Choosing the right fiber Preface

In the coming days I will share with you in great detail the benefits and shortfalls of the fibers that make up area rugs. That way when you are browsing through our selection you will be able to more clearly understand what sort of fiber you should look for.

I will answer questions such as:

What sort of fiber should I use in my living room?

I have a really busy kitchen, what kind of fiber should be used there?

What kind of fibers can be used in a really sunny room?

I will also go into great depth about the differences in fibers. For example, did you know that not all wool was created equal? Well it is true. New Zealand Wool rugs are considered far superior than their non branded wool counterparts. But this sort of conversation will be had when we discuss wool as a fiber in greater detail.

So be sure to check back daily for the next several days. I will add a new fiber to the listing and explain it in terms that take the questioning out of the ideal rug for your home.

I hope you have a lovely Thursday afternoon. Thank you for making Rugs To My Door such a great site to use...it really is thanks to your feedback that it looks and works the way it does.
Kindly
Wes

The eyes of a child

I have a friend, who is an elementary school teacher, who says that having an area rug in her classroom easily transitions the kids from their seats to the floor. All she needs to say is, 'Find a spot on one of the squares,' and each child happily goes off to the rug in search of the perfect square to sit on.

There are a vast number of area rugs to choose from that would fit in any classroom. These rugs are durable and easy to clean. The quality is great! One could choose a math theme, or an alphabet theme, music themes, and even bilingual themes. The colors on the rugs are bright and quite colorful, making the classroom very appealing to the kids of the class. This particular kindergarten teacher uses her area rug in her lessons as well. She has the rug with the alphabet bordering the edge. She often plays a letter game where kids need to find and stand on the correct letter that she calls out.

Or she will give a letter sound and a child gets to find the letter that makes this sound. Her students love this game. She doesn't need any props or pieces to play, she just calls the kids to stand around the rug and it's game time. This type of game could also be used with the Count on Me area rug. A teacher could give a math problem, such as 3+4 and students could take turns finding the answer on the rug. Plus browsing our assortment of kids rugs could not be any easier...start right here!

New Wave Contemporary Rugs

If you are looking for some really great looking contemporary rugs, look no further than our New Wave Collection. They are hand tufted of 100% Wool and are offered in a captivating range of styles all of which capture a truly bold contemporary flare.

I had the opportunity to review the assortment of patterns during Atlanta's area rug market in July. Angela Chu, midwest regional manager of the supplier spent a few hours with me going over the huge range of patterns and reminded me that not only is New Wave a deep line as far as patterns are concerned, but that each pattern comes in a really great range of sizes.

For instance, the pattern shown here (New Wave 12 Beige) is available in sizes ranging from 2x3 all the way up to 9.6x13.6. This stylish and fresh pattern even comes in two round sizes a 5.9x5.9 Round and a 7.9x7.9 round. So when it comes to contemporary rugs, New Wave is a great place to start, and quite likely end, your search.

We have a lot of very important rug manufacturers on our site, and with due respect to them the reality is that many have tried to duplicate the looks that can be found in the New Wave Collection of contemporary rugs. But since they do not have the same designers as create the New Wave Collection the patterns do not come off as strong as the New Wave Collection does. Take pattern New Wave Beige 58. This pattern has such an eye grabbing range of elements in it but is at the same time subdued enough to work with many different interior designs.

Contemporary rugs are a growing part of our assortment and a grouping that I personally am quite fond of. So be sure to take a look at the huge mix of contemporary rugs we offer. If you have any questions about them whatsoever please do not hesitate to let us know. We want you to find what you have in mind and our customer care reps do their best to make sure you are happy with your selection.

Good Thursday to you.
Wes.

Printed Rugs

One of our most popular manufacturer of rugs is Milliken. They offer tens of thousands of options in their assortment all of which are manufactured in the United States. When I first discovered the Milliken line I wondered how they managed to stock so many patterns since they offer more sku's than any other manufacturer that we have on our site.

Then I spoke with Jim Chepalis of Milliken who explained to me that they stocked the product on large rolls in white. Then when a pattern was ordered they would make it on their patented Millitron machine. The amazing thing about this machine is that it can make all sorts of different patterns from traditional to contemporary by shooting ink onto the face of the rug. It is so advanced that the color actually permeates the yarn to the backing.

