Floor Show

It seems the days of neutral wall-to-wall carpeting are numbered. Instead, multicolored, handmade rugs are taking center stage.

Rugs work well with the different types of floors popular now, such as stone, tile, hardwood and marble. And as rooms are being built bigger, large rugs serve as the foundation for room design. Also, designers say a room’s color palette is typically taken from the rug.

“The hand-knotted rug market has expanded tremendously in the high-end market, which consists primarily of Persian and ethnic Indian patterns,” said Eric Guenther, director of design at Glabman’s Furniture and Interior Design in Costa Mesa, where rug sales are up 500% from three years ago.

New patterns inspired by traditional ones as well as fabrics and oil paintings are adding to rugs’ allure. Manufacturers are re-scaling traditional patterns, and changing colors and motifs.

That’s good news for homeowners who want the look of fine, handmade rugs but aren’t enamored with the once-limited color choices and patterns.

Beyond color and design, buyers need to consider practicality and durability. Fine rugs range from hand-knotted pile rugs, often called Orientals, which are made in urban looms, to Aubusson weaves, which are woven on a scrim and look more like a tapestry, and needlepoint, which are lighter and woven on a hoop.

To determine if a rug is machine-made or handmade, Newport Beach interior designer Mary Ann Behrens uses a rug consultant. “That way I can be sure I get something authentic and appropriate,” said Behrens, adding that she uses a rug in every project.

“I start with a clean canvas, the empty house or room, and add the art if my clients are collectors. After that comes the rugs, followed by the fabrics.”

Sometimes she layers rugs, putting an Oriental carpet on top of a sisal or sea-grass one. “Fine rugs are expensive, so if you don’t begin with them, you are really not valuing your investment. I think of them as art works.”

Before purchasing an expensive rug, contact:

* The Department of Consumer Affairs, (800) 952-5210. Web site:

https://www.dca.ca.gov

* The Better Business Bureau, (714) 985-8922. Web site:

https://www.bbbsouthland.org

* The Oriental Rug Importers Assn., (201) 866-5064. Web site:

https://www.oria.org

Buying Tips

* How to get the best value when you purchase a rug. N2