The Art and Beauty of Rug Hooking

Rugs are pieces of art that can be showcased through wall hanging or just simply using it as it is – a floor decoration that can be used to separate areas of your house. As time evolves, different kinds of rugs were made and invented by people. Other materials such as wools, nylon and other kind of fabrics were also introduced to create varieties of rugs. Truly colourful and pleasing to the eyes, rugs became a sense of statement in one’s home.

The rugs that are usually made by the experts in the field were also used to form another kind of art which is called rug hooking.  Rug hooking is an art and craft activity that is done by pulling loops of fabric through a base which is the rug itself. Tracing back its history, rug hooking originated in England during the 19^th century. At that time, rug hooking was distinguished to be the work of the poor because the ones who practice the said art are the workers in weaving mills. The workers are then allowed to collect pieces of unwanted yarns. Those yarns were used by them to make rugs. Yarns and everything that may seem to come handy were used to make rugs during that time. Rug hooking was considered as a country past time of the poor. Country in this context is partly defamatory more than complimentary.

But as time goes by, people of other nations have looked at the hobby as a form of fine art. In fact, in Canada, rug hooking is considered as a high form of art. Rug hookers have taken the next level of experimenting techniques to form better pieces of rugs made of hooked wools and fabric. Aside from techniques, hookers, people who practice rug hooking, became open to using other fabrics aside from wool and yarn to create better pieced of rugs.

One does not need to be an expert in order to do rug hooking. Hookers said that once you have known one technique, you can already consider yourself as a master of the craft. With a normal rug as a base, and pieces of fabrics to be hooked, one can already practice rug hooking.

Alternatively, if you want to use rugs as a decoration and yet you feel that you do not have much time to do rug hooking, you can opt for other types of rugs such as traditional rugs, wool rugs, modern rugs, designer rugs and more. At Fantastic Rugs, with the variety of rugs that we have on hand, we are sure that there is a piece that will suit your taste and personality. Order a rug from us and take advantage of our free standard delivery on most rugs to mainland UK. For more information about our rugs and our free delivery services, visit our website or give us a call at 01234 220076.

Runner Rugs

Runner rugs are used in narrow spaces such as hallways and stairs. This type of rug is made greater in length than width. To give the people a platform to the place where you want them to lead to, a runner rug is best to be used. It leads the eyes of the visitors to certain places in your home.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUNNER RUGS AND AREA RUGS?

While both area rugs and runner rugs give a touch of colour to a pale room, the two have differences. One is that area rugs are made to be under certain furniture to group them together and make them look like they belong together in an area. Runner, on the other hand, is a rug that leads the people to the narrow spaces of the house such as stairs and hallways. Basically, the size of area rugs and runners defines the difference between the two. Area rugs are usually made to be of any size but mostly square while runners are made in a rectangular form and narrowly to fit perfectly in a limited space of a room.

IN WHAT AREAS ARE RUNNERS GOOD TO USE?

Generally, runners compliment wood flooring to contrast the colour of the floor and furniture. This type of carpeting can add a decorative element to hardwood made floors while making them warmer and comfortable to walk on. Even basements and wooden stairs that are not carpeted can be improved through using runners. However, runners can be used not only on wooden floors but also on the following areas of your home:

1. Kitchen - Since the space in the kitchen is also limited, floor runners can do its wonders by fitting nicely down the length of your cabinet or counter space. While the floor is being maximised in appearance, the runners can also provide a cushioned area for your feet to stand on when washing dishes or preparing food.
2. Bedroom - We all know that area rugs are the most common decoration used in beautifying the room space. However, because of its size, so much of the rug ends up hidden under the bed making some parts of the design unseen. Alternatively, the long and skinny shape of runners makes it perfect to be used in bedrooms. Runners can be used on one side of the bed or even on both sides of the bed if the bed is positioned in the centre of the room. Furthermore, runners will surely keep your feet cosy by providing a warm landing in the morning.
3. Walk-in closets. Typical walk-in closets are “mini-rooms” that fit two people at max. Runners are perfect for this kind of mini-room for it creates a focal point underfoot that suggests the space feel like a “real room.” The runner will draw attention away from its small size creating an illusion that the closet is spacey.

For a room that needs decorating, adding a rug will be the perfect and most cost-effective answer. Through using runners, your hallway or corridor will not look empty or barren anymore.