Dress Up Your Home With a 'Faux Fur' Rug

Faux fur is simply fake fur. Faux is French for 'not real', and is pronounced like the word "foe". Today it is a popular alternative to using real fur. Earlier it was considered a cheap choice only meant for the lower classes; however, with changing times faux fur is fast becoming a style statement. This is also the case for animal lovers who are assured that no animals are killed for procuring their hides to make the rugs that design their homes.

Major designers who once worked with fur are under constant pressure from organizations like the People for Animals to stop using the real thing. The number of designers using real fur has hence slowly declined. Besides, the quality of faux fur has increased with the years. Acrylic furs with no-skid backings are luxurious and beautiful and pass off as the real fur any day. Also, fabrics that are used are such that they can be used for any print and color almost imitating the real animal fur. With appropriate padding and lining faux fur garments can provide the warmth needed in the winters as well paving the way for possible elimination of real fur products.

The most sensual and luxurious fabrics are converted into hundreds of varieties of faux fur rugs. These look amazing and can brighten up any room and come in all prints imaginable. Try furry sheepskin or printed ocelot rug in your living room; or a zebra print rug for your bathroom! Better still pick up a Mongolian lamb area rug. It is lavish yet functional, it's 100% acrylic is super soft, and to top it all it is machine washable. This is sure to lend a warm contemporary accent to your living room. One really interesting rug I found is bound to delight your children! It's a faux fur bear rug complete with an open mouth with fur teeth and tongue and fur claws! It's cute, non-threatening and a soft cuddle-up toy for your kids.

There are a number of faux fur throw rugs for your bedroom to snuggle into during winters. Plush angora colored rugs keep you warm at night; and their hundred percent acrylic fur and polyester lining make them breathable and comfortable to sleep on. So you could use them on your bed or the couch. Flokati rugs have been a tradition with Greece for centuries. Now, they are hand made with wool and touches of polyester for that softness and wonderful sheen. One of these in your living area could add quite a sparkle!

You could buy a soft, shaggy, sumptuous rug for practically every room in your home. They have been increasingly used to do up a nursery, kitchen or the dining area. Mostly a rug is exquisitely dreamy and resonates beauty and comfort. With over 3 million registered importers and exporters of faux fur rugs and as many designs and sizes; with most of them available online, you will never have any trouble choosing just the one for your home!

Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences.

One of his latest ongoing projects can be viewed at http://www.fauxfur-rugs.com

Bedroom Design - How to Properly Arrange a Bedroom

It may seem simple to design a bedroom, but it can be quite complex. How you arrange your bedroom furniture can influence how well you sleep at night and how guests feel when they stay with you. Learning how to properly arrange a bedroom can benefit you when arranging a child's room, a guest room and a master bedroom.

It's always a good idea to arrange your bedroom periodically. Sometimes it is not easy to rearrange, especially if you have a small room but rearranging will give you a chance to really clean every corner of that room.

Guest Room
If you have guests to stay over frequently they will appreciate the effort that you put forth in order to make them feel safe and comfortable. There is nothing that makes a guest leave faster than if they cannot feel comfortable. When you prepare your guest room you want to keep it bright and clean looking. Don't clutter the room in extra stuff you just don't know where else to put it. Guests do not always show up when scheduled. A lot of times it is done last minute. Keeping the room bright and cheerful looking will always be inviting to your guests. Arrange the bed against the wall so when your guests walk into the room the bed will be the first thing they see. But you want to avoid putting the bed under windows in the winter time. If you have a twin bed in your guest room you will only need one night stand. If you have a double to king sized bed you need to have a night stand on each side of the bed. The only thing you need on the table is a lamp and one alarm clock. The dresser should be somewhere else in the room away from the bed.

