Custom Carpets and Rugs

Design and durability options in broadloom and modular carpet have improved so dramatically over the past few years that some may have forgotten about area rugs. But the same technological innovations that are creating vibrant broadloom and modular choices have opened up custom design capabilities and broadened price ranges for area rugs.

Most major carpet mills are borrowing traditional area rug details like accent borders and bold patterning to blur the once inflexible distinction among the three carpet types. With computer-aided design capabilities, carpet mills can design wall-to-wall modular installations that include border, transