Rug Zone featured on ITV’s This Morning Program

One of the strange thing about having an online rug business is the unexplainable peaks and troughs of the sales patterns. At around lunchtime today the server suddenly went into overdrive with an unexpected intake of orders. After quick peek at Google Analytics the Real Time statistics confirmed there was an unusually high volume of visitors to the website.

Further investigation revealed that some of our visitors had seen us on TV. Then it dawned on us, “It must be the rugs we sent to This Morning Program, two days previous”. Yes, Linda Barker was doing a feature “Bring the countryside castle look to your home” and requested one our Antique Effect Medallion Natural Look Rugs in Grey for the feature. Linda has also used the same rug on 60 minute makeover and even uses it as a backdrop for many the home decor items on her own ecommerce site www.reallylindabarker.co.uk. Which tells me that she must have a genuine affiliation to the rug.    

As an online rug retailer we always look for something different or out of the ordinary and the Antique style flat woven rug with its funky flatweave texture really fits that bill. Unfortunately it never appealed to the majority UK consumers, so once the current stock is sold it won’t be repeated. But don’t despair, if like Linda Barker you dare to be different, we always have stocks of some weird and wonderful.rugs... just because we too get sick of the same old designs and textures you can see on every website.

Many thanks to the team at This Morning for a great feature, you can view the article at itv.com

Nursery furnishings for your new rug rat

When you have your first baby, it is easy to get a bit carried away with buying stuff for the nursery because there are just so many gadgets out there in the marketplace and they all manage to persuade you that you won't be able to live without them. Some things are important of course and anything that enhances baby’s safety is essential buying, but some of the items costing quite substantial amounts of money are only appropriate for the first few weeks and so you have to wonder whether you really do need them or not.

Cot or crib?

A great big cot is perhaps a bit overwhelming for a small baby but you can buy a carry cot that will fit inside it for the early months. Some of the high end price cots can be adjusted for different bed heights so you can make the same piece of furniture do for years and if you have the cost of one of these in your budget it will certainly save money in the long run. But most people need a carry cot, so the other option is perfectly okay. As long as the nursery is clean and quiet, with some attractive decor such as a bright modern rug on the floor and some pictures on the wall, there is no need to pay a fortune.

Pink or blue?

With scans being pretty accurate these days you can decorate with confidence if you choose to go down the traditional road. However, many baby items come in very bright colours these days so you could take the ‘neutral’ idea and use just a few spots of colour such as lime green or cranberry. This will give you more scope later when baby becomes a toddler becomes a teenager (and that doesn't take as long as you think!) and all you will have to do is change the natural rugs for something more grown up for example a shaggy rug in a bright colour to change the whole look of the room.

When it’s time to share

Not everyone has room to have nursery separate from another child’s bedroom and in these cases it is important to keep territories separate. Using furniture to divide a room is a handy way to stop baby invading an older sibling’s space and that way you won't have tears before bedtime.

How to find out who your friends are!

Although no one likes a liar, most of us are adept at those little white fibs that keep the world going round. ‘Does my bum look big in this?’ is never asked by someone who wants the answer to be ‘Yes’. And yet sometimes, you need a friend to tell you the truth – you just have to be big enough to take it on the chin if the answer isn't quite what you were expecting.

Does this room look a bit tatty?

The chances are that if you think the room looks in need of a makeover, then it is! Living somewhere every day does make us a bit blind to its shortcomings but there are often certain moments – when a ray of sunshine suddenly illuminates a spider’s web in the corner or a hole appears in your previously treasured traditional rug – when you realise that things may have gone a bit downhill. Choose your friend with care – you want to ask someone who loves you and your house despite your faults and will not just say something nasty but will give you an answer as well, such as, ‘I think if you replaced that runner with a nice new shaggy rug the room would look great.’

Does this house smell?

Well, there’s a tricky one if you like! There are so many adverts on TV about housewives worrying about their smelly loos and other parts of the house but we don't always realise when things are not too fresh any more. Rather than spray scents everywhere it might be best to look down – an old wool rug will matt down and get full of crumbs and other smelly detritus without your noticing. Your honest friend will be doing you a favour because no one wants to think that their home is smelly. Replace your rugs if budget permits, but a good shake and a brush with some bicarbonate of soda does wonders.

And finally does your bum look big in that?

If your friend tells you the truth about your tatty living room or your smelly hall, perhaps you have found the right person to ask the million dollar question, because after all, when you bend down to look closely at your patterned rugs, you want to be sure that your rear end doesn’t look too enormous!