Child's Room
You don't want to put the bed under windows because a draft may come in and make your child sick so always keep the bed against the wall without windows. You need one night stand or table to place a lamp and an alarm clock beside of their bed. Shelves are very important in a child's room in order to keep their favorite toys. It's good to place shelves in every corner of their room when possible so you can display everything. If more than one child shares the room you need to invest in a divider for privacy, no matter what age they are. Include one toy chest for each child to keep their toys in. Get creative on storage containers to personalize them with your child's favorite action heroes or princess. You can buy white contact paper and cover boxes to put little things in. Your child can help you do that. Add blinds to the window for extra warmth and privacy

Master Bedroom
This room is probably the largest bedroom in your home. You want the bed to be the centerpiece in your bedroom. Put the bed against a solid wall if possible. You can place the other furniture in between windows or on short walls. Furniture like dressers, wardrobes and chairs balance the room when placed on short walls. If you have a lounge or sitting chair in your room you may want to place it in a corner as long as it is out of the walkway.

There is no reason to complicate the bedroom by adding things that are not necessary. Bedrooms should be a private place to get away from the world. Making your bedroom more personal will have a cozy and comfortable affect on you.

Add a touch of luxury to your bedroom with a real wool flokati area rug or a funky new shag rug from HouseOfAreaRugs.com

Decorating For Warmth

Grandma's Cozy Kitchen - Re-creating the warmth of home
The smell of baking bread, crisp linens, and homemade jam: These are all things that might take you back in time to your Grandmother's kitchen. In our modern box-like homes that lack both character and cozy corners, it's difficult to imagine you could ever have a warm, welcoming space like Grandma had. You can't go back in time, but you can implement some of the same pieces and create your own snug and comfortable kitchen.

The sink is a huge part of a kitchen. It's the spot where you spend the most amount of time other than your stove, and the functionality of your sink can improve your entire kitchen appeal. If you are looking for a retro feel, purchase a white Farm House or Apron sink. Instantly your sink is transformed from boring old steel to a memory from your childhood. Beautiful as well as functional, Apron sinks provide a much wider area for cleaning and have been said to be easier on your back while you stand doing dishes.

If you are one of the lucky people who have a large yard, you can stare out your kitchen window while doing dishes and be mesmerized by the swaying leaves of your apple tree. There is nothing so tranquil as a pretty picture window in your kitchen, and often the best route to take for such a window is to minimize distractions from the view. If you feel as though you absolutely must have a covering of some sort, try to go with a small-patterned print or light white fabric. Pin your curtains back to one side with hooks unless you require privacy.

Houses in the 1940's and 1950's favored linoleum flooring in much the same way that we now favor hardwood. It came in a variety of brash colors and patterns. Although housewives in that day and age clearly enjoyed the linoleum style of flooring, you can almost guarantee that somewhere in their kitchen would be a braided area rug. Large in size and oval in shape, braided area rugs in the 50's would be placed underneath the kitchen table or directly in front of the sink. There has definitely been a resurgence of this type of area rug, and it has once again gained popularity in country and modern kitchens alike. Braided rugs come in many shades and are often a kaleidoscope of colors braided together. If you are seeking something smaller, try a rag area rug. Although you can purchase beautiful rag area rugs created from cotton, you can also make your own in the same way your Grandmother did. Sew or hand stitch together small pieces of fabric to create a beautiful rug that will fit well into small corners of a cozy kitchen.

Its' the little things that set off memories of Grandma's kitchen. White, cotton dishtowels were a staple, and they were highly durable in light of the constant stream of dishes she must have washed. A small cuckoo clock was a favorite of the 1950's housewife, as well as simple items such as a gingham-checked tablecloth and black metal baking pans. Implementing these small touches in your kitchen will bring back those memories and give you an inviting area to create more memories of your own.

Sarah Crosset has worked in the interior decorating field for many years and loves to share her home decorating experiences and ideas with home owners everywhere. Her number one tip is to buy area rugs; as they will instantly freshen a room. Try a flokati area rug from http://www.HouseOfAreaRugs.com for a toe appealing warm feel.

Rugs For Easy and Affordable Way of Accessorizing Your Home

Rugs are just small carpet type objects not restricted to any type of or area of room. They can be spread anywhere to highlight the attractiveness of the area. Today many manufacturing companies are into designing rug which has led to endless choices.

