As “The Dude” knows, a rug can really tie a room together. The rug, like the walls, should really be of thought of as the foundation of your room—instead of as just an afterthought.  A good graphic rug can pull your design aesthetic together to create the kind of space you want. A bad rug…well, it can stick out like a sore thumb or throw a whole room off.

But, what’s your rug style and what kind of rug goes with your room? After all, unless you’re starting from scratch, you likely have existing pieces to work with. Here are 8 rug styles to fit both the most common and trending decorating styles right now, because we know you want your room to be tied together. 

1. Boho

Image: Anthropologie

If your style is Boho Chic, then you need a statement rug for sure. The brighter, the better. The more patterned, the better. This Flutter rug, inspired by brightly-colored butterflies, is right on trend.

2. Classic

Image: Restoration Hardware

This Modern Floral rug in sand would be a great fit for classically styled homes. It’s neutral colorway will work well in all rooms, both neutral or bold tones.  It has a low and even sheared pile that is inspired by vintage-classic carpets.

3. Contemporary

Image: West Elm

Strong visual, graphic rugs surrounded by neutral furniture and accents is a tool utilized by contemporary decorators. This patchwork-patterned example illustrates that effect perfectly!

4. Farmhouse Chic

Enjoy a much more rustic look? Try this Log Cabin rug in shades of blue, burgundy, gold and rust to complete your farmhouse chic room. It’s all cotton too (for extra barefoot comfort).

5. Modern

Image: CB2

Geometric-patterned rugs fit a modern space for sure. This example will pop next to your modern styled furnishings and accessories.

6. Scandinavian

Image: Scandinavian Design Center

If Scandinavian style is your thing, two-color simple patterned rugs are the way to go. This lovely specimen from Brita Sweden is designed to be both gorgeous and functional, since it’s made from durable polyester.

7. Exotic/World

Image: Urban Outfitters

For those who have more of a exotic world view, this Batik Bird rug will fit wonderfully in your exotically styled room. The more color and pattern the better, right?

8. French Country

Image: Distant Home

Finally, if you appreciate the French Country style, consider this checkerboard rug made with organic wool and all vegetable dyes. It’s stunning and sustainable!

Top Image: West Elm

Related on Ecosalon:

What’s Your Home Decorating Style?

Modern Country Decor: Why This New Style Isn’t an Oxymoron

The post The Dude Would Approve: 8 Graphic Rugs to Tie Your Room Together appeared first on EcoSalon.

Portland, Maine-based design house Angela Adams sources the wildly-changing landscape of its environs for its collection of richly textured and colored hand-tufted rugs. Seasonal shifts and the mercurial ocean are among several themes inspired by the sometimes rough-hewn qualities of Maine during any season, which are then pelted into two-dimensional representations.

Representations that could just as easily find a space on a wall, in a garden or on a dock. However, like the earthiness that inspires much of Adams’ collection, these creations are meant to be trudged and sat upon. And forever admired.

Materials include 100% New Zealand wool and cotton canvas backing. For more of the lush, artisanal collection, visit the company website.

Look for Lustables at EcoSalon and submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

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Sure a flower garden and green outdoor lighting accessories can add color to your backyard, but an outdoor rug can add a surprising splash of style and color, too. We love the collection of earth-friendly rugs from Fab Habitat that can brighten up your outdoor space in a green way. Each rug is made from recycled polypropylene straws which are tightly woven together.

Although it doesn’t sound like a soft material, you’d be surprised. Plus, the nature of the recycled fabric makes these rugs weather-proof, mildew-resistant and easy to clean – just rinse them off with your garden hose or pour a bucket of water from your rain barrel over top.

If you’re trying to create an impressive outdoor living space, a rug can really work wonders for bringing your backyard style together. On a patio or deck, arrange your furniture around a  patterned rug in a pink, yellow, lime or other vibrant hue. Or if you’re looking to define a dining area in the backyard on your lawn, place your table and chairs on the rug to help to create a room-like feel.

Image: PoshLivingLLC

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Each fall, the color experts at PANTONE publish a report highlighting the “it” hues for the following spring, setting the standard for fashion and home décor. This spring’s report contains a blend of bold, statement-making colors and more subdued shades.

Since re-designing every few months to match the latest color trends doesn’t jibe with our eco aesthetic, we’re all about choosing colors that lend themselves to mixing and matching season after season. And PANTONE’s Eucalyptus – an olive-tinged earthy-beige inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe – fits that criteria to a T.

If you’re in the market for an eco-friendly rug, we’ve rounded up several options that incorporate this versatile shade. 

Faux Bois by Martha Stewart with FLOR (pictured above)

FLOR products are not only recyclable, but they are made with recyclable or renewable materials. This Faux Bois design (on the right) draws inspiration from a classic wood grain to create an elegant and eye-catching design.

Feizy Kayla Ivory Rug

This hand-tufted wool uses colored sheep in place of chemical dyes to create a simple, yet contemporary pattern. Its scattered wheat design would add a warm, welcoming accent in a bedroom or living room.

Surya Eco 2005 Rug

Cream, eucalyptus, and chocolate brown get a mod makeover as part of Surya’s eco rug collection. It’s hand-tufted with 100 percent New Zealand wool.

Modern Circle Design Shag Rug

Another mod option, this geometic shag rug is part of Target’s eco-friendly collection. It’s also stain-resistant, fade-resistant, and soil-resistant.

Fern Paprika Scheme Rug from Pure Inspired Design

Pure Inspired Design specializes in eco-friendly furniture and home accessories, so this hand-tufted rug was a shoe-in. It’s part of their Paprika scheme, so you can also buy buy pillows, curtains, and furniture in the same color family.

