Contemporary Rugs

I bought a fantastic interior design book called Dream Homes, 100 Inspirational Interiors The book is not very wordy and is mostly a source book of photographs of fantastic interiors, as I flicked through I noticed the utter dominance of oriental rugs within current design trends. Not a single designer rug to be seen it was all either flat weave kilims or hand knotted Persian style rugs. It occurred to me that oriental rugs dominate this market because they are traditionally the best money can buy and have been for centuries, they also lend themselves perfectly to modern design ideals bridging the gap snugly between old and new whilst being available in endless colours, colour combinations and a wide variety of plain or patterned designs. Whatever you require decoration for a minimalist approach or something traditional or exotic there is an oriental rug out there that perfectly fits your needs. Oriental rugs and carpets are available in a staggering selection of styles and sizes it

Kilim Rugs

My new selection of semi antique Anatolian felt rugs have arrived from Turkey and are available to peruse now at www.uniquerugs.co.uk . I am also awaiting some more shyrdak felt rugs from Kyrgzstan although they are quite laborious to make and will probably not be available till after Christmas.....

Felt is said to be the oldest of all manmade materials, produced by the simple but laborious process of pressing together wool water and soap. Old scraps of felt have been discovered dating back almost 9000 years, predating weaving with origins in the Neolithic period. Felt is as relevant today as it always has been with a wide and versatile range of uses including, as a dampener in the automotive industry, decorations, clothing, children’s toys, in drum kits, pianos, assorted musical instruments and billiards tables. But it is perhaps its older and more traditional uses that hold the most allure for the collector. Historically felt was and still is used as a source of warmth and shelter being made into shoes, hats, clothes, tent coverings, doors, blankets, rugs and votive images. Felt has long been used between the Balkans and Mongolia where it has played an important role in the lives of many nomadic peoples. In Anatolia in central Turkey felt is thought to have been made since the

The Ala Turka website is now up and trading and can be found here we are currently stocking a selection of the highest quality handmade olive oil soaps based on recipes used by the old Ottoman Sultans in Istanbul, handmade felt decorations imported from central Asia and handmade bags made by ethical designer Nazrin Farook and imported from India. That just for starters coming soon we have a selection of nazar boncugu evil eye talismans, handmade Turkish silver and kilim rugs so check back regularly so you don’t miss out.

My first sample of our new line of shyrdak felt rugs arrives this week, hopefully a new collection of felt rugs will soon be available at the webshop.....hit link... , Felt Rugs

The shop is now closed and all the stress and worry associated with it is now a rapidly fading memory, leaving me to concentrate on obtaining a larger and better selection of rugs for the website. We will also be continuing to trade from craft fairs, stalls and shopping centre kiosks which will always be updated on this blog. Our first stall will be at the Front Row ethical Fashion event at St Marys in the Castle, Hastings on the 19th of September. We will be carrying a selection of ethically sourced goods including highest quality handmade olive oil soaps based on recipes used by the old Ottoman Sultans in Istanbul. Bags, cushions and purses designed by ethically minded designer Nazrin Farook. Handmade Turkish crafts including recycled kilim cushions and rugs, silver jewellery and felt goods. Front row is an ethical fashion show showcasing the best in local, organic, recycled, designer wear followed by a boutique shopping experience. 19th and 20th September 2008 in Hastings, East Suss

So it’s done I have handed in my notice to vacate the shop which also means vacating the flat upstairs, I can’t say I’m unhappy its is a logical decision the shop is an unnecessary financial weight in the current economic climate and is not performing very well and has endless overheads, electricity, council tax, business tax, telephone, mobile phone, internet, cleaning, staff, advertising, music license the list goes on. The internet allows me to continue trading with limited overheads; it also allows me to target very specifically customers that are actively looking for my product in a way that is not possible in the high street unless you have a very larger advertising budget. The only thing that bothers me now is the waiting for my notice to expire, Six weeks of waiting, admittedly I need that time to wrap up loose ends and prepare for the move but I’d sooner get it over and done with so I can move forward.

The West has long looked to the East when it comes to acquiring quality fabrics, and as the needs of the Western market change so does the nature of the fabrics available. Historically, the manufacturing world of the East has supplied the consumer demand of the West, but this relationship is changing as the requirement for, not just eco-friendly, but also ethical consumables has grown. It is an age old relationship; goods imported from the Orient have long been sought after for their beauty. In buildings around the Western world, built by some of the greatest architects that have passed before us, you would often see fine examples of Oriental rugs or pottery sourced by the architect or designer to add the finishing touches in order to achieve perfection. Manufacturers of old are adapting to meet modern design requirements, and in doing so are providing a delectable combination of traditional and contemporary. The future of contemporary living and modern design may well lie in the recla

Choosing a contemporary rug for your home can sometimes appear a little daunting given the huge variety of products available on the market today, however with a little forethought to your purchase you can narrow things down a little by having clear idea of what you want. Things to consider before making your purchase are all fairly straight forward but will make life easier if you consider them first. For starters what size rug do you require? What colour rug do you require? Do you want your rug to be a feature or make a bold statement or do you require a more neutral or muted rug? What practical restraints are there? If you have children and dogs then maybe a pure white dry clean only rug is not the way forward. How durable do you require it be? Do you want to go with manmade synthetic fibres or do you want to invest in a rug with a little more quality made from natural fibres? Are you interested in a traditional or contemporary rug or a hybrid mix of both? Considering all these aspe