You can select among American braided, contemporary, Flokati, oriental, kids, outdoor and traditional rug designs. The braided rug was designed from scrap of wool material in New England and it happens to be one of the popular choices for modern homes. Other than wool, a wide range of other yarn like polypropylene is being used for making the rug and allows them to be used outside. The braided designs are best suited for kitchen, dining and living rooms.

Using rugs also add style to your home. Just select the best match as per your theme decor and make your home stylish. Some people are unable to walk directly on the hard surface and rugs are a great comfort for them.

Many good brand companies are investing in making rugs and there is a huge variety of option to pick from. If you are brand conscious, and are looking for a particular brand then you can surely be able to find them as per your budget. Right from contemporary, oriental, kids, American, Braided, outdoor and traditional the list is long. Braided rug is made up of the wool for indoor use and if this rug is to be used outdoors then polypropylene is used instead of wool. Living room, dining area and kitchen is best-suited place for braided rug.

An authentic oriental rug is a handmade, hand-knotted or a wool rug. These are very formal and elegant having large central medallions and gracious borders. You can find a wide range of these oriental style rug made of different fibers. This rug gets a charm and an old world appeal to your place.

Today outdoor entertainment areas have become an important place in our houses. The outdoor rug designs look fashionable and can withstand outdoor life making the outside area another room of the home.

The shag rug design started in 1960's and now has become the most popular design in the decorative industry. This style gives a casual yet glamorous look to your room. Today these designs come in a range of materials and colors having varying thicknesses. They bring a new dimension to your room and can be selected as per the home decor.

You can also look for these rugs online, as there are many online stores that exclusively have a wide variety of designs, color and style. You do not even have to leave the comfort of your home, as it will be delivered right at your doorstep.

Rugs add beauty to the fixtures of your home or office. It displays an accent to the floors which will help enhance its appearance and ambience. Or you may want to try braided rugs.

Shopping For Area Rugs - A Few Tips

There are different area rugs store in US that can suit any taste and preference of customers. Majority of these stores offer rugs that would complement the coziness and warmth of the typical home. The styles and designs available come in simple patterns with subdued tones and colors to appeal to a cozy space of any abode or office. These are the types come in classic or traditional style patterns while others come in more contemporary designs and vibrant colors to suit the tastes of younger clientele.

Before buying them just like furniture, they can be considered as valuable investments in the long run. This is because these area rugs will be used for a long period of time to provide the user a safe and stable walking surface as well as warm flooring. Before buying in any store, make sure that you first determined the type that will fit your space. Deciding what shape you prefer can do this. In the market, there are different shapes to choose from. You can opt for rectangular, square, diagonal, circle, or oval ones depending on the shape of your flooring and your personal taste.

Once you have decided which shape is best for you, you must now measure the space using the length and the width. In living rooms or family rooms, exact measurement is very important before buying any area rug because you cannot do anything about it once it is too long or too short so make sure that you get the most accurate measurements as possible. When you measure the space, make sure that you take into consideration the furniture that would be placed above, over, or near it. This is quite significant to ensure that there is balance and harmony in the motif of your home. After measuring the space, you must now determine what is the style of the area rug that you like or you need.

There are basically two types of area rugs: the hand-knotted and the machine-made. Both of these types come in different patterns and solid colors. You can opt for Persian Oriental, Braided, Tibetan, Shag, Flokati, and Contemporary. Each of these types have their own unique features and characteristics that would best suit your taste in style, preference in design, need, and budget.

After deciding the style, try to evaluate the materials that make up an area rug so you will have an idea how long it will last in its best condition. The common materials that are usually used include wool that is resilient, cotton, which is cheaper and softer than wool, silk, which are of high quality and need special cleaning, and nylon that have good stain resistance and strength.

Lastly, before buying area rugs, take into consideration if you are going to use for on-rug decorating and off-rug decorating so you can choose the best designs available.