The post 5 Rugs That Prove Beige Isn’t Boring appeared first on EcoSalon.

The sad truth is the carpets that hold up best to traffic are the ones coated with toxins. And we don’t want those in a place where humans dwell.

If you do have a healthy wool carpet in your home, you can still clean it without harsh chemicals like perchloroethylene – which the EPA has linked to kidney and liver damage. Naphthalene, made from coal tar, is also considered a carcinogen that can harm the central nervous system.

Ask cleaning services if they simply steam to lift dirt or apply shampoos to loosen those hard-to-clean coffee and wine stains. Treatments like Oxi Fresh use an oxygenated method by applying less water and natural ingredients. Some cleaners also use citrus-based products that smell much better than standard chemicals. Just check and see if their products are plant-based chemicals (Biokleen, NatureClean and Seventh Generation’s Natural Citrus Carpet Cleaner) or made with synthetics.

Here are some natural ways to go for maintaining cleaner carpet:

1. For daily maintenance, have guests and family members remove shoes when entering the house if you have carpet on the first floor. Otherwise, remove shoes before heading upstairs. Obviously there can be exceptions, such as when you are entertaining. Guests often complain about taking off shoes for a more formal event. They may have holy socks or need the height so their pants won’t droop.

2. ehow tells us to spot clean with vinegar and water by mixing equal parts into a spray bottle and applying to the stain, then blotting with a clean, dry towel. For tougher stains, you can make a paste of baking soda and water and coat the stain. Let the paste sit for about 30 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth. For deeper cleaning, they suggest going with biodegradable cleaners like AFM Safecoat added to a rented carpet cleaner.

3. Do It Yourself recommends regular vacuuming to prevent dirt and pet dander from settling into your carpet fibers, and to sprinkle on some baking soda before your sweep to eliminate potential orders. You can even add spice, such as cinnamon or cloves, in the baking soda before you spread it. Also, let the baking soda sit on the carpet to lift stains and dirt at least 10 minutes before you vacuum.

4. For spot removal, use a clean dry cloth or paper towel to soak up the spill and blot the stain rather than rubbing it. Once you blot it, apply club soda or soda water to dissolve and lift, then blot up the liquid. You also can use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar mixed with water or rubbing alcohol to lift the stains. You might also try making your own spot cleaner with a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent and one to two cups of water.

In terms of cleaning fiber rugs, such as sisal, it is best to just use water or soda water. These can be the hardest rugs to maintain because many products don’t work very well to get out the stains.

Let us know if you have some other tried and true green methods of carpet cleaning!

Image: adriagarcia

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Here are some ripe picks from the groovy grape file:

Fruitful Folds: Designer Dror Benshetrit should take pride in his Peacock chair exhibited at the recent ICFF 2009 in New York. Designed for Cappellini, no weaving, sewing or upholstery glue was applied to the comfortable lounge seat with a price tag too high to mention on our site. Hey, that’s art, kids.

Berry Soft: Avalisa hand-tufted New Zealand wool rugs in animal and abstract patterns: Dog, Wonder and Deer. Available in three sizes.

Grape Explosion: Tree Bomb purple wallpaper from Ferm Living. $115 per roll.

Juicy gems: from VivaTerra, gorgeous tones in on-trend shapes and textures. $98-119.

Purple is the New Black: Nouveau Organic Duvet and Pillows from Pottery Barn Teen, $32-$119 in twin and Queen sizes.

Upcycled Mashup: From Etsy, this felted wool pillow was a 100% cashmere sweater in a former life. $35 for the cover.

The post Fall Color? Still Seeing Purple! appeared first on EcoSalon.

We have long sung the praises of Midwestern textile designer, Amy Butler, who introduced an exotic, Indian-inspired organic bedding collection of five designs this year. She even rolled out rugs to match!

The lovely and much needed bedding (still can’t find organic in many of my favorite haunts) includes 400-thread count sheeting, elegant embroidery and paisley flourishes woven without harmful dyes.

Among my faves is the Bucharest motif (above) with patterns found in Romanian embroidery and the flourishes of formal gardens. While modern and bold, the charcoal gray and ivory palette imbues the collection with understated warmth. The duvet would be at home in many environments – perhaps even yours.

Leave a comment here and you could be sleeping in the bedding soon as part of our decor give-away.

I would even repaint my master boudoir gray to complement this lovely duvet. Hey, that rhymes! Lemon yellow would work well as a backdrop, too, don’t you think?

Image: Amy Butler Design

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She’s pushing petals again, that Amy Butler, introducing fabulously feminine and bold wool carpets that are blooming in late August. These are great handcrafted picks for perking up an existing space. You got the sofa, you got the pillows, you got the hot date. Now you need a flirty-perty rug, right?

The new line of 19 patterns in the Amy Butler for Chandra collection borders on the exotic with a modern scale and lively depth of field. If the motifs look familiar, it’s because we’ve shown you her similar bedding designs which smack of India chic. The organic bedding is sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond. The carpets complete the totality of the Butler bedroom.

“I had so much fun designing this line and learning about a whole new industry,” says Butler, otherwise known as the queen of Midwest modern style . “I even got to visit India to see rugs being made and meet the people who make it all happen – it was an amazing experience! I loved seeing each step in the process, the care and detail that goes into each rug is stunning.”

The rugs are 100% handmade from New Zealand Wool and semi-sustainable using no harsh chemical washes, the industry’s safest chrome dyes and natural latex adhesive.

Go to Butler’s site to see a slideshow of the rugs or order a carpet brochure.

The post Butler Rolls Out Red Carpet and Other Hot Summer Rugs appeared first on EcoSalon.