Myndu Interior Design

If you’re looking for a rug that is both eco-friendly and durable, look no more!  Seagrass area rugs are very textural rugs that add a lot of dimension into a room.  It’s also a good addition for doorway entries or porches.  Another pro about these rugs is that they have latex backing, so you won’t easily slip up on them and they will stay in place.

A lot of care is put into the process of creating a seagrass rug.  Seagrass is harvested by hand and hand woven to thick strands that are really tough and durable.  Such a careful process ensures that your rug will definitely be long lasting.

Seagrass rugs are also a good way to incorporate a nature-esque feel into your home.  Even if it its dyed a different color, the hues of its original colors (beige, yellow, and/or green) will still blend in, so a lot of times the color and hues of each rug differ from each other.

Back in the day, kitchens could hardly be called stylish. It was a place to cook and eat, not to show off your sense of style. But that was ages ago—today’s kitchens are just as much about aesthetics as they are about function. Fortunately for homeowners, designers are rolling out new ideas all the time, so keeping with the trend is a breeze. If you think you can’t dress up your kitchen without slowing down, try these few simple ideas.

Modern Kitchen Countertops

Laminate is the popular choice for countertops, but it lacks the punch of modern materials such as granite, marble, or solid surface. Modern homes usually prefer granite for its high durability and attractive colors. You can find granite countertops in black, green, red, and even a mix of translucent colors. If you’re going for a sleek theme, look into solid surface countertops. The straight, simple lines make a nice complement to the natural curves of your kitchen layout.

Area rugs

Large kitchens are great, but all that space can be hard to manage. Kitchen area rugs help divide your floor area into manageable portions, so that your work is more organized. Bamboo area rugs work well if you’re going for an Asian theme, and jute and seagrass area rugs will suit a country or natural kitchen. They also work well for smaller rooms—look for kids area rugs that fit on your floor space and blend in with your kitchen décor.

Sleek cabinets

Storage is the most important element in the kitchen. You want everything within easy access, but that often means having big cabinets that get in the way of your décor. If you have a similar problem, consider getting modern wall-mounted cabinets to hold your commonly used items. An island bar can hold an open hanging shelf for goblets, wine bottles, or even kitchen utensils. If you have enough floor space, consider displaying your favorite items on a freestanding shelf—it makes for an interesting focal point.

Fancy patterns

Patterns can bring your colors to life and make your kitchen more interesting. Instead of plain tile, line your backsplash area with accent tiles that complement your color theme. Decorate a bare floor with oriental area rugs or colorful braided area rugs. Replace blinds with soft printed curtains. Use patterns where you can, but make sure not to go overboard or you’ll end up with a messy design. Combine solids and prints and keep a consistent color throughout the pattern.

Country Style Kitchens

For years, the trend has been towards edgy minimalist designs with lots of straight lines, sharp contrast, and bare space. Contemporary design is about bringing warmth and color back into the home—think country kitchens complete with hearths and chimneys. Try introducing more wood into your kitchen, whether in your cabinets, your countertop, or your island counter. If you can afford it, install some hardwood floors—it’s much homier than ceramic tile. Just add some wool area rugs to minimize the daily wear and make it last longer.

When it comes to distinctive area rugs, the beauty and craftsmanship of oriental rugs such as Tibetan rugs make them among the most outstanding addition to any room.

Spirituality seems imbued in Tibetan rugs. Considered a holy land in the Vedic and Buddhist traditions, Tibet has been the home of imaginative artwork for centuries. High in the Himalayas, the world’s tallest mountain, Tibetan rug makers have infused the area rugs they create with harmonious, yet energetic, designs that are prized by rug collectors around the globe.

Tibetan rugs are now made predominantly in Nepal, another mountain nation, since many of the best rug makers fled to the country in the 1950s because of political turmoil. Settling in the Katmandu valley, the rug makers continue to produce Tibetan rugs by hand in designs and patterns that speak of timeless spiritual traditions.

The hallmark of a handcrafted Tibetan rug is its intricate hand-knotting. A Tibetan rug is backed by hand, using canvas, cotton or wool fabric. Then the knots are pulled through the fabric and snipped, a technique that results in pile of varying height, as the artist decides.

The best Tibetan rugs are made from the finest natural silk fiber and wool. This combination produces an area rug as soft as the clouds that float above the Himalayas. Even so, the cushioning of a Tibetan rug will last for years.

Tibetan rug artisans combine original patterns with hand-knotting to create area rugs unlike any others. Considered to be a sub-family of the traditional “Oriental” rug, Tibetan rugs draw designs from a multifaceted universe. A common theme is to use representations of plants that have deep symbolic meaning in Asian spirituality, such as bamboo fronds for long life and plum blossoms for beauty.

