Because we love showing our customers how much we value them, Natural Area Rugs is giving away a free rug each week.  No purchase is necessary and all you have to do us simply enter name and email address to win.

We will randomly select a lucky winner to receive a beautiful sisal, seagrass, jute, bamboo or wool rug from the nation’s leading provider of natural fiber flooring materials.  Winners will be notified via email and asked to provide their mailing address.  It’s that easy!

Enter today and remember to check your inbox.

It’s a wonderful thing to purchase a brand new sisal or seagrass rug or carpet and finally get displayed in your living area for the first time. The smell and look of the natural fibers fills your home with a rustic yet contemporary atmosphere, and the feeling of the rug is luxurious. In fact, it even looks tempting to your pets. They will soon want to take over your new product, so why not get them their own rug? NaturalAreaRugs.com offers scrap sisal and seagrass remnants to be used for pet scratching posts and other pet furniture. If you ordered one of our sisal or seagrass rugs, you may even request the same weave of the rug you ordered—as long as we have it in stock. You can order a 10 or 20 pound box and even specify the width of the remnants that you would like. To order your sisal or seagrass remnants, please visit http://www.naturalarearugs.com/sisal-remnants.php.

By: Roger King -1st Home Decor

Imagine the desired total look of the room. Do you want a room that’s organized or a room rich with colors or texture? If you start with a totally empty room, choose an area rug, then paint or wallpaper the walls in colors to match it.

Keep in mind the area rug has to fit the room. Think how the room is used, how much traffic the area gets and who will view it under what light. For high traffic areas such as hallways and foyers, you may want a tough, decorative rug.

If you start with furniture, choose an area rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing pattern. The fundamentals of a rug design can be more included into the overall design.

Size up the dimension of the room and the area you want to cover up. The most common area rug sizes are 4×6 and 6x9feet. They work well under small tables.

An 8×11 foot area rug or bigger can cover an entire room. Smaller area like in front of a kitchen sink adds color and warmth. A rug with a courageous, overall design can be the focal point of a room with furniture’s in solid or passive patterns.

Light colored area rugs make a room look more open. Choose a rug that will execute well, with the right grouping of thickness and fiber. The denser the mound, the better your area rug will be.

Source: Home Decorating Made Easy

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture – Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall – Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants – Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug – An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirror – Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines – Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows – The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8.Replace Lamps – Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan – Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter – Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.

What makes a house a “home?” Color and texture are key elements in making a home warm and inviting, however, it’s also the decorative details that give a home your personal touch.   “Discovering and defining style is easier than many realize,” says Kimberly Kennedy, author of The Art and Craft of Entertaining and lifestyle consultant to the National Candle Association (NCA).

“First you need to ask yourself, ‘What makes you comfortable, happy and contented?’ Then, what types of fabrics, colors or fragrance are you comfortable with? Do you like to accessorize with candles or fresh flowers or both?”  To help make your home comfortable and inviting, Kennedy recommends the following:

– A Splash of Color:  A welcoming home is created when guests recognize a reflection of who you are as soon as they enter your front door. Color is a great way to personalize your home. From colorful accessories, such as throw pillows, artwork, and even candles, a little color can go a long way in making your home unique and welcoming for guests.

– Fabrics Galore:  Fabrics add texture, depth and color to a home. Whether you choose several colors or a monochromatic color scheme, add interest and dimension to your home by mixing textured fabrics, such as velvets, chenilles and silks. Not only are they pleasing to the eye, but they’re comfortable to the touch.

– Decorative Accents:  Artwork, area rugs, window treatments, sconces and candelabras are another way to create an inviting home. Area rugs can anchor a room by visually breaking up areas of wood flooring and reducing sound echoing, while adding design and cushioning the step. Window treatments soften the edges of a room and reflect your personal style. Carefully placed accessories add a finishing touch.

Continue reading: Creating a Welcoming Home

It’s bound to happen—someone spills a drink on your natural fiber rug or dirt is accumulating causing a dark stain.  Here are a few tips that will help you keep your natural area rug in great condition for years to come.

Use a Doormat- Using a doormat at your front door will help protect your rugs/carpet from outside dirt.

Vacuum Regularly- You should vacuum your rugs or carpet often with an upright vacuum to get rid of dust and dirt. You should especially pay attention to those high traffic areas.  Vacuuming daily or at least once a week is highly recommended.

Clean Spots and Spills Immediately- With a liquid spill, blot as much as you can with a clean white absorbent cloth.  Use a small amount so you don’t saturate the fiber.  Do not rub because you can embed the spill deeper into the fiber. With solids, get up as much as possible with a spoon and then use a small amount of detergent or household solvent to clean.  Be sure to work from the outside of the spot towards the center.

More tips on caring for and cleaning your natural area rugs.