Area and throw rugs of all shapes and sizes can be a simple and effective way to add color and personality to your home, and they can really tie together the décor of a room. But if you live with small children or seniors, or if they frequently visit in your home, rugs can also present multiple safety challenges. Here are some tips to help make rugs safer for the very old and very young.

Invest in a rug pad for each rug: Non-slip rug pads can help to keep rugs from sliding around on a hardwood or tiled floor when you step on them. If you have rambunctious children running through the house or elderly family members who are afraid of falling and injuring themselves, making sure that your rugs don’t slide around can be crucial both for injury prevention and for peace of mind.

Opt to decorate your home with larger rugs: Especially for seniors, walking from hard surfaces onto a small throw rug — or multiple throw rugs — can be dangerous because the small change in levels created by the edges of the rugs could present a fall hazard. Each new rug becomes a hazard to avoid. Minimize fall risk by opting for one larger area rug so that there are fewer edges to navigate.

Repair any tears, holes, or other visible damage to the rug: If you have holes or worn spots in your rug, it’s time to repair or replace it. Just as the edges of a rug can be hazardous because they create an uneven surface, wear and tear or holes within the body of the rug itself could also pose a possible fall hazard for unsteady seniors. Holes or tears could also trip toddlers who are just learning to walk.

Leave clear traffic areas: Try positioning your rugs within the room so that there is a clear area for walking on the floor. By avoiding putting rug edges in the direct path of people walking through your home, you can give children and seniors an option to not step on them at all, which can help them to possibly avoid tripping or falling.

Whether you are planning to buy a new rug or just need to make adjustments to rugs that your already have at home, keeping these tips in mind can make your home a safer place. By putting a little bit of extra time and effort into planning the selection, placement, accessories, and maintenance of the rugs in your home, you can help to make your friends and family members feel safer and more comfortable in your home.

Experts and scientists have discovered some of the oldest rugs in existence. Many are displayed in museums of ancient history all over the world.

The oldest surviving pile carpet in the world is called the “Pazyryk Carpet”. It was discovered in ice in the valley of Pazyryk (a valley of the Ukok Plateau, Siberia). The rug has been preserved for over 2500 years  in a Siberian burial ground. The origin of this carpet is attributed to either the Siberian Turkic groups, Scythians or the Persian Achaemenids. After being discovered in 1949, the world’s oldest rug is displayed in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

There have been many other antique rugs discovered in different countries, including ancient Persia. Antique Persian rugs are exhibited in museums and are often sold at auctions for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mark Gonsenhauser values antique rugs, and often displays an antique rug from his own collection. This beautiful rug has been in his family for over 100 years. This stunning rug is still in very good condition but it is not for sale. However, Mark has many other antique rugs to choose from or he can find one for you.

Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore in Virginia Beach has thousands of Oriental rugs and modern designs to fit every style.

Hand Knotted Ikat design Rug

How to tell the difference between a hand made and a machine made rug

To an untrained eye it may be difficult to tell the difference between hand knotted, hand made and machine made rugs. This guide will help you understand the differences. (Click on images to enlarge.)

Hand Knotted Rugs

Hand knotted rugs are made on a specially designed loom and are knotted by hand. The rug weaver inserts the “knots” into the foundation of the rug and they are tied by hand, this makes up the “pile” of the rug. (Click these links to read our posts about the knot count of hand knotted rugs and why there is a dark and light end of a rug.)

Parts of a Hand Knotted Rug

Hand knotted rugs can be made of wool, cotton, silk, jute and other natural materials. Silk is sometimes used in wool rugs for the outlines or highlights of the pattern to enhance the design. Hand knotted and hand woven rugs can last many generations if they are of good quality and properly maintained.

Example of a Rug Weaving Loom

Flat Weave or Hand Woven Rugs

There is also a category of hand made rugs called “flat weave.” These rugs are hand woven in a flat weave pattern and there is no pile.

Flat Weave Rugs have no pile

Machine Made Rugs

Machine made rugs are made by large machines called power looms. A power loom is electrically automated and controlled by computers. Machine made rugs can be made quickly and are manufactured with materials including wool and synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, acrylic and art silk. Machine made rugs can offer a lower price alternative to hand knotted rugs. Machine made rugs usually have a life span of about 20 years. There are exceptions if the rug is high quality and well maintained, it can hold up for much longer. Machine made rugs are generally not of any value to a collector.

