Introduce Chinoserie into your home

For hundreds of years’ British homes have admired Oriental design and introduced it into interior design. The 17th and 18th centuries were 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.

For people who love classic design, introducing an element of Chinoserie is the perfect way to demonstrate elegance and style.  What better time to think about this type of design than during Chinese New Year.

This year the Chinese New Year or Spring festival starts on February 5^th.  This year, it’s the Year of the Pig - a year that will be full of joy and friendship.  It also presents a great opportunity to invest and make money. 

One investment you can make is that of a superb Chinese rug - and as FrithRugs has so many Oriental designs to choose from, you won’t need to go anywhere else.  While we can’t promise you will make money, we can promise that investing in one of our gorgeous rugs will ensure your home is the epitome of style.

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 like the dragon - but remember with such a statement rug, your other pieces should be subtler. Or, if you prefer something more understated with just a hint of the Orient, we have rugs that are unmistakably from the East featuring blocks of colour with a traditional Chinese design in the centre or around the border.  

Colour has great symbolism for the Chinese. Red for example, symbolises luck and happiness, gold means wealth and happiness and blue reflects healing, relaxation and calmness.  Which colour do you prefer?

To complement your Chinese rug, introduce other items such as bamboo furniture and occasional pieces of porcelain to demonstrate your Eastern flair.

FrithRugs is the only place to buy your traditional rug

Fine Indo Persian

Homes & Antiques Magazine celebrates its 300th issue in November and we are really pleased to be featured in the magazine which celebrates traditional and period homes and properties.

We are also really proud of the fact that the FrithRugs brand is synonymous with traditional rugs including the quintessential Persian, Afghan and Oriental designs.  The great thing about these rugs is that they look equally at home in a period home as they do in a contemporary setting, which is whey they are always such a best seller.

If you want to invest in a piece that will not only stand the test of time but could even be an investment piece for the future, then look no further than FrithRugs as we offer a huge selection of traditional designs which means you are sure to find something to suit your home and your personality.

If you love the idea of having one of these timeless classics in your home but are not sure where to start, ask one of our rug experts for advice.  All our staff are fully trained to be able to provide you with honest, no nonsense information about would would work well for your family. Our staff will go through the choices available for your home and lifestyle.

Our top tips for your traditional rug:

1.  Most traditional rugs look their best on a hard wood floor

2.  Try to avoid direct sunlight - but if you can't - rotate your rug on a regular basis

3.  You can use your rug to zone areas of a room - especially large spaces.

So when you are looking for a traditional rug – look no further than www.frithrugs.co.uk

How to create the Victorian look in your own home

With the hit ITV programme 'Victoria' back on our screens, plus the release of a new lavish film 'Victoria and Abdul' we expect to see many people enquiring about our traditional rugs as they seek to create a Victorian look in their own home.   

Often the biggest stars of these historical TV and film dramas are the locations and set designs which inspire people to recreate the Victorian style - however, fans of minimalist design should look away now! 

Thanks to the industrial revolution and mass production, the middle classes had the chance to emulate aristocratic homes for the first time - this meant filling every space in every room with accessories, furniture and fabrics -  the more you had the more wealth you had.  

The Victorians were an eclectic bunch and co-ordination was not a high priority. Excessive ornamentation, heavy upholstered furniture, patterned wallpapers and fabrics were prevalent in a range of styles from the gothic to the frivolous feminine rococo.  It was a time of Empire and so Indian and Oriental themes were also popular. 

But even for those who love Victoriana, this is probably too much and so where to start to get that touch of Victorian opulence?  On the floor, of course!  Rugs were often the centerpiece of the room and were also very highly patterned and the Victorians had a penchant for traditional and oriental designs.

Large rugs were common and they were laid to leave a border of polished floorboard around the room.  The Victorians were also very keen on runners and circular rugs, with the latter being used as a focus for an item of furniture such as a table.

FrithRugs isn home of traditional rugs which means you are sure to find something to suit your space and once you have found the perfect rug from our hundreds of designs, build up your Victorian space carefully.

Use heavily patterned wallpaper at least on one wall.  If you have the budget, invest in a Chesterfield sofa or at least one high backed chair. Furniture should be dark wood and a round or oval coffee table is also a key piece.  For those on a budget find a second-hand footstool - upholster it in a patterned fabric and find similar cushion covers.

In terms of accessories, damask or velvet lampshades in deep colours and a glass done bell to go over ornaments will add to the scheme. The finishing touch would be an item of faux taxidermy on the wall.  

Expert advice on rug care

Some of our Oriental, Persian and Afghan rugs are works of art in themselves and can even be an investment for the future.  And so how do you best care of your investment rug?

Our expert team have some good advice.  There are three key rules

1.  Clean off stains as soon as possible

2.  Don’t use the vacuum brush

3.  Avoid direct sunlight.

When it comes to removing any stain – blot never rub and dilute immediately with water.  Blot inwards for maximum effect.  If this fails to remove your stain you may need to use a commercial cleaning solution – we don’t recommend any in particular but we do advise that you test the solution first, on the underside of the rug, or where it can’t be seen.  

We would also suggest that if you have a particularly expensive rug – don’t try washing it at home yourself - but let it be cleaned by the various rug washing experts on the market.

All rugs need regular vacuuming to keep the carpet clean. However, long pile or loop carpets are more delicate and should be vacuumed without a brush. If you see threads coming loose, don’t be tempted to pull them out – instead trim with scissors.

The sun can cause damage to furniture and rugs.  Many of our rugs will have natural substances in the colours and ideally we would advise that you place your rug away from direct sunlight completely to stop the colours fading.  However, if this is not feasible, rotate your rug once a month so that any fade will be across the rug rather than just in in one part.

Enjoy your rug!