WHY SHOULD YOU USE AN AREA RUG?

By Home Style Furniture

It’s amazing how much an area rug can transform a room. If you’re looking to roll out big style—for a modest outlay of cash—opting for an area rug is a good way to go. When shopping for the right area rug, choose one that’s roughly the same shape as the accompanying furniture. Cluster the furniture around it or on top of it, place a table, desk or bed at its center—and you’re good to go!

Why are area rugs so great? Because area rugs…

Tie together a room’s color scheme. An area rug works as well, if not better, than art or throw pillows to unify your color schemes.

Anchor furniture. Area rugs make a room look connected and cohesive. In living rooms and family rooms, use an area rug that’s big enough to fit under the front legs of your furniture. If it’s too small to do that, center the rug under your coffee table. 

Are inexpensive “artwork.” Bringing color and graphical elements into a room, area rugs help create a dynamic gathering place. Certain area rugs, such as handwoven style rugs, can also be hung on a large wall, at a fraction of the price of large-scale artwork. 

Add warm, comfort and safety. Especially if you have solid-surface floors, such as hardwood, concrete or tile, you can appreciate the cushy relief area rugs bring to your space.

Work everywhere. Be it in the living room, bedroom or dining room, area rugs feel right at home. As a rule of thumb; use an area rug under the largest piece, or group of furniture, in a room to anchor the space.

Absorb sound. Especially when accompanied by an ample rug pad, area rugs do a wonderful job of buffering noise.

Move with you. Wall-to-wall carpeting might be there to stay, but area rugs are all yours to take with you should you relocate.

While machine-made rugs are the most common today, there are plenty of handwoven options that can include everything from precious oriental rugs to affordable jute styles.

A bit about area rug materials:

Synthetic rugs are mostly made from petroleum products. They’re popular for their colorful designs, durability and low price.

Wool rugs offer a step up with their remarkably soft, plush feel. Most are hand-tufted, with loops of yarn punched into a cloth, backed with latex and then sheared to produce a cut-pile surface. It’s completely normal for wool area rugs to shed a little when they’re brand new.

Jute rugs are another natural fiber area rug. These are usually handwoven. Though associated with more relaxed/casual settings, they’re a designer favorite in many interiors today because they add texture, lie flat and are easy to maintain.

Tips for keeping your area rug as good as new:

• Purchase a rug pad to reduce movement on the floor and prevent rug wear.
• Vacuum regularly to reduce dirt accumulation.
• Blot spills immediately. Avoid saturation with water. 
• Rotate occasionally to reduce the effects of traffic and sunlight.

Content provided by: +Tailbase & Ashley Furniture 

www.tailbase.com

Home Office & Guest Room In-One

by Home Style Furniture

So you don’t have all the space you desire. What you lack in room, you make up for in economy. If space constraints mean a multifunctional room—such as the all-too-common home office/guest room—maximize it by taking a minimalist approach to design and make your office space work twice as hard for you and your guests.

Tips for maximizing your multifunctional space:

Lighter and brighter. To make a multifunctional space feel more open and less crowded, start by “opening up” the walls with a light, bright paint or soft neutral shade.

Crisp, clean lines. Nothing streamlines the look of a room like clean-lined, straightforward furniture with no muss and no fuss.

Work a major modernist look with sleek, linear furniture in a chic and crisp white.You can still enjoy the homier touch of rustic finished furniture, just keep the lines clean and lean. This desk’s return can be placed on left or right for maximum flexibility, depending on room layout.

Plenty of zzzs. When it comes to home office/guest room bedding, you’ve got quite a few options.Love vintage? A daybed loaded with pillows can double as a quaint seating area and a comfy bed. One with storage underneath comes in especially handy.

Going for less is more? Try a flip-flop sofa/futon on for size. Nothing like that beast of a futon you might have had in your dorm or first apartment, these sleek little numbers are a cinch to adjust.

You could invest in a wall-mounted Murphy bed, but given how they’re heavily bolted in place, they’re quite a commitment. And once you pull them down, you don’t tend to want to fold them back up every morning. 

You might say the same about sofa sleepers, but at least they offer the promise of inviting seating space once you tuck away the inner mattress. Advancements in sofa sleeper mattresses (some now with memory foam instead of innerspring) make them a sound choice for many a home office/guest room.

Content provided by: +Tailbase 

www.tailbase.com