Patterned Carpets and Rugs

Through the years, the styling and patterning of carpets has evolved to meet the dictates of the times. Inspired by antique Oriental rugs and other patterned floor coverings, designers of early carpet included strong patterning using color or texture or both.

These carpets often became a major focal point of the rooms they enhanced.
With the advent of the Jacquard loom in 1801, there was a plethora of patterned short-piled carpets. Usually only 27 inches wide, these floor coverings added a dramatic depth to the interiors of the time. As time passed and styles and trends emerged, these patterned carpets slowly became more subtle and textures became more important. In fact, it was not easy to find a patterned carpet at one point.

Patterned carpets hide a multitude of sins. Stains almost disappear, especially with a very detailed pattern. The hospitality industry realized this fact a long time ago. Most restaurants and hotel ballrooms have large, bold patterns on the floor.

People would search for just the right patterned carpet for many hotel projects. Invariably, some would end up designing a custom carpet to get just the pattern, color and intricacy they needed for the particular space. Creating custom carpeting was an affordable solution, as many needed a large quantity of carpet and had the budget to allow for specialization.

Finding exciting patterned carpets for the residence has been a bit more difficult. As in commercial design, a custom rug is an option. Many fine companies have perfected the art of custom rugs and will create almost anything to your specifications --- for a price.

A beautifully designed and manufactured rug or carpet can, of course, become the main focus of a room and, thus, more than justify the cost and time involved. But, luckily, because of newly designed computerized looms and a renewed interest in patterned carpets, finding large-scale pattern broadloom carpets has become much easier.

Scale is always an issue in selecting patterned carpets. Large- scale patterns can be dramatic and strong. Smaller scales offer a rhythm that is more expected and, thus, more comfortable.

Be careful when choosing the scale of a wall-to-wall carpet. Not all rooms are exactly square, thus a smaller pattern may show this defect more than a larger scaled pattern. Stripes can be really telling if the room is not square, and you might want to avoid using them.

Patterned carpets will eventually fade from fashion, just as they have before. But for now, the bigger and bolder the pattern, the better. Don't be bashful: Select a pattern and go with it.