Buying Guide for Hall Runners

Hall runners do not only work as an embellishment for your interiors and floorings, but these also serve as a utility to prevent floor damage and slips and accidents. You may buy a carpet runner that complements your interiors and add to the value of design aesthetics, making them appear chic and stylish, while ensuring sufficient floor protection and slip-free surfaces.

When buying hall runners, you may consider various factors before you select an appropriate choice. Below are some guidelines which may help you choose suitable hall runners for your halls.

Size

The carpet runners should be smaller in width than your hall, so that these may be placed to run along the centre of your halls, leaving equal margins on both sides. You may tally the measurements that you intend to buy, with the halls’ dimensions to get an idea about whether it will suitably fit.
Furthermore, if you intend to place in front of a door, you may take care to choose a runner that when placed inside the hall will leave sufficient space before the door to not to interfere with the opening and closing of the door.

Design and style

There is a wide variety available today, in different sizes and designs. You may buy a contemporary design to complement your hall interiors, or you opt for a traditional in style. You may find elaborate and intricate designs more appealing, or you might prefer more simplicity in design. The style and design is completely subjected to your room interiors and design preferences.

Fibres and materials

Available in a variety of fibres, from synthetic to natural. Your choice of fibres should primarily be based upon the amount of traffic you expect. If you expect more traffic, your hall runners will be exposed to more walking and hence, you may choose a woven in a material that will be able to withstand heavy usage. Polypropylene, nylon and wool are durable and can withstand high traffic for longer periods.

Non-skid backing

You may even consider buying rug runners equipped with non-skid backing, which put up more resistance towards slipping and sliding on floors. In case your hall receives more traffic, it may get quite cumbersome at times to always keep in place. Non-skid backing is a feasible solution in such situations.

Lastly, if you are interested in buying, it is essential that you contact a reliable dealer or supplier, so that you are able to invest in good quality and durable hall runners. Rug Zone offers a wide range of premium quality hall runners, which embellish your floors and can sustain high traffic for extended periods, due to their premium quality.

5 Tips for Effective Cleaning of Carpet Runners

Installing hall runners is a good way to conceal floor damage, prevent your floors from further damage and add to the value your home interiors and aesthetics. Carpet runners are usually placed in halls, rooms and on staircases, but you may place it anywhere else in your house, where you might deem it suitable.





Usually installed in areas which receive high traffic and these are more susceptible to wear and tear. Hence, below are a few tips to help you maintain your carpet runners and increase their durability.


1: Vacuum Regularly

Like any other carpeted flooring, your runners too need to be vacuumed regularly. Regular vacuuming prevents the settling down of dirt and dust particles deep into the pile, ensuring to remove dirt, gravel and debris completely from the fibres. If dirt and debris is allowed to settle down into the pile it can cause considerable damage overtime.


Regular vacuuming is an efficient way to ensure regular and deep cleaning and if placed on stairs, you might consider investing in a lightweight vacuum cleaner for convenience of use.

2: Use a Suitable Brush Attachment
Use a suitable brush attachment when cleaning with a vacuum cleaner. A hose is suitable for dirt removal and can also help with deep cleaning. Using a brush roller or a beater brush attachment is particularly useful for loosening dirt and increasing the life.


3: Use a Stiff Broom

If you find vacuuming too inconvenient to practise it regularly, using a stiff broom to regularly clean is a good substitute. Though, it may not be as effective for deep cleaning as a vacuum, but still, a stiff broom is a good alternative and can be of considerable help. If you do not find it feasible to invest in a light weight vacuum cleaner, a stiff broom is a good replacement to conveniently clean your carpet runners, installed on the staircase.


4: Use a Steam Cleaner

Carpet runners can also be steam cleaned, just as any other carpeted flooring. Steam cleaning  require a good steam cleaner which may be attached with a handheld hose. In case, you are faced with limitations, financial or otherwise, to invest in a steam cleaner, it is even possible to rent one from a nearby grocery store.


5: Hand Scrubbing

In case you need spot-cleaning, hand scrubbing is the best possible solution. Not only it may be used to clean to overall, but it is the most effective way of stain removal. Spots and stains that are hard to clean, like grease stains, may require a pre-treatment through a solution which loosens the stains and makes their removal easier through hand scrubbing.


When investing in carpet runners, ensure to buy carpet runners from trusted dealers, like Rug Zone, so that you are able to buy good quality and durable carpet runners which are easier to maintain and have an extended life span.

