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Basically,
there are four components that determine the quality of a rug.
1. Fineness of weave relative to how the rug will be used
2. Quality of materials, in particular the wool and dyes
3. Relative geometry—is the rug flat, or does it lie square?
4. Design and color, color being the most important criteria in today's
market
Obviously, there are many factors that go into each of these components.
Call or visit our showroom and we'll be happy to discuss them with you in greater detail.
More and more people are shopping on the Internet these days to get the best deal. Most of the time, that’s a good thing, but not always. When it comes to oriental rugs, you could end up paying more. If you see a rug you want online, come see us at K.A. Menendian before you buy. Print out the product screen, bring it to our showroom and we’ll see if we can give you a better deal. If we can’t, we’ll tell you.
Here’s another point to consider. At K.A. Menendian, you can take the rug of your choice home FREE to see how it fits with your décor and lifestyle. If you don’t like it, we’ll come pick it up. No hassles, no return shipping. You can’t do that online.
When there was basically one source for rugs (Iran), the “yardstick” by which we judged rugs was simpler. Now, with rugs coming from a dozen or more good sources in an overwhelming array of styles and colors, it can be very difficult for the average consumer to evaluate. However, two basic criteria have not changed: Good quality wool and a pleasing color and design. No matter the origin of the rug, high-grade wool is essential to its long-range value. A pleasing color palette is a close second. The color is often the most important factor in a rug’s saleability. Our job is the find the best quality rugs in the colors customers want.
Good wool. It is the “sine qua non” of rug weaving. The quality of the wool determines how long a rug will last and how it will look in the future. Proper maintenance is still required. Wool is an amazing resource. It is resilient, resistant and replenishable. High grade woolen yarn is surprisingly durable. Due to the high lanolin content (on non-over processed yarn) wool tends to repel stains and soil. The lanolin acts as a natural “coating” on the fiber. And as long as mankind raises sheep, there will be an endless supply of wool. The animals are not injured or mistreated and wool production does no harm to the environment! Wool is the perfect material for fine floor coverings. Kind of makes you wonder how neatly things worked out for the early rug makers when they were deciding what material to use. Not a “baaaaad” idea!
Unlike other areas of your house where the size of the room is the first consideration, the size of the table and chair arrangement is more critical here. It is possible to get a rug that is functionally too small, i.e., the chair legs slide off the rug when pushed away from the table. An 8x10 rug will work well in most cases for a table and six chairs. With 8 chairs, a 9x12 rug will work best; a 10x14 will work when there are 10 chairs. It is strongly advised to avoid placing a rug beneath sideboards or breakfronts in these areas as it can make rug rotation and cleaning much more difficult.
We carry many different sizes of rugs. However, if we do not have the size you are looking for, we will be happy to find it for you.
In case it (they) are ever stolen, lost or damaged, an appraisal is the safest way to assure that you will get fair replacement value from your insurance company. With a comprehensive, authoritative appraisal, any good rug store should be able to provide a suitable replacement rug. Without a specific evaluation on a rug, most insurance companies will only give a minimal dollar value.
A complete appraisal should include the owner’s name and where the rug was acquired, it’s approximate age, condition, prior repairs, needed repairs, size, specific name or type of rug, country of origin, weave description, pile depth, condition of ends and edges, primary colors, dyes and the design. The appraisal should also include good photos of the front and back of the rug as well as a fair replacement value.
We have seen appraisals that have left out vital information such as the make or size of the rug. It’s also critical to verify that the information is correct. That is why dealing with an ORRA member is the best method. Please feel free to contact us for more information.
That’s why we offer a free no-obligation in-home trial for any of our rugs.
We will be happy to discuss our no-obligation in-home trial with you when you are making your rug selections.
We recommend
the following steps to keep your rug looking great:
• Have it professionally cleaned every one to two years at our on-site rug cleaning facility
• Rotate your rug once per year
• Vacuum regularly,taking care NOT to vacuum the fringe (if applicable)
• Use a good quality pad for any rug on a bare surface
• Have damaged or problem areas professionally restored by our trained rug repair experts
• Clean spots, stains and spills immediately
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