Milliken rugs are made of 100% Stainmaster nylon so they last for an incredible amount of time and require very little maintenance. I think that a Milliken rug would look great in an entryway or a mud room since both areas are prone to very heavy traffic and this is where Milliken rugs perform the best.

So when you are considering new rugs, consider our assortment of printed patterns that are created on the advanced Millitron machine. They last and last. They look great and are made in all the latest fashion forward colors.

One thing to keep in mind is that since the rugs you select from Milliken are made just for you, they do take a couple of weeks to receive. I think that it is well worth the wait though, since their patterns are so diverse they are sure to have just the pattern that will finish off your home styling while making your life easier with such an easy to care for fiber as Satinmaster nylon.

As always thanks again for reading. I really enjoy sharing information about the industry with you and hope you enjoy reading it as well. If you ever have questions please just let me know.
Wes.

Chat about Fashion Source rugs

We recently sat down with Wes Jenkins from Rugs to My Door to discuss Fashion Source rugs.

DD: Thank you for visiting with me for a moment. What can you tell me about Fashion Source rugs?

WJ: We source Fashion Source rugs from several different places and have put them together into one very easy to shop brand. So you will find tufted rugs and woven rugs in the assortment.

DD: I see. Are most of the rugs contemporary from Fashion Source?

WJ: No, not at all. There is a really wide range of colors, styles and patterns within the Fashion Source brand.

DD: Did you find any more Fashion Source rugs while you were attending the Atlanta rug market?

WJ: Great question. I sure did. The rule we have for Fashion Source rugs is that they really do have to have impeccable quality with an incredible value. We define the incredible value part by requiring that the 5x8 retail not go over $299-so you really do get a lot of rug for a little bit of money.

DD: There seem to be so many rugs on the rugs to my door site. How can someone find Fashion Source Rugs amongst them all?

WJ: That is really easy. Just select the "Shop by Brand" link near the top left of the site and choose the logo for Fashion Source on that page. All the rugs will populate from there for you. Fashion Source Rugs are also distributed throughout the search pages so you will find them by doing a search based on what you like as well (such as Traditional rugs with beige as the main color). If any Fashion Source Rugs are available in that range they will appear that way.

DD: Good stuff. Thanks for sitting down for a few moments.

WJ: You are welcome. Thanks for your time as well.

DD: We sat down with Wes Jenkins of Rugs To My Door at his Detroit office. Fashion Source Rugs may also be found here.

Square Rugs

Square rugs can make a space look really interesting by adding an unexpected look to the floor. At Rugs To My Door, we offer square rugs in a huge range of sizes so you could use one in a smaller space such as an entry way all the way up to a great room.

The square rug featured here is from our friends at Sphinx By Oriental Weavers. They are well known for making very fashion forward patterns that are crafted of fibers that will endure a good deal of traffic from today's busy household. With it's shades of red and subtle organic look, this Generations 544X is a great example of why Sphinx By Oriental Weavers is a great place to start your search for square rugs.

Another great way to change the look of a room is to turn a square rug 90 degrees so that it is on an angle against the rest of the furniture. Take a look at this series of really cool square rugs from the same manufacturer. The rug shown to the right is from the Genre Collection. It features an incredible 1,000,000 pieces of yarn in a square meter. This fact is not just some technical mumbo jumbo that you shouldn't care about. It means that the rug is ultra dense and will stand up to a whole lot of traffic. Plus with it's fashionable colors of dark chocolates and burnt reds these square rugs will look great in both casual and more modern settings. Our partners at Sphinx By Oriental Weavers assure us that their Genre Collection will be in very heavy stock in their Dalton, GA warehouse so it would arrive to your home within a few weeks at the most.

This square rug also has a drop stitch to it so that between each band of color there is a carved effect. This rug comes off as being much higher end than it actually is. The fact that it is square makes it look just that much cooler in my view, and has sold very well on our site.

A remarkably popular pattern with us is from the Allure Collection. With it's subtle earth tones these square rugs stand out as being both stylish and very well priced. Plus they are made of advanced nylon fibers so they are sure to be durable for years into the future. Machine woven in the United States, our Allure Collection from Sphinx By Oriental Weavers is stocked heavily and awaits your order.

Square rugs should really be considered for your space. Also, if you use our Detailed Search option we will show you only the patterns that are offered as square rugs. So your search for them is super easy.

