Consider the area in which you want to lay the carpet. Is it used daily? Is it used with your shoes on? Is it used where food & drink is consumed? Is it used by your kids?

This is a preview, read Carpet Flooring in full.