Back of a machine made rug. Note the uniformity of the stitching which is done by a machine

Hand Crafted Rugs or Hand Tufted Rugs

Hand tufted rugs are another type of rug that is considered hand made or hand-crafted. This particular type of rug is made using a modified hand held drill gun that inserts the pile into a cloth foundation which creates a loop pile. If the loop pile is sheared, it then becomes a cut pile. The loop pile rug, if not sheared, is called a “Hand-Hooked” rug.  Some designs have both loop and cut pile combined to create a dimensional effect to the pattern.

Hand Tufting Gun

A latex coating is then applied to the back of the rug to hold the “tufts” in place. A canvas type fabric is then applied over the latex coating to finish the back of the rug.

These rugs have a hand made look but they cost much less because using a gun speeds up the process dramatically. For example a good quality 8′ x 10′ hand knotted rug might take about 10 to 14 months, while the same size rug made in a hand-tufted method might take one day.

Although Hand Tufted rugs can be just as beautiful as hand knotted rugs, they typically are not of value to a rug collector or someone who is looking to buy an Oriental rug as an investment.

Back of a Hand Tufted Rug

Look at the Back of the Rug

One of the best ways to tell the difference between hand knotted and machine made rugs is to look at the back of the rug. In hand knotted rugs the weaving and the knots will be slightly uneven and not perfectly uniform. On the other hand, a machine made rug will look very uniform and perfectly even with machine made stitching. The more detail in the design when looking from the back, the better the quality of the rug.

Back of a Hand knotted Rug. NOTE: the fringe is part of the rugs foundation.

Back of a Machine Made Rug. NOTE: The fringe is sewn on.

Look at the Fringes of the Rug

Another way to determine if a rug is hand knotted or machine made is to look at the fringes. As you can see from the picture above, the fringe of a Machine made rug is sewn on and is attached as a finishing touch.

The fringe of a hand knotted rug is an extension of the rug foundation, as in the picture below.

The foundation of a Hand Knotted rug becomes the fringes.

We hope this article has been helpful! Come by our showroom or call us today and we will be happy to help you find the perfect rug for your home or office!

Mark Gonsenhauser’s proudly provides the largest inventory of Hand knotted, Hand Tufted/Hand crafted, and Machine Made Rugs in the Hampton Roads area. Our showroom is easily accessible to Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg. Click here for map or to contact us.

Oversized Oriental rug on a loom; weaving is done from bottom to top

In order to understand why there is a light and dark side of an Oriental rug, first you need to learn a little about the parts of a hand knotted rug.

Parts of an Oriental rug; Warp, Weft & Knots

• The warp threads run lengthwise (or north to south, top to bottom) and make up the fringes of a rug.
• The weft threads run across the width of the rug, (or east to west, side to side.)
• The selvage or edge of the rug is made by wrapping several warp threads at the edge of the rug with yarn to reinforce this part of the rug.
• The knots which are tied to the warps create the pile or nap of the rug.

Oriental rugs are woven from bottom to top. The weaver ties individual knots to the warp threads (lengthwise threads) and these comprise the pile of the rug. A knot is mostly woven in a downward motion and “opens” down which creates the pile direction. This can vary depending on the loom set up, as sometimes the knots are tied so they open to the left or right. Most rugs have a distinct pile direction that can be felt, as well as seen. If you run your hand on the pile of the rug from fringe to fringe, or diagonally, you will feel that the pile has both a rough and smooth side.

You can usually determine the ”dark side” of the rug by standing at the end of the rug and running your hand toward you and the pile will feel smoother. Alternately, the “light side” of a rug will feel rougher when you run your hand on the pile.

The rug’s light and dark sides result, in part, from the pile direction, although some Oriental rugs may have more pronounced light and dark sides because of the weaving style and the luster of the fiber.

Pile fibers lay at an angle where they will do one of two things: reflect or absorb light. On the rug’s lighter side, light reflects off the fiber’s sides, giving the pile a brighter sheen. From the dark side of the rug, your view is the cut tips of the wool which absorb light rather than reflect it, appearing to give the rug a deeper tone.

The photographs below are the same rug under the same lighting.

Dark end of an Oriental rug

Light end of an Oriental rug

Another article you may be interested in:

You can count the knots, although knots don’t count!

http://www.igotyourrug.com/you-can-count-the-knots-although-knots-dont-count/

Come by our Virginia Beach Rug Store to learn more about Oriental rugs!

Although this may seem unrealistic, one suggestion to help keep your rugs and carpets clean is to prevent them from getting dirty. Removing your shoes can help keep your Oriental rug cleaner and help minimize unnecessary wear as well. Foot traffic with dirty shoes is the number one culprit due to dirt which is tracked in, therefore damaging your fine rugs.

As an expert, we recommend regular rug cleaning for all types of rugs and carpets. For the best results, schedule a professional rug cleaning service every 2-5 years, depending on the overall condition of your rug.

Prolong the life of your rugs by having a regular schedule for rug cleaning. Some area rugs receive more everyday traffic than others and may require more frequent cleaning. For example your hallway and foyer rugs may need a cleaning once a year, where-as a rug in your bedroom may only need to be cleaned once every five years.

Does your rug need cleaning?

To determine if it is time to schedule a rug cleaning, try one of these methods:

• Take a clean tissue and rub your rug vigorously with it. If the tissue is dirty, your rug needs a cleaning.
• Fold a part of your rug upon itself to see the pile open along the knots. Dirty warp and weft usually indicate that your rug needs to be cleaned.

Rug Cleaning in Virginia Beach.

If you are looking for professional rug cleaning in Virginia Beach, visit Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore. We offer professional rug cleaning, deodorizing, pet urine extraction, moth proofing, stain protectant, dusting (Heavy Duty), fringe cleaning (Extra care with a special non-bleach brightener), storage, and more.

We proudly serve all the Hampton Roads cities including; Virginia Beach, Norfolk,  Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, and the Williamsburg area. We also serve northeastern North Carolina and the southern end of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Your Oriental rug is not only a decoration, but also an investment. With proper care, rugs and carpets can last for many generations.  Bijar, Caucasian, Chinese Art Deco, Farahan, Haji Jalili Tabriz, Heriz, and other Oriental and antique rugs can retain their value over time if they are cleaned regularly. Proper care and maintenance is required to help maintain the original condition of your rugs.

As a centerpiece of the floor, your Oriental rug is also a playground for your kids and pets. Constant foot traffic, spills and dust can make your rugs and carpets unattractive, or even destroy them

Using rug and carpet cleaners.

Buying rug cleaners from a grocery store may seem like a good idea. However, these cleaners may actually cause a spill to become worse and permanently damage your rug.

To protect your rug, we recommend using a very mild detergent, or better yet if you plan to bring your rug to us for cleaning, only use club soda or luke warm water and a clean cloth to blot up the spill. Bring your rug in right away for the best results.

As a professional rug cleaning service we use cleaning products that are approved by the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), so you can rest assured we strive to get the best result possible using the best and most eco-friendly commercial products available.

Area Rug and Oriental carpet cleaning in Virginia Beach.

Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore offers professional rug cleaning services to all residents of Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads area.  Depending on the specific need of your rug,  we offer several rug cleaning methods and services in our Virginia Beach rug cleaning center. We carefully vacuum, scrub, shampoo, and then thoroughly rinse your rug. All of our comprehensive steps ensure that your rug has been thoroughly cleaned of dirt, dust, and stains. After your rug is washed, it is then dried using our specially designed drying system.

Contact Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore at to 757-333-1010 to schedule a professional rug cleaning in our Virginia Beach rug cleaning facility.

Virginia Beach, VA, June 19, 2012 – A lecture on fine rugs was given to The Institute for Learning in Retirement at Old Dominion University (ODU-ILR) at Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore. Diane Samareh, a designer at the store, spoke to 35 members of this organization on Friday June 15, 2012. There were 35 people in attendance.

“I thoroughly enjoyed giving this lecture,” said Diane. “They were so interested in understanding how rugs can be functional art and really can be an heirloom piece.”
The lecture also included the history and construction of Persian rugs, how area rugs are used in room design today, and the care and maintenance of fine rugs.
If interested in organizing a lecture on the art, design, and weaving of fine rugs, please call Diane at call Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore at 486-6600.
Having studied the art of rug making around the world over the past 40 years, Mark Gonsenhauser is an expert on the materials, methods of weaving, and the art of fine Oriental rugs and carpets. He has been a guest lecturer at Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College as well as a guest curator at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore can be found online at www.igotyourrug.com.
The Institute for Learning in Retirement is a group of retirement-age people who enjoy intellectually stimulating classes and discussions with their peers. ODU-ILR is a member organization affiliated with the Elderhostel Institute Network. Learn more about this group at www.oduilr.com.

By Mandy Berkowitz
The Image Marketing Group

Area rugs to connect spaces.

When you are trying to connect two rooms together, or bring an “L” shaped area into one room, the best way to achieve this is with the use of rugs. You can choose one large rug to go through the area and then place all of your furniture on it. Or use two rugs of similar colors and patterns to visually bring the rooms together.

Area rugs to divide a space.

You can also do the opposite and divide your space into two areas using multiple rugs. You can use a different color or pattern, but be careful with the style and size of the rugs because you still want your proportions to make sense and your decor to be unified.

Rugs on carpet.

You can separate and unite your spaces with rugs even if you have carpet installed. Much of the time the rug will look better and not “clash” if the colors and style corresponds and blends with the carpet.

Getting help with design.

When you’ve tried it all without the desired result, or you just can’t find the right rug for your living room, you may want to try consulting a specialist. Bring a picture of your living room to our Virginia Beach Rug and Carpet Superstore. We offer a great variety of area rugs for every room, even outdoors! We will try as hard as we can to find a perfect rug for your home. Call or visit our Virginia Beach rug and carpet store today!

Choosing the right rugs for all your rooms is equally important. Area rugs differ not only in color, size and shape, but also in style, design and theme.  Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore features rugs for every room of your home, and every theme imaginable, even rugs for outdoors! One of our most popular collection of rugs is Children’s rugs.

Rug for a nursery.

We offer high quality rugs for your baby nursery. Durable, cozy and cute rugs for a babies room make your floor a soft and colorful place to play! As well as protect your floor from spills.

Rug for a boy’s room.

Boys love cars, dinosaurs, planes and sports. Our vast rug collection has something for every boy! Colorful rugs for boys include rugs with cars, trucks, planes, trains, helicopters,  dinosaurs,  simple bright colors and so much more! Choose the perfect rug for your boy’s room to bring more adventure and joy!

Rugs for girl’s room.

We offer the biggest collection of rugs for your little princess. Rugs with flowers and butterflies, animals and balloons will bring smiles to your little girl! Choose a soft beautiful rug with bright or pastel colors to add coziness to your girl’s bedroom.

Visit our Virginia Beach Rug and Carpet Superstore for the biggest collection of rugs for children. Bring more joy and softness to your children’s bedroom with a beautiful rug!

With buying a rug comes a little bit of maintenance. Just like the rest of your home, your rug needs regular cleaning. Depending on the traffic of the room where your rug is, the cleaning should be performed from once a year to once in 3-5 years.  You can usually tell by the color of your rug if it needs cleaning, and of course by any obvious stains or spills.

Regular rug cleaning will not only keep your rug clean, but also kill the allergens that could negatively affect your health. The colors of your rug will be brighter, the fibers softer, and the rug will be free of dust and stains after cleaning.

Is vacuuming alone  enough to keep rugs clean?

Vacuuming of your rug is needed on a regular basis to keep your home free of dirt and dust. However, vacuuming alone will not eliminate the stains from food, drinks, or pets on your carpet or rug.

Why use professional rug cleaning?

The professional rug cleaning techniques offered at Mark Gonsenhauser’s Rug and Carpet Superstore are specially designed to treat your rug with the utmost care and provide the best result possible.  We offer water wash and dry cleaning for your rugs.

Our additional services include:

• Pet urine extraction
• Deoderizing
• Moth proofing
• Stain Protectant
• Dusting (Heavy Duty)
• Fringe cleaning (Extra care with a special non-bleach brightener)
• Storage
• Wrap for storage

Don’t have time to bring your rug to us? No problem! We can come to you! We offer pickup and delivery for a nominal fee, please contact us for details. We serve Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, and the Williamsburg area. As well as northeastern North Carolina and parts of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.