Area rugs

[Bleed Burnt Orange]

I may seem so unsophisticated here, but...do wool rugs feel scratchy or stiff? I'm REALLY sensitive to itchy [memories of my mom putting me in itchy dresses come to mind]. Despite durability, and health, how do the natural fibers feel compared to synthetic?

Thanks again so much for all of the posts. I really appreciate the suggestions and tips!

 

[Bleed Burnt Orange]

Thanks for sharing yours ladies.
I probably bored you to pieces so this is my last picture. 8'x10' Haj Jalil by Aziz:

Your rugs are quite pretty. Very feminine and timeless. I wish I had that soft touch...my mind is way more angular.

 

[Winks_Elf]

I like the designs and prices at Home Depot! They have some gorgeous 100% Olenfin (is that how it's spelled?) area rugs. We've had one we got on sale for $275 (an 8x10) back in 2003, and it still looks fantastic. Considering we live on a horse farm, have four young children, two dogs and it's in front of the very large fireplace (lots of wood dropped on it), it's in excellent condition and is easy to clean.

 

[kenny]

I may seem so unsophisticated here, but...do wool rugs feel scratchy or stiff? I'm REALLY sensitive to itchy [memories of my mom putting me in itchy dresses come to mind]. Despite durability, and health, how do the natural fibers feel compared to synthetic?

Thanks again so much for all of the posts. I really appreciate the suggestions and tips!

IMHO some of the less expensive ones do feel scratchy and like burlap.
Bokharas are very soft, light and flexible, almost like felt cloth.
A Persian with higher knot density feels very soft but they are quite heavy rugs.

Because of how the knots are hand tied one by one the fibers lay in a direction, much like your hair does.
When you brush your hand over it with that direction it feels more smooth and soft compared to brushing your hand against the fiber direction.

If you have the really big bucks they even make hand-knotted rugs using silk instead of wool, (the foundation of both is of cotton).
You can imagine how they feel.
Many designs will be primarily wool with a few colors of silk thrown.
The silk colors have a shimmering effect which gives those colors an almost 3D accent effect.
Maybe I'll try to see if I can experiment with the lighting to capture this in a pic.

 

[pennquaker09]

I wouldn't normally go for something like this, but there's something about it that I really like:

 

[pennquaker09]

The layout and furniture are a hot mess, but this is more akin the type of rugs I like.

 

[elrohwen]

No, good wool rugs aren't scratchy at all. My Pottery Barn wool rug is so soft! Far softer than any carpet I've felt.

I'm not sure if this is a problem with all wool rugs, but mine shedded for at least a year. I was constantly finding little clumps of wool lying around. After owning it for 4 years it still looks gorgeous and like new, and no longer sheds. I was vacuuming every day there for a while to get all the fibers up.

Also, like some others have said, make sure the rug you get is large enough for the space. Your couch should be on the rug - you don't want one that just floats in the middle of the room.

Btw, did anyone else noticed that Stephanie Pratt, from the Hills, is the rug model in that picture Pennquaker posted? Hilarious!

 

[Camille]

I enjoyed all the pictures, can't even imagine the cost of Ninna's persian
Some Synthetics can feel just like wall to wall carpet. Naturals are super resilient, hand tufted cost less than hand knotted you may want to play with that by visiting a rug place just to see what you like.
Chemical Dyes do worry me some, try to stay away from them.
Sizing, I prefer my rugs 1" under the sofas but not more, it's a pain to clean under there. If you have an open layout, having several in different colors & patterns can make your home look wild. Best of Luck!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I'm a rug fiend and I have to say my very favorite resource for buying relatively inexpensive good quality rugs has to be http://www.HomeDecorators.com/Outlet.

The living room rug (blue/brown/khaki stripes) is called Changes and is ~8x11'. I found it on Home Decorators for $120 shipped and it's a really lovely thick wilton wool. After buying this wool rug, I'll be trying to eventually replace the rest with wool, cotton, or silk rugs. This thing is ~3 years old and still feels like brand new.

The other rugs are from Lowe's and Target.

... aaaand I'm going to need you to come decorate my apartment for me. Thanks

Your taste is impeccable! Very beautifully put together, I love all of your rooms!

LOL, thank you Lilyfoot. I discovered too late the beauty of a natural fiber rug. Now I lack the energy to try and replace my cheapies with better quality because I look around, and it looks "done".

The great thing about Home Decorators Outlet is that I bought what is normally a $1,400 rug for ~$120 by sitting and waiting until there 2-3 left.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I'm a rug fiend and I have to say my very favorite resource for buying relatively inexpensive good quality rugs has to be http://www.HomeDecorators.com/Outlet.

The living room rug (blue/brown/khaki stripes) is called Changes and is ~8x11'. I found it on Home Decorators for $120 shipped and it's a really lovely thick wilton wool. After buying this wool rug, I'll be trying to eventually replace the rest with wool, cotton, or silk rugs. This thing is ~3 years old and still feels like brand new.

The other rugs are from Lowe's and Target.

These seriously look like out of the magazines and design sites I've been looking at. I like them very much! You have such great taste!

Thanks for posting the pictures.

Thanks, BBO! I was a bit hesitant about ordering wool, but this rug is so soft that I often sit on it when we have loads of company over.

 

[Bleed Burnt Orange]

Awesome, you all! I've learned a lot more than I did before posting.

I will definitely pay attention to the fibres being used for the rugs I decide to buy. I have no idea what my budget is, but...I don't think I can afford something uber special. Maybe some day!

Thank you again for all of the suggestions you have made.

 

[Bleed Burnt Orange]

No, good wool rugs aren't scratchy at all. My Pottery Barn wool rug is so soft! Far softer than any carpet I've felt.

I'm not sure if this is a problem with all wool rugs, but mine shedded for at least a year. I was constantly finding little clumps of wool lying around. After owning it for 4 years it still looks gorgeous and like new, and no longer sheds. I was vacuuming every day there for a while to get all the fibers up.

Also, like some others have said, make sure the rug you get is large enough for the space. Your couch should be on the rug - you don't want one that just floats in the middle of the room.

Btw, did anyone else noticed that Stephanie Pratt, from the Hills, is the rug model in that picture Pennquaker posted? Hilarious!

I think that's Jewel, actually. They do look similar though.

I have a feeling I'll be touching a lot of rugs in the next few weeks trying to decide on something. Thanks for all of your input.