The Price of tea in China

I have noticed a trend among our suppliers in recent months that was cause for concern, so I raised a question at the recent Atlanta market a few weeks ago with several of my vendors, and received the same answer from nearly all of them.

So what was the question? I asked them why I had been seeing so many price increases in recent months. The answers I got included that the US dollar had softened, and that fuel costs had gone up leaving them to pay more for both imported goods, but also for some of the raw materials that you might use to craft a synthetic area rug. Additionally the cost of transporting the merchandise had gone up.

This is where the "tea in China" title of this entry comes into play. Why am I sharing all of this with you? Well that is easy, because when a manufacturer raises our wholesale costs by significant amounts we must increase what we are selling the items for. Many of the wholesale increases on area rugs have a start date in August. So if you are considering ordering some new rugs, trust me when I say now is the time to do so. In some cases the wholesale price has gone up over 15%. We have negotiated hard and long to make sure you get the best prices available for the rugs you buy and will continue to do so. Please just be mindful that there are times when prices simply go up, and this is one such time.

If as you browse our site you have any questions whatsoever please do not hesitate to give me a shout. Thanks and good day to you.

Grape Jam

I spent the day at my mom's house. It seems that she mistakenly dumped a bunch of grape jam on her wool tufted area rug. Now this is the part where if I was reading this I would think that the author was making up the story. I am certainly not making this up. Look at the time of night that I am publishing this. It is this late because I was at her home steam cleaning the rug all day.

The incredible thing is that jam came out entirely. The wool acted just as I was always told it would. It naturally released the foreign substance allowing the rug to return to it's original appearance. Even though I have touted the benefits of wool rugs for years, I was even surprised that the grape came out as well as it did. I am by no means suggesting that you go frollicking around dumping things on your wool rug hither and yon. What I am saying however is that wool really is the best possible fiber that you could choose when purchasing a new rug. It is resilient, stain resistant, fire resistant, and has a silky soft feeling underfoot that just cannot be beat.

That is all for now. I am tired and going to bed! I hope you have a great evening if you are reading this hot off the press.
Wes.

Round Rugs

Choosing new rugs for your home can be intimidating at first, and the tendancy is to choose something that is a good balance of safe but fashionable. This runs contrary to what the best interior designers do with their spaces, which is to turn them into a stimulating environment with the use of unique colors and shapes.

This is where round rugs come into the picture. Now we do offer thousands of round rugs for you to choose from. The challenge in some cases is that the image will be rectangular, but the item is in fact offered in a round shape. In other cases the images are actually round so you can get a very good feeling for how the pattern translates into the unique shape.

The rug featured above is from our Nina Upson Home Collection. It is made of 100% Hand Tufted Wool and retails for only $449 for the 5.3x5.3 Round size.

Round rugs are offered in styles other than traditional, however. For instance, we also offer some really great casual florals in round shapes. Take a look at this pattern from our Kathy Ireland Home Collection. It is made of 100% Polypropylene so cleaning and caring for it is incredibly easy. Plus the 7.7x7.7 Round retails for only $689. Kathy Ireland Rugs have long been one of our best selling Collections. They are made to stand up to a lot of traffic, are well priced and come in a really wide range of styles and colors. Kathy Ireland Rugs are now offered in round sizes that can add both visual intrigue to a space and in some cases fit an area where a rectangular rug just would not look right. Round rugs are not only offered in traditional and casual florals however, there are an ever increasing range of styles that translate really well into a round shape.

Take for instance this incredibly cool child's room pattern made of 100% nylon. It is a great way to educate a loved little one about numbers, the alphabet, and the concept of a compass all at the same time. This is an ideal example of how round rugs can be a really exciting way to enhance a space whether it is being used for formal purposes or a child's play area. Our Compass Rug is a really fun thing that I am actually going to order for my niece and nephew. I wish that I had a really neat rug like this one when I was a kid. As I recall however, my bedroom had wall to wall carpet-and not just any kind of carpet but the sort of sculptured business that looked like Edward Scissorhands had been let loose and hacked the heck out of it. Of course trends change, and as a kid I used the sculptured carpet grooves as tracks to run my matchbox cars along. But it would have been that much more fun to have a rug such as this one to play with, and much more educational as well. Round rugs are just that sort of creation. They tend to come in a host of genre's not unlike their rectangular companions.

Another great example of a round pattern that does wonders to a home's decor is the Pop Circles pattern from our Andy Warhol Home Collection. Take a look at how cool this room looks with a round rug as a focal point. Not only does the color stand out but the shape itself makes the room look really incredible.

So when you are considering a new rug for your home, take into account all the really obvious things such as color and style and fiber based on where the rug is going (such as polypropylene is great for heavy traffic mud rooms and that sort of thing whereas wool is super soft and great for living rooms or master bedrooms). But also remember that round rugs can add visual interest where there was otherwise a bunch of rectangles going on. Walls are rectangular, furniture pushed up against the walls, rectangular picture frames on the wall. I think you get the idea. So try to think round when you can. I pushed myself outside my own comfort zone by putting a round rug in my foyer from the Generations Collection of Sphinx by Oriental Weavers. It actually looks really great.

Enough about all this. I have to get myself put together so I can enjoy this great summer day. We don't get too many of these in the Detroit area. I hope you have a great weekend and thanks again for reading :)

Wes.

Are you guys for real?

The other day I was at a really great accessory store in Detroit. It was chock full of stylish pottery and books and all sorts of other things that I would really love to make a part of my home. There were even a few rugs that I recall seeing on a really great rug site.

Everything was going along smashingly until I handed my credit card to the employee behind the counter to pay for the items I had selected. She looked at the name on the card and said "oh, are you the guy that has that rug website?" I proudly said that I was and then she said "that must be great being able to run a business from your home."

I was so taken aback, I was not sure what to say next. I stood there entirely slack jawed-which for me takes some doing. I told her that I in fact work nearly 60 hours per week and that my staff all put in a minimum of 40 hours per week. I went on to explain that we had an IT department, data department, accounting staff, customer care specialists and warehouse managers. I was actually starting to raise my voice when I stopped to catch myself.

My point in all this is that while running a website is entirely different from having an actual brick and mortar store front, it is none the less a very time consuming and resource consuming venture. Instead of spending money on a new stucco facade, we may elect to redesign our website. This latest update cost us almost $45,000 to complete. That is no chump change and could buy a whole lot of stucco to smear over the entry way of a brick and mortar.

I am sure that in time e-tailers will get a bit more respect as folks realize how much really goes into running them. Just like brick and mortars, there can be a junk heap of a store that is being run poorly. But to do it right costs big bucks, and takes constant effort and collaboration of staff.

We are so very proud of the latest Rugs To My Door. We hope you enjoy shopping it as much as we enjoyed the process of seeing it come to life. It was no small effort and took a good deal of both time and money.

So the point of all this is, yes we are for real. We have sold millions (yes millions) of dollars worth of area rugs across the United States. In fact, we purchase more machine woven area rugs than any other retailer in the state of Michigan. Our buying power allows us to command highly competitive wholesale prices that we pass along to our customers.

Please wander our assortment of rugs. Let us know if we may help you. But if you choose to call us for help, just picture in your mind an office of staff and not a goofy kid in his PJs sitting on his sofa at home.

I hope you all have a safe and pleasant weekend. Summer is going to be gone before you know it. Be sure to enjoy it all you can.
Wes.

New Site, same great everything

Welcome to the new Rugs To My Door site! With over 150,000 rugs to choose from we thought it was time to freshen up the site to better represent the huge selection we have to offer. From traditional rugs to contemporary rugs and everything in between we try really hard to have the ideal selection for you to browse through.

One very important request I have made of all my valued customers is to let me know very honestly if you find an odd function on the site that you think could use improvement or something really cool on another site (such as the really cool cart on hollister.com) that you think might be neat to use on the Rugs To My Door site.

We worked for over 8 months before bringing this version of the site live and are really proud of how it looks and feels. From the day that Rugs To My Door was started it was our goal to provide a calm pressure free environment in which to shop for the latest trends in area rugs. I hope that this (our third version) of the Rugs To My Door site takes us another step in that direction.

Our goal at the end of the day is not to just sell you an area rug but to create a community where we can discuss the trends in the area rug industry and help you turn your home into a truly calming oasis. Please let me know if there is anything that we can do to make that objective more of a reality for you. Thanks again for reading and have a great summer weekend.
Wes.