Another technique familiar to Tibetan rugs is to mix wool and silk threads in single, special weave. The result gives the area rug a sheen, almost a magical luminescence, which reflects light in dancing waves. Imagine an area rug of such dazzle gracing a study, a meditation room or a boudoir.

Tibetan rug makers also are masters at geometric area rugs to evoke a mood, such as quiet contemplation or bold energy. These patterns are woven into the rugs in ways that create designs within designs, integrating the motif with the actual texture of the pile.

At the same time, there are varieties of Tibetan rugs that are so muted they almost seem to disappear. This kind of understatement in an area rug works well in a room with a minimalist décor, or an in a busy room that needs a focal point of simplicity.

Tibetan rugs also are known for their tactile experience. Using layers of fibers, extra weaves or stitching, Tibetan rugs can surprise with textures that reveal multiple fabric sensations – soft silk amid stiffer wool, rougher cotton against silk.

Furthermore, collectors adore Tibetan rugs. Their diversity of fabrics and designs, coupled with superb handcrafting and aesthetic appeal, make them natural investments. At the same time their beauty and versatility make them extraordinary accents as area rugs in any décor.

Whether desired by a connoisseur of Asian furnishings and art, someone who’d like their décor to foster a sense of spiritual timelessness, or a homeowner who’d like an area rug with a truly unique style, Tibetan rugs will contribute extraordinary charm and value.

If you’ve ever looked at home design catalogs, you’ve probably noticed that décor trends come and go—sometimes a lot faster than we’re comfortable with. One day your home is the height of contemporary design, the next it’s a thing of the past. But who said you had to keep up all the time, and spend a small fortune doing so? With a few well-chosen elements, your home can stay in style through the years without needing a makeover. And as most experts agree, one of the best ways to do that is decorating with area rugs.

Rugs are probably among the most versatile elements in home décor. Think about it: there’s a rug out there for modern, country, traditional, Asian, and even Victorian homes. No matter what’s in or out of the trend, you won’t run out options for area rug designs. And since they don’t need to be installed (as carpets do), you can always change them up whenever you feel like it. If you want to stay in style with your area rug, here are some ideas to help you get started.

Bold and classic

New design trends are always marked by bold choices, whether in terms of color, pattern, shape or size. Often, something that’s out of the ordinary is automatically considered modern or contemporary. But breaking the mold all the time can get old after a while. With area rugs, it’s easy to find patterns that are both bold and classic. One good example is animal print area rugs: they’re practically a fixture in contemporary décor, but they’ll still draw attention long after the trend is gone.

Bold designs such as animal prints tend to draw attention to themselves, so they can easily overpower a room. When decorating with them, you’ll want to tone down the rest of the room so there’s not too much going on. As much as possible, you should stick to solid colors and plain surfaces to make the pattern stand out. That way, the rug itself becomes the room’s focal point, setting the theme for the entire room.

Unique shapes and contours

No matter what the theme is, you can’t go wrong with an interestingly shaped area rug. If you want to make a statement, veer away from the usual straight-edged squares and rectangles, and go for shapes like oval, round, hearts, flowers and abstracts. These shapes give the room an unusual angle, making it look less flat. Put round area rugs against sharp corners or straight walls, where they offer a soft contrast that make the space look more inviting.

To emphasize the shape of the rug, try looking for one with a distinct colored edging. Most rugs are made with a protective edge in almost the same shade as the rug itself, so that it looks seamless from a distance. But when you’ve got an interesting shape, a defining border helps draw attention to it. This can work especially well in a large space, where it’s important to break up the room and define different areas.

Natural materials

Natural fibers may be considered modern these days, but they’ve actually been around as long as rugs themselves. The only difference is in quality: today’s natural rugs are made with more advanced technologies that give them added strength and better wear. They also come in more designs, some of them so finely made that they almost look synthetic. Manufacturers are also able to offer more options such as seagrass, sisal, and jute area rugs.

When choosing a natural rug, keep an eye out for treatments and chemical additives that can affect their quality. Cheaper fibers often come loaded with synthetic coatings, which not only defeat the purpose but also make them more brittle over time. If you’re allergy-prone or live with kids who are, it’s probably best to stick to tried-and-tested materials such as wool and organic cotton. These materials have self-cleaning and antibacterial properties, so they’re less likely to contain chemical additives.

Learn from the pros.

Of course, the best way to keep up with the trends is to read up on them. Area rug designs are constantly evolving, and you have to be in the know if you want to make the most of them. Read magazines on interior design, take note of seasonal changes in the stores, and check online for different design trends. You don’t have to follow all of them, but they can give you a good idea of what’s in and out in the market.

Another thing you can do is subscribe to an area rug blog. These are usually maintained by professional designers themselves, or homeowners with a passion for rug design. Either way, you get advice from well-informed sources and people who have used rugs themselves. Besides design trends, a rug blog is also a great source of buying guides, product reviews, and pricing information.