Enhance Your Interiors with Shaggy Rugs

Placing fine and decorative shaggy rugs in your rooms is a simple and easy way to enhance the aesthetics and appeal of your interiors. They can add much needed charm and allure to your interior settings, apart from ensuring comfort.

Seen as soft and lush, these are rugs which can be conveniently placed anywhere in your rooms to enhance the beauty and appeal of the room. Larger rugs may be used, inside a room, as a tool to unify its interior design and various aesthetic elements, to add more personality and completeness to the interior of the particular room. Available in a variety of colours, styles, textures, sizes and designs that give you the liberty to stylise your interiors as per your wishes.

The casual long pile appearance of these rugs create texture and comfort. With their convenience of use and soft and rich look, shag rugs have rapidly gained popularity among masses and can be easily incorporated with the interiors of a room to add to its cosiness and luxury. Acquiring their distinctive dishevelled appearance because of the extended fibre stretches located at the back of these area rugs which promote an inconsistent pile direction, hence, the messy appearance.

These homely furnishing rugs are available in a wide range of fabrics and materials, from polypropylene to wool and acrylic. You may even consider investing in shaggy carpets of a more exotic range, weaved in sheepskin, lumpy wool knots and viscose fibres, and may also blend colours, textures and designs to integrate subtlety and vibrancy to your interiors, making them appear sublime and appealing.

The very distinctive feel make your interiors appear more modern and contemporary, without compromising on the homely and cosy feel of your rooms. For this very reason, it is much in demand today and are the modern choice for luxurious and cosy home interiors. You may place it in your living rooms or you may consider incorporating these with your bedroom interiors, these rugs can easily be blended into various room settings. In fact, due to the rich and luxuriant appearance and soft and lush texture, these can be an ideal solution to enhance the appearance of your bedrooms and living rooms.

Prepared through a unique use of fibres, which are responsible for providing their distinctive soft and rich appearance and feel. Their exclusive personality, which is a unique combination of homeliness and modernity, adds the distinctive feel of vibrancy and liveliness to your homes. You may consider various design principles, like contrast and harmony, before you choose a style for a particular room to enhance its interiors. You need to choose a rug that complements your interiors and you may select one from numerous options offered through various reliable dealers.

Rug Zone is a reputable supplier of quality rugs and carpet runners, and offers a wide range of choices for buying premium quality shaggy rugs, available in a number of colours, designs and textures.

Impressionist Makeover

Impressionist Makeover by philip-cotton featuring a blue lipstick

Oasap 34.

Oasap 34. by carola-corana featuring polyester rugs

It's a Rugs Life!

No one who buys a new rug and puts it down proudly in pride of place is planning for it to become a safe harbour for pests and other nasties, but unless you are a really scrupulous cleaner, you will soon be sharing your home with some quite unpleasant and unwanted guests. You don't even need to have loads of pets, either. Unless you sanitise everyone who comes into your home, you will end up with bugs and creepy crawlies. So perhaps this would be a good time to meet just who is living in your shaggy rug.

Carpet beetles

These little charmers not only lurk in the depths of your rugs and carpets, but they also chew through the fibres, causing those tell-tale bald spots that appear over time. They look rather like a small, boring brown ladybird and for these to take up residence all you need do is live in a house. They start off in birds’ nests and when they are abandoned at the end of the summer, they work their way down from lofts and gutters looking for a cushy home; when they get to the shaggy rug so conveniently placed in a bedroom, they move in and start chewing. But at least they don't like chewing on you. Unlike…

Fleas – cat, dog and human

Fleas are species specific when it comes to their breeding cycle, but if they are hungry they will chomp on anything that’s going. Treating pets for fleas is obviously the best way to minimise flea infestation but all you really need do to pick up at least some temporary guests is to go outside. Walks in the woods, fields or even down the High Street means that a flea could take a fancy to you for a while, only to drop off and live for as long as it takes to bite you and your family several times. If you have a human flea, tough luck. It will breed and lay eggs to further order. If you have a cat or dog flea and a cat or dog the same will apply. These little beggars move in to stay.

Bed bugs

Don't be fooled by the name. These horrible creatures will be just as at home in your shaggy bedside rug, hopping on to a passing foot as you head for the sack. With rashes, allergic symptoms and even psychological problems laid at their door, these are certainly not something you want to have in your home.

bedroom ?

bedroom ? by darkredjeans featuring a round table

See more about rugs at http://www.whichrugs.co.uk