COLOR EXPLOSION IN CHELSEA...

I recently discovered a place full of amazing color and texture that I have quickly grown to love - the Liora Manne showroom located across from Chelsea Piers in NYC. 

Named for the lifestyle products designer, Liora Manne was born in Israel, educated in the United States and is now a true New Yorker. Her work is fueled by her passionate to integrate cutting edge technology in order to make ground breaking advances in design. 

I went to the showroom in search of a rug for a client and encountered so much more that I had no idea I would luck upon - wall coverings, pillows, placemats, fabrics and even upholstery...

Liora's newest development is a line of textiles using her patented Lamontage process. This technique utilizes different methods of producing cut-outs and other dimensional designs in acrylic and polyester fibers. Computerized water jets create intricate designs in rugs, fabrics and wallcoverings...

Liora has also ventured in the indoor/outdoor rugs and fabrics arena with many colorful patterns and styles for those varied applications needed for today's lifestyles...

This wonderful color explosion made my day. Click here to learn more about this amazing designer and the company's offerings.

Happy trend spotting...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAMMY BOLDEN.

SUCCESSFUL RUG PLACEMENT

So, to continue on the topic on Rugs.  Successful rug placement is really summed up in several rules:

• Dining Room: The area rug should extend at least 18 inches beyond the edge of the table so that the rug accommodates the dining chairs.

• Living Rooms:  If furniture is floating in the room or to create a seating area, the ideal rug will be big enough to go under all four legs of each large piece.

• If the rug is used as an accent, it should be small enough that none of the seating pieces sit on it.

• Bedroom: Ideally, a rug should be placed one-third of the way under the bed so the majority of the rug surrounds the bottom of the bed with at least 3 - 4 feet around all three sides. 

• Or the rug should be large enough to encase the entire bed and nightstands especially when there are two twin beds.

Hope this helps...

Peace and blessings,

Tammy

HOW TO BUY THE RIGHT AREA RUG...

Purchasing an area rug is an investment. One of my clients compared it to buying a car citing several similar factors to consider when deciding what to purchase: Size, Material and Cost.

SIZE - In this case, size matters. Most rugs come in 5x8, 6x9, 8x10, 9x12 and 10x14 (give or take an inch or two). Determining where the rug will be used will dictate what size to purchase.  The function of each rug size varies from room to room. (Stay tuned for the post on successful rug placement.)

MATERIAL (or fiber content) - Choosing either a natural or synthetic fiber depends on the style of the rug and how much traffic you expect. Where the rug will be used should also dictate what type of material to select as well as the style, color, etc.  Some materials are more expensive than others and will also determine durability and where they can be used.  Although most people enjoy sunlight especially during the winter months, area rugs usually can do without it. Style, pattern, weave and texture vary within fiber categories as well.  The selections, not to mention colors, seem endless.

Here's a chart on the benefits of the most popular fibers...

Fiber Type	Composition	Uses and Benefits
Cotton	Natural	Durable Soft feel Wide range of colors Ideal for high-traffic areas
Jute	Natural	Beautiful natural coloring Suited for low-traffic areas Soft feel Should not be placed under furniture Difficult to clean
Nylon	Synthetic	Strong and resilient Ideal for high-traffic areas Stands up to heavy furniture Conceals and resists stains and soil Available in many colors
Polyester	Synthetic	Retains color clarity Easy to clean Provides a plush feel Ideal for living areas
Polypropylene  (Olefin)	Synthetic	Easy to clean Resists moisture and mildew Best for low-traffic areas Colorfast May be used outdoors
Sea Grass	Natural	Inexpensive Difficult to clean Should not be placed under furniture Natural coloring provides a rustic look Well suited to high-traffic areas
Silk	Natural	May provide highlights in wool rugs High luster Soft feel Best for low-traffic areas
Sisal	Natural	Strong Ideal for high-traffic areas Best for indoor use Coarse texture Difficult to clean
Wool	Natural	Provides a luxurious feel Soft and thick Strong, resilient and static-resistant Perfect for high-traffic areas May shed when new

COST - You should buy the best rug you can afford, even if it means living with bare floors while you save.  Usually the most expensive, a wool rug can develop a beautiful patina over time and last for years, thereby become a family heirloom. In general, use the cost of the other furniture in the room as a guideline for how much to budget for an area rug.  Set your price limit before you shop then add 10% so you can have some flexibility in that range.

Later we'll discuss proper rug placement...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

Photos courtesy of ThePerfectRug.com, AreaRugsCLub.com HomeDepot.com

DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: MALENE BARNETT OF MALENE B CARPETS...

Today's Designer Highlight is on Malene Barnett of Malene b Carpets. Malene is a Brooklyn based carpet designer with a multi-disciplinary background in textile arts, painting and illustration and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Textile Surface Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. For more than a decade, she has created carpets for industry professionals and private label brands such as Nicole Miller, Martha Stewart, Nautica, Liz Claiborne, Nate Berkus and others. She launched her first collection at the Boutique Design NY Trade Show in 2009. 

Malene's designs are inspired by international travels, rituals and landscapes conveyed in her own fresh and personal way.  Her passion for all things cultural stems from world travels to places like Dakar, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur, as well as her own African-Caribbean heritage. Each carpet is made from 100% natural materials such as wool, silk, and hemp and available in hand-knotted, hand-tufted or broadloom options. Malene specializes in creating custom handmade carpets perfectly suited for any residential, commercial or hospitality project. She works directly with artisans in Nepal, Thailand and India who carefully craft each carpet to a specific size, shape or color scheme.

The collections in Malene b carpets are known by travel related themes such as Transitions, Native, and Heirloom, with carpets dubbed Murano, Kyoto, Calabash, Marrakesh and St. Vincent. Some of my favorite designs are:

Fresco



Body Art

Chiapas

Moorea

Wolof

Amharic

Tap Tap

Mendhi

Masks

Malene b carpets are available through interior designers and architects and select showrooms throughout the US and Canada.  Click here for more information on Malene and Malene b Carpets.

Keep up the great work, girlfriend...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy