When nature calls

With the abundance of decorative items created from man-made materials on the market its refreshing to consider opting for something natural when it comes to your floor coverings. Natural rugs is a broad term that encapsulates a collection of products ranging from Jute rugs and herringbone rugs to Sisal rugs. These materials are mainly harvested in India and Nepal where they are major crops, responsibly farmed, making them an environmental choice - but also one that comes with history and craftsmanship past down through generations. Natural rugs have graced homes for hundreds if not thousands of years.

So next time your in a store looking at rugs, or indeed anything where there is a choice between polyester and wool - make the right choice. You never know it may just make you feel better too.

Bruce Willis gets sued over a rug

Its been reported that the Die Hard star is being sued by a shop which claims he ruined an £18,000 rug by trimming it and spilling wine on it. Natural rugs and red wine do not mix.

The interior design shop state that the 55-year-old actor brought the rug back six weeks after it had been delivered to his Los Angeles home, stained with red wine - and shortened by several inches.

Willis's lawyer Marty Singer said the legendary action hero did not buy the wool and silk rug and it was not damaged or dirty, but he had offered to clean it.

The shop says it is stuck with a damaged shaggy rugs.

Roadkill Rug is Surprisingly Appealing

Dead fluffy animals don't spring to mind when i think of soft furnishings, but that's what Dutch product design studio Oooms thought of. The studio run by Guido Ooms and Karin van Lieshout create thought-provoking and original products - some are sold via their website, others like the rug are a one off.

This is their take on the what the rug's about:

Do you know the feeling that you do not want to take a look at something, but you still do? The Roadkill carpet is a continues struggle between attraction and repulsion. It’s a warm, soft, cuddly carpet that attracts you to take a nap on it. But at the same time its a repulsive image of a car-flattened, bloody fox.

Thought-provoking yes, but hardly a mere snip at 3,400 Euros.

Bringing Nature Indoors with Natural Rugs

As we're coming ever closer to Summer its time to get ready for more outdoor living and having as many BBQs as possible, however, don't forget to spring clean inside - you can achieve a fresh new look with the addition of a just few new items. Rugs make a perfect (relatively low-cost) floor covering for conservatories, kitchens and open plan living rooms in the Summer.

The Rug Lounge is a small rug store we feature occasionally on this blog and i recently revisted their natural rugs section to see what i could find. Jute and Sisal have their own unique properties, but both are durable and appealing materials that make a room a pleasure to be in. Jute is usually the softer when used in a rug and can even therefore be used in a kids room to add comfort. Sisal tends to be more coarse making it perfect for areas that see a lot of feet.

Organic Knot is my favourite natural fibre rug from The Rug Lounge. Its rough and knotted look is extremely fashionable at the moment and create a great focal point for a large space with lots of light. At £48 with free delivery its also a real bargain. Natural Herringbone features the most traditional pattern alongside a sumptuous velor border. As in the image i think this rug would suit a real wood floor, or if your not so lucky any solid colour carpet or laminate would give it a could frame.



Natural Weave is a Jute rug with a brown cotton border, here seen on a wooden floor paired an old English arm chair in red leather. At the time of writing this rug is on offer - at a very reasonable £74.00. I think combining what are essentially natural materials with traditional approaches to pattern and form can be a real winner when styling a room.

Flooring to modernise your home

If you are looking to modernise your home this summer or change the décor you need to think about all the different flooring options that are now available to you.

Carpet seems to have been thrown onto the waste pile in recent years as people have opted for hardwood, laminate or tiled flooring.

The consumer has moved away from carpet as it is less hygienic and it can be ruined if something is spilt, especially if it is light in colour.

These days it is very rare to find carpet down as flooring for a bathroom or kitchen however, where hardwood or rubber flooring has been used people often like to add a rug as a feature.

Depending on the style of your kitchen there are many options available for both the colours and materials.

Sisal and Jute fibres are often a good choice on hard flooring surfaces because they are less likely to slip. These fibres are also best for use within a kitchen as they do not hold dirt. Another good tip would be to use an anti-slip underlay to stop your mat from slipping.

Interior design of a kitchen

Quite a few changes have taken place in the world of kitchen design over the last couple of years.

No longer do we have the old farm kitchen doors made from wood, with the latest modern look kitchens are now also using modern materials such as high gloss plastics and glass work tops.

Colour is being introduced into kitchens but the use of high gloss black or white kitchens are also on the rise.

Kitchens are being made with better storage solutions, hidden features and soft close cupboard doors. Integrated appliances are still on the top of many people's ideal kitchen list and that now includes double ovens at just below eye level.

We haven't lost the past completely though, it has just taken a slightly different approach. Belfast style sinks have become very popular in our kitchens again but with a modern twist. The deep pot sinks are back in fashion but now they have the added pot draining board area attached.

Rather than having wooden doors the wood now appears on the work surface in a butcher's block style worktop.

Granite is still a popular choice for those who can afford it but the wooden worktops are becoming increasingly popular especially in larger kitchens.

Carpets in a kitchen are a thing of the past and many people opt for either a tiled or rubber flooring. Rugs are also often used just in certain areas of the kitchen to add a bit of colour and warmth.

Put Your Feet Up in The Rug Lounge

A brand NEW retailer specialising in natural and shaggy rugs has just launched in the UK. The Rug Lounge differentiates itself from the competition by offering free delivery on everything (within mainland UK that at least).

What's different about The Rug Lounge?

From the looks of it The Rug Lounge is trying to provide people with affordable rugs that also say quality and reflect both current and classic rug designs and materials. Entropy is a shaggy rug like any other but at this price makes adding much-needed style to a room easy. The other shaggy rug line is the wonderfully named Allure rug, also made from Polyester making it affordable, but also easy to maintain and bright.

The Rug Lounge's range of natural rugs is also worth a look. Bringing together a mixture of modern and traditional looks in both Jute and Sisal the natural rugs have something to offer everyone.

Flooring Sale to Celebrate St Patricks Day

UK Flooring Online are celebrating St Patricks Day this year by offering a massive 17% discount on any green version of any flooring products they have on their website.

St Patricks Day marks the start of the sale, which runs until Sunday (March 21st).

UK Flooring Online sell a variety of flooring options for your home or business, from studded rubber floor tiles through to vinyl flooring.

You could save yourself the equivalent price of VAT (17%) if you buy your flooring between March 17th and 21st, 2010.

For more information and to grab yourself a top bargain visit www.ukflooringonline.com

BA Flying The Flag For Interior Design

It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you mention the words interior design but a lot of thought and effort goes into the design of the interior of aircraft flying around the world.

If you have ever been lucky enough to travel first class then you will know that the interior of the first class cabins can be a lot different to the standard class option.

The 100 million-pound revamp to the British Airways flights has closed the gap on standards set by the luxury cabins provided by rival airlines in the Middle East and Asia.

The first class cabins now come with wider bed seats, leather desks and linen made from Egyptian cotton. Passengers will also be treated to an Anya Hindmarch washbag containing toiletries from the 200-year-old London pharmacist D.R. Harris & Co.

The designers of the new BA first class cabins have previously worked in the motor trade creating leather-rich interiors for Jaguar and Aston Martin cars and they will be available to passengers travelling to 40 different locations.

This is BA's first makeover for the premium class seats in just under 10 years and has been created to provide an “intimate private jet experience”. The new design also features the first electronic blinds on a commercial airliner.

It will be interesting to see if any other airline companies follow suit and update their first class cabins in the coming months or provide other extras to get people to use their flights.

Yoville takes interior design into the digital age

A lot of people are interested in the world of interior design and it seems that Yoville has taken this one step further.

Not only are people interested in designing their dwellings in the “real world” it seems that following the fashion and design trends is also becoming of interest in virtual worlds too.

Yoville is an online virtual community, which has been heavily boosted by the Facebook Application, is all about designing and decoration your “virtual” home.
There are many different designs and features that you can take advantage of to build your ideal home.

A lot of the furniture designs you can buy in Yoville with your virtual cash have been based on real designs that you can buy in the shops.

Recent additions to the furniture styles include digital versions of the Arne Jacobsen Egg and Swan Chairs.

What makes Yoville even better is the fact that you do not have to part with your hard earned cash and that you can style your house just the way you want it without having to worry about how much it costs. You can also change the colour of the walls and your carpet as often as you want. If you don't like the colour you just pick another and it will change instantly – no waiting for the paint to dry.