Recreate Vanity Fair at home

 If you have been hooked on the new TV Drama Vanity Fair, chances are that as well as the storyline, you will be lapping up the fabulous costumes, homes and decor.

The book is set between 1810-1820  when George IV was Prince Regent - hence it's known as the Regency period.  This is just before Queen Victoria and all those straight laced Victorian morals were imposed - and for now at least, British society was more open and less inhibited.

Due to growing trade links with the rest of the world, there was lots of consumer choice when it came to interior design and homeowners could even browse through forerunners of the modern catalogue using pattern books. 

Harmony and symmetry were the order of the day and people were becoming very interested in nature and how they interacted with it.  

Popular colours were burgundy, sage green and blue grey and interestingly these colours are being replicated by modern pain manufacturers today. 

Wallpaper was imported from the Far East so anything with a Chinosierie feel to it would be in keeping and this love of all things Oriental was also replicated on the floor.   Most homes would have wooden floors although the grander houses would boast stone or marble floors.

While we can't help you with the wallpaper or furniture - as the rug retailer that is synonymous with traditional rugs, FrithRugs is the only place to shop for your Oriental rug. As well as a great choice of design,  many of our Chinese rugs come in a variety of sizes and shapes including circular, octagonal and even half moon.

Go to https://frithrugs.co.uk/products/chinese-rugs to pick out your own Vanity Fair collection.

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Chinese Rugs

Cheeky monkey – Happy Chinese New Year

Monday February 8^th marks the beginning of Chinese New Year – this year it’s the year of the Monkey.

If you are born in the Year of the Monkey, you will be quick witted, curious and mischievous (like a cheeky monkey).  Other characteristics include intelligence, versatility and honesty, but on the negative side, monkeys could have a bit of a temper and be selfish.  Famous cheeky monkeys include Charles Dickens, Julius Caesar and Leonardo de Vinci.

Colours associated with this year include gold and blue and as the UK’s largest retailer of Oriental rugs and carpets you can be assured that you will find a rug to suit your home.

In Chinese culture blue is associated with healing exploration and immorality.  In the home, blue is chosen for its relaxing and calming properties and we think the subtle blue found in this rug (top) is perfect for a bedroom.  The luxurious cream background, blends beautifully with the detailed blue patterns.  

And for something complete different – how about this red and gold rug for a bit of bling?  The Chinese associate gold with God, consciousness, completeness and not surprisingly with wealth.  This rug would suit a large room with traditional features and should be the focal point of the space.  Red accessories will work well

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Whatever Chinese design you choose, you can be assured your Chinese rug will look stunning and bring an air of elegance to any room.   And here at FrithRugs most of our Chinese designs are available in range of shapes and sizes.

It’s no wonder that Chinese home interior design remains such a great British classic.  The designs offer a real versatility which makes them perfect for both modern and traditional properties.    

                                                

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Introduce Chinoiserie Chic for a harmonious home

Chinese New Year is a great opportunity to show off our fabulous range of Chinese rugs and it’s one of our favourite times of the year.  With one of the biggest selection of Oriental rug designs under one roof, you won’t need to go anywhere else for your floor. 

This Chinese New Year (February 19th) is the year of the sheep, a Yin energy which symbolises peace, harmony and tranquillity and with all of us looking to inject harmony into our homes - what better time to invest in a traditional Chinese rug design.

The West fell in love with  Chinoiserie in the 17th and 18th centuries.  This was a time for exploration, and as a result, a fascination with all things Asian took Europe by storm. From Oriental rugs to wallpaper designs, from lacquerware to furniture, the Chinese imagery of dragons, pagodas, exotic flowers and snakes fascinated Europeans who wanted to introduce this exciting new style into their homes.

 

Put a dragon on the floor

The dragon or serpent is synonymous with Chinese designs but how do you prefer yours - rectangular, circular, half-moon?  Or maybe you want a runner or even an octagonal rug? If one of these shapes doesn’t float your ‘junk’ then we can actually make a rug to your personal specification.  

This is one of our most popular rugs and is also available in a range of colours.  A rug is often a good starting point for introducing Chinoiserie chic into your room.  You can choose from some incredibly bold and colourful designs - but remember with such a statement rug, your other pieces should be more subtle. 

Understated

It’s no wonder that Oriental rugs are one of our best sellers and purchased by customers of all ages to dress a variety      of properties including modern homes as well as traditional    properties.  If you just want a hint of the Orient, these rugs      are unmistakably from the East but are a little more         understated, using blocks of colour with a traditional               Chinese design in the centre or around the border. 

Try introducing other items such as bamboo furniture and occasional pieces of porcelain to demonstrate your Eastern flair.

What will your choice say about you?

Red for example, symbolises luck and happiness, gold means wealth and happiness and blue reflects healing, relaxation and calmness. With rugs like these, the trick is to let the rug do the talking - everything else should be a subtle complement.

The fabulous colours in our traditional Chinese designs are waiting to be discovered.  If you want to opt for the full Chinoiserie experience we have some beautiful rugs for those who are not afraid to make a rug the focal point of their room.  What will your choice say about you?  

Celebrate Chinese New Year 2014 with up to 50% off all Chinese rugs!

Gong Hay Fat Choy! or Happy New Year - Chinese New Year of course.  This Chinese New Year falls on January 31 which luckily for you means it also fall within the FrithRugs Sale dates.  You can save up to 50% off all Chinese rugs - and so what better time to invest in one of these timeless classics?

Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and so he named a year after each and said that people born in that animal's year would share some of that animal's traits. 2014 is the year of the horse and those born in horse years are cheerful, perceptive, witty and talented.

As the UK’s largest retailer of Oriental rugs and carpets we can confirm that the great British love affair with Chinoiserie is as strong as ever.  You could say it’s the little black dress of the interior design world!

If you are new to this interior design style you may well be wondering where to begin.  Well a good starting point would be to make a bold Oriental rug as the focal point for the room. You can use any of the colours found in the rug to help you co-ordinate other accessories, but first you have to choose the rug itself.

The Chinese love striking, bold colours like red (which symbolises good fortune and joy), green (for health and harmony) and black (which correspond to water, and is a neutral colour). If you do opt for one of our bolder Chinese dragon rug designs, this will draw all eyes to the floor and so you need to ensure you don’t overdo it elsewhere. Maybe just use a piece of Chinese calligraphy wall art or a beautiful vase and then one or two scatter cushions in red.

Black and white together is used often as they represent yin and yang – the interconnection of opposites. There more subtle designs found on these rugs still have an obvious Chinese influence and can be used to blend and tone the rest of the room.  If you opt for the black and white Chinese rugs, you can be more adventurous elsewhere. We think bamboo works well with this style of rug.  For example, lamps made of wood or bamboo or perhaps a bamboo screen or divider made from rice paper will look fabulous.

For those who like their bling you will love our gold Chinese rugs.  Have a look at these rugs featuring elaborate gold patterns which would not look out of place in an Emperor’s palace. If this is your choice then go easy on the rest of the room’s pieces and stick to a few well selected under-stated items.
The great thing about our Oriental rugs is that we offer an amazing array of rug shapes. Circular Chinese rugs are particularly popular and the octagonal Chinese rugs designs are great for large spaces. If you are have small floor space why not try a half moon shaped rug?  And if you can’t find a rug to fit your room or your style then we also specialise in custom made rugs. 

So whether you want a Zen inspired relaxing space or a daring bold splash of colour – our Chinese rugs can transform your room – and don’t forget you can save up to 50% if you purchase before 2^nd Feb 2014.