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Archive for January, 2011

Once the dominion of the 70s and 80s, shag rugs are making a powerful comeback. Hordes of trendy, urban adults are furnishing their apartments, flats and homes with new, fashionable shag rugs. While some think shag rugs are outdated, hipsters in the know are more than happy to take advantage of this trend-worthy blast from the past. Don’t get left out in the cold, join the shag rug revolution with some of these uber-hip shag rug trends.
Shag Rug Trends:
In living color: Spice up any room or hallway in your home with colorful, shaggy bathroom rugs, runner rugs or accent rugs to play off your furniture. Guests won’t be able to deny your hip, contemporary rugs. They’ll love to run their fingers and toes through the comfort of vibrant shag rugs, and the bright colors will bring life and excitement to every corner of the room.
Shaggy shapes: Rectangular and square-shaped shag rugs are still perfect for some rooms, but for larger rooms, trend gurus are going with large, round rugs in the center of the room. Large and shaggy round rugs can bring a completely new personality to a room, so go with our first trendy tip and pick a happy one; turn any room in your home into a vibrant gathering place with a round shag rug.
Everything is new again: If bright colors don’t quite match with your home, try going the other direction. Soft white or off-white shag rugs are a classic look, especially in bathrooms. Accent rugs look great with black. For a cool retro look, go with neutral colors, patchwork designs or a leather shag rug. Runner rugs in the hallway will really stand out with a hip, retro shag rug look. No matter what color or style you choose, shag rugs are sure to grab attention.
Shaggy fireplace paradise: Curling up in front of the fire has never been more comfortable than when a large, soft shag rug is pushed against the base of the fireplace. Fireplaces are supposed to be comfortable, so make yours as welcoming as possible with a shag rug guests will love lying out on.

If you have ever watched a home makeover show on TV or read about updating a room in your own home, you have probably heard of furniture styles like antique, modern, rustic, English, French, Italian and the like.But what do these styles really mean?How can you tell which is which?

Let’s take a look at several common furniture styles and see if we can unravel the mysteries just a bit.

American furniture

The three main styles of American furniture are antique, modern, and rustic.Each has its own unique characteristics that appeal to people with a wide range of tastes.

Antique – This style is heavily influenced by European furniture styles, as it dates back to the early American colonial days and the period of time between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.American antique furniture typically has a very practical design because it was made to be used, not displayed.There are of course some elements of fancy detail, but these are secondary to the sensible design focus of the furniture.

Modern – This style is characterized by clean lines, modern materials, and a sense of wanting something

• different from the traditional furniture of the pre-World War II era.

Pieces were designed to be both convenient and stylish, often using materials like plastic, vinyl, and chrome.Modern furniture has a sleek look to it that is in sharp contrast to the sturdy styles more common prior to the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Rustic – This style is characterized by the use of natural materials, hand crafted pieces, and cultural/regional influences.Pieces are generally made of whatever materials are abundant in the region where they originate, and often include details like carvings and paintings.The rustic style tends to be coarser than other styles and reflects a very casual, comfortable feel.

European furniture

European furniture styles can trace their roots back several centuries and often reflect the melding of influences from several different countries or regions.The most common styles of European furniture are English, French and Italian.

• English – This style makes use of woods such as oak, walnut and mahogany.The pieces range from quite heavy and imposing to rustic and hand crafted, depending on the era of history in which they were styled.Use of dark, natural colors is predominant, as is limited attention to decorative and fancy  details.
• French – This style is extremely decorative, often including elaborate          designs and materials.Detailed carvings, lush fabrics, and ornate patterns are  typical and are considered the hallmarks of traditional French palatial  style.Also present in the French style are pieces more typical of a country  feel, but these items still reflect a general tendency toward ornamental  furniture.
• Italian – This style has its roots in the 15th century when the ancient  heritage and fine arts of Rome experienced a renewal.Furniture pieces are typically large and ornate, often using shapes derived from Roman architecture and sculpture. The Italian style makes use of many different materials in addition to wood and fabric, such as marble, stone, and other regional materials.Common features include columns, pedestals, and ornate bases.

World influences

The common element shared by most furniture styles is the influence of shapes and designs from around the world.Early pieces from the 15th, 16th and 17th century typically reflect gradual evolution of melded styles, usually dictated by the presence of trade routes and interactions among different countries and cultures.

In the modern world, traditional styles still abound but with the ease of communication, sharing of ideas, and changes in materials and technology you can expect furniture styles to continue evolving based on various world influences.