Rugs I saw at Atlanta Market Part 2

To put a visual image to the Atlanta area rug market allow me to describe it a bit before I get back to all the area rugs I saw there.

The buildings that house America's Mart are several stories tall each and span several city blocks in downtown Atlanta, GA. The towers are all interconnected with skywalks that afford in some instances an eyepopping view of the city's unique architecture. Many of the market attendees can stay at local hotels that are also connected with America's Mart through skywalks.

Some of the other great new rugs I saw at Atlanta's area rug market were offered by our partners at United Weavers. I had the pleasure of visiting with Wasim Abu Hadba of United Weavers, who shared with me some of their exciting new introductions. One series of rugs that Wasim reminded me of was their Manhattan Collection. It has a really fashionable series of patterns, but 5x8s retail for under 100 bucks. This pattern for instance is ideal for an Americana setting that is both fashion forward and reminiscent of days gone by. Since it is wilton woven of 100% Polypropylene stains are not a concern whatsoever. Plus, with a 5x8 retailing at under $100, you can update your decor as often as you like without breaking the budget. United Weavers heavily stocks their Manhattan Collection outside Dalton, GA so you will receive your lovely new area rug within just a few weeks of ordering it. United Weavers is a highly efficient organization that has allowed us to purchase their area rugs at incredibly competitive prices and then pass the savings along to you. Be on the lookout for exciting future promotions as our partnership with United Weavers only grows stronger in the future.

I also had an exciting and interesting visit with Mohawk Home. A conversation about fashion forward yet affordable rugs would not be complete without bringing the Mohawk Home collection Modern Age into the mix. This series of area rugs is really great looking, made of Polypropylene so stains are not a concern and they have a nice weight to them so you do not need to worry about them moving around on the floor too much (so long as you have the correct rug pad beneath it). This featured pattern, named Freehand is a great balance of contemporary styling with more casual colors so it can be installed in a wide range of varying interiors. Mohawk Home rugs are known for this sort of great balance. Another great thing about Mohawk Home rugs is that they are made in the United States so deliveries are very fast.

Until next time, thanks for reading about the super cool world of rugs. Have a great summer day!

Rugs I saw at Atlanta Market

I have returned from the America's Mart in Atlanta, GA. I saw rugs of all sorts of different colors, fibers, styles, and constructions. Aside from rugs, I must also say that the city of Atlanta has really undergone a renaissance of late. The mass transit system known as MARTA is really clean, safe, easy to use and arrives quickly. There are different pockets of the city depending on the sort of area you like. For the hip upwardly mobile visitor I would suggest checking out Buckhead. If the sort of area being sought is an up and coming type place with a really trendy vibe then the Midtown MARTA stop is the right place to go. For the more urban minded city cat, I would suggest the Peachtree Center station which also happens to be the station that is where I got off to attend the America's Mart.

The first series of rugs I would like to share is from Sphinx by Oriental Weavers. Their Amherst Collection is hand tufted of blended New Zealand Wool and features traditional motifs that can be used in more casual setting thanks to the way they have been offset and stylized. Sphinx by Oriental Weavers has long been known for it's incredible use of machines to create high style products that are also very affordable. With their Amherst Collection, they have taken this prowess and translated it into a hand tufted product that has the heft and appearance of a much more costly series of rugs. We are pleased to offer you the Amherst Collection for only $599 for the 5x8 size. Since Sphinx stocks all the sizes in their Dalton, GA warehouse you will receive your rug very quickly.

Our partners at 828 International introduced a really exciting new line of rugs that 828 President National Sales Manager Tom Morris described to me as a hooked rug on steroids. These rugs are not the type of hooked rugs you may be used to seeing. When I hear of a hooked rug, I think of something that is very thin and low profile. While those sort of hooked rugs are quite nice, they are not what 828 is offering with it's exciting new Aurora Collection. This series of area rugs ranges from lodge to soft florals. With a 5x8 retail of only $362, the value of these pieces is immediately apparent. 828 International chose to use 100% Wool and dial up the weight to dramatically increase the look and feel of these fashionably stylized patterns.