Rajesh Karavadia is the author and webmaster of an website about 9x12 Blackgold Area Rugs and bartley area rugs

Easy Tips For Making Your Home Feel Cozier

Often, when the furniture, furnishings and other accessories for your home are being bought on a budget or in a short amount of time, there isn't a lot of thought put into the comfort or aesthetic quality to your home. Many things are bought simply based on price and functionality and only a little bit based on the way they make you feel. Even though you might have done this a while ago, much of the furniture is probably the same and your home isn't as comfortable as it could be. Surprisingly, there are a lot of easy and simple ways to turn a strictly functional home into one that is both, functional as well as comfortable.

One of the best ways to increase the comfort in your home is a simple one. You might have a room in your home that you've had the same way for years, however it doesn't appeal to you anymore or it doesn't seem to flow well. If you've seen the same thing over and over and it's now beginning to feel jaded, the simplest way and cheapest way to remedy this would be to just move around the furniture and make sure you are perfectly content with the way it looks. Little stressors can be as simple as a room not making you happy and the solution is just as simple. Once you have a room (or better yet all your rooms) in just the configuration you want, it can make you feel so much better in your home, and you will be more relaxed when you're in it.

Along with the mental comfort that is involved in making your home as cozy as possible, there is also the physical pleasantness that is also a necessary part of making your home perfectly comfy. If you don't have a problem with money, one of the ways you can bring a lot of comfort into your home is by going out and getting the most comfortable furniture you can find. Once you get it, put some thought into how you arrange it and make sure it sits well with you. However, if money is tight and you have a budget to stick to, there are other ways you can fix up your home with comfort and coziness.

Simple things like throwing a couple of pillows on your bed and couches can make you feel a lot more comfortable in your house. Adding a few blankets to the arms of chairs or couches for use when sitting and reading or watching TV can make you feel a lot more comfortable.

Sometimes hard wood floors, when bare, can be a bit abrasive on naked feet. When in the bedroom, they can also be quite a cold shock when you first wake up and put your feet down on them. The perfect solution to this is to put down area rugs. Look for sheepskin rugs, wool rugs or flokati rugs that are plush and soft on your feet and make you feel cozy. They can even be bought for pretty cheap it you look in the right places, making them a cost effective way to cozy up your home.

Sarah is a senior staff writer dedicated to helping you learn about interior design tips for making hour home feel cozier. Her favorite home decor accessories are yellow rugs and square area rugs.

Decorating Your Teens Bedroom

When your kid gets to be a teenager, that little kids furniture and bedroom décor just won't do. Your teen wants a cool new look, and here's how you can get it.

First of all, don't toss out that old bedroom furniture yet. Unless the furniture is totally banged up and broken, you may be able to give it a cool new look with some paint and new knobs. Before you start on that, however, you need to figure out the theme of your teen bedroom design.

Todays hot new looks are centered around retro, modern or "cool" designs. Teens actually have pretty good design sense (probably from watching so much TV!) and you can design a really neat room just by adding some new accents. Of course, your teen may need a new desk to do their home work at if the old one no longer works but you can give the old furniture a new look as mentioned above.

Luckily, you don't have to spend a lot on accents for your teenagers room. Most of the discount department stores like Target offer hip furnishings and accents at discount prices. You can buy inexpensive shelves, or build them yourself, and use it for them to put all their stuff that might normally be thrown on the floor. This will help the room look neat and reduce the clutter.

You can give your teens bedroom a fun but sophisticated look by painting the room in a "cool" color like chocolate, sage or purple and using accents to as focal points. A flokati or rag rug will lend a sophisticated air and you can even put the down as area rugs on top of wall to wall carpeting to give the floor a whole new look. Replace the kids ruffled or theme curtains with tab topped curtains in a denim or canvas for a more adult look.

Bedding for you teen can be plain, or funky - whatever goes with the room. Depending on your teens taste, a neutral colored bed set with nicely textured fabrics like silks or a velvet duvet can add interest with out being too flashy. Or if you want to make the bed a focal point, how about an animal print set or something in bright colors like hot pink and orange?

Accents are where you add interest and give the room personality. Some fun accents include chairs shaped like a giant shoe, faux fur covered lamps in wild colors, bean bag chairs of all types, phones in all shapes and sizes, funky accent pillows, rugs and wall art.

Lee Dobbins writes for Bedroom Designs where you can learn more about bedroom design themes.