Best Area Rugs

 

Rugs were made with the materials at hand, including vegetable dyes. Newer rugs are made with chrome dyes, like those used for clothing today. The latter dyes are much more brilliant, creating crisp and clear colors. Vegetable dyes cause shading, making them more beautiful. Another way to know about the age is to look at the quality of the design. Older ones are more dramatic and interesting. Antique rugs are classified by the lifestyle of the people who wove them. For example, nomadic rugs are very simple with repeating designs that are easily committed to memory. They also use few colors such as red, ivory and blue.

Usually fashioned into ovals, circles or squares, the early American braided rug is one of the most popular types of rag rugs. More artistic than braided rugs, knitted rugs gave women the opportunity to use their knitting needles. Hand woven rag rugs are often irregular in their stitching and colors, which, of course, adds charm and personality to these pieces.

If braided rugs begin to unravel, you may repair them using heavy thread. Many antique rugs are completely reversible. When they beginning to wear on one side, you can simply flip them over. Use cold water and a mild detergent to clean rag rugs; hang in a shaded spot outdoors to dry. Use machine-made rugs in high-traffic areas in your home, and place antique rugs in lower traffic spots.