Designer Rug Blog - Interior Design Inspiration

"Richly faded colors" seems like an oxymoron, and yet the phrase is one of the best ways to describe the beauty of fine Oushak rugs. Even if you're not knowledgeable about different rug types, there's something about Oushak rugs that makes you want them when you see them. Shades of terracotta, gold, cream, soft rust and muted ochre seem to be the name of the game with these rugs that seem to quietly whisper "history", even if they've been made in the past 50 years and their colors are quite modern. These beautiful floor coverings owe their luminous qualities to the rich, fine hand spun wool that the best Oushak rugs are made of. Whether you're looking at the more traditional star or medallion Oushak rugs, or the more modern variety with soft colors, the transformative power of Oushak rugs cannot be understated. You'd never describe them as loud or overbearing.

Aubusson rugs with central medallions are some of the most glamorous Aubusson rugs ever created, but many people miss out on the opportunity of creating fabulous rooms around them, because they think it is hard to deal with the medallion. Fortunately, great interior designers have already forged a beautiful trail that we can learn a great deal from. Today we we will look at four exciting ways that will add glamor to any room by making imaginative use of an Aubusson rug's central medallion. The four ways illustrated in this post will inspire you to come up with your own creative way to bringing glamor to your rooms with Aubusson rugs with central medallions.

You've thought about it for a long time and you think you're ready to take the plunge, but the question still lingers in the back of your mind: can you successfully mix Aubusson rugs with contemporary décor? What kind of look would you end up with if you took the plunge? Some people would call it eclectic. Others would call it vintage modern. Still others would swear it's classic contemporary. Whatever you call it, rest assured that done correctly, it would be a brilliantly glamorous fusion of the beauty of the past and the fabulousness of the present.  
The Aubusson rug, the younger, more informal sister of the Savonnerie carpet, is a flat weave rug made of ultra-fine wool, with a texture, color palette and design that would work in even the most modern of rooms. The floral and architectural patterns that make up the heart and soul of Aubusson rugs lend themselves perfectly to chic contemporary settings. If you have a modern, loft-like space or a gallery-style room, don't think that your Aubusson will be out of place. By keeping a few simple tips in mind, you can marry the two different design styles beautifully, creating the perfect blend of something old and something new.

There have never been so many beautiful antique needlepoint rugs on the market as now. It seems that New York's prestigious antique dealers have gathered the most attractive needlepoint rugs from all over the world. Given the dismal European economy, New York is pulling in the top antique rugs from all over the world.

Ever since Coco Chanel decorated her Paris apartment around a Directoire Aubusson rug, French Aubusson rugs have been favored by the world's top fashion and interior designers. This fall the cover of Architectural Digest featured an exuberantly colored Louis XV Aubusson rug in the updated New York penthouse of Michael S. Smith- widely known as the White House's interior designer.

The 10 chic interiors in todays post by AD100 interior designers illustrate the great flexibility of decorating with grey geometric rugs. The reason these rugs are so flexible is they combine ancient patterns with a modern coloration. Because they combine traditional and modern elements, grey geometric rugs make it very easy to tie together all styles of furniture from the most modern to the most traditional. Keep flexibilty in mind when buying high quality rugs- it will allow you to change the decor in the future without having to change the rugs!

If you think beige rugs are boring, these interiors will excite your imagination and reveal new possibilities. The interior designers featured here deploy a wide range of artistry to create drama with beige rugs.

Michael Smith's interiors exhibit the aesthetics of a person who is well travelled, likes to mix rare antiques and art from different periods and cultures with pieces from lower price points. He achieves comfort, sophistication, modernism and classic traditionalism all at the same time.