America's Mart Atlanta was so much fun during this visit, because it seemed that with each manufacturer I visited, I saw exciting new products that allowed me to realize where the industry was headed in months and even years to come. For instance, Kas Rugs has been looking into the future and they feel it is very bright. With year over year sales growth according to sales agent Ron Sorkin, it is thanks to the exciting and fresh new series of rugs that Kas has seen a steady trend in their business. I can attest to this fact myself, since Kas is one of our largest suppliers and provides us with a consistent quality, great price and energizing range of patterns to offer our customers. One such example is the Veranda Collection. This grouping of rugs is made of 100% Polypropylene and is so durable that you can actually use them outside. They were so soft when I felt them that I personally thought they would look great in a kitchen or busy family room. The incredible thing is that if they become soiled you can actually take them outdoors and simply hose off the soil and stains and allow them to thoroughly dry before taking them back indoors.

I am going to share more of what I saw and learned from Atlanta market in my future entry.

Wes.

Says who?

Each year, the industry's trade magazine Floor Focus asks it's readers to rank manufacturers based on their performance in three key areas. The respondents to the survey include major retailers such as Rugs To My Door.

So who ranked where?

Service
1)Shaw
2)Oriental Weavers

Quality
1)Oriental Weavers
2)Shaw

Design
1)Oriental Weavers
2)Shaw

What does this survey have to do with you? When we choose what rugs we want to offer our consumers, a lot more than just the look of the rug goes into it. For instance, we also consider the quality and service that we receive from the manufacturers. The great thing about this is that when you select a rug, you can be certain that it not only will look nice when you receive it but for some time to come. The rugs that we offer have been considered carefully for a whole range of reasons that go past just their stylish design.

Thank you again for reading. While you look at our rugs, if you come up with any questions for me, just let me know. I hope you have a great weekend.
Kindly,
Wes Jenkins.

Rugs of Atlanta

So where in the world is Wes you ask? Well he is in Atlanta Georgia, of course. But why? Twice a year Atlanta becomes the go to place to see all the latest and most exciting trends in the industry of rugs. From really reasonable entry level price points such as rugs that retail for only $99 in the 5x8 size all the way up to rugs that retail for $4899 for a 5x8 Atlanta market really does have it all.

So what did I see that really stood out as far as trends go? In the traditional category it was all about open fields (the center of rugs) and light soft blues. Looking at the casual range of rugs I saw a lot of blocks that were offset by color shading and had no border at all. Also interesting is the very large scale traditional patterning that normally would be found on a traditional rug being used in casual patterns. Finally in the way of sharp contemporaries, I saw a lot of black and white. When I say a lot I mean a LOT. They were everywhere. Sharp rugs come in all sorts of genres, price ranges and categores.

America's finest rug suppliers have been busy creating area rugs that have all the key ingredients including a quality feel, incredible colors and a really strong price.

I am excited to add the new designs to our site and will get the addition of them underway just as soon as I return to our Detroit offices.

I appreciate that you took the time to read. If you have any questions plesae let me know. Until next time, keep browsing our thousands of rugs and be well.
Kindly,
Wes.

Hooray for Hollywood

Fashion trends are really the main thing that drives the area rug business. As an example I have many times replaced the rugs in my home with new ones. Where do the old rugs go? Up into the attic where they will sit in relatively new condition until I am ready to bring that home styling back.

With this in mind, what is one of the major fashion trends for the coming year? Hollywood glam, of course. But what does this mean? Thing Humphrey Bogart and Greta Garbo not Sylvester Stallone and Vin Diesel. Essentially tonal patterns that are offset by hints of silk or silk like material. Large scale patterns that lend a feeling of grandeur by both their pattern and their coloring. Take the incredible Moda Collection from Delos Rugs. This collection is crafted of Wool with accents of mercerized cotton which lend a feeling of silk to the piece. Because citruses and burnt oranges are very popular, Delos infused the rugs in this collection with the ideal balance of such hues with a sophisticated use of silken highlights that allow this collection to represent Hollywood glam perfectly.

I hope this little bit of information helps in your quest for the ideal new area rug. We have thousands of rugs to look through. If as you browse you have any questions just give us a shout. Thanks again for reading and have a great and safe 4th of July week.

Hey-also, I will be attending Atlanta market soon. The show brings together the world's leading area rug manufacturers into a single location. There I will see the very latest and greatest offerings and will negotiate with the manufacturers directly to bring you the very best rugs at the most competitive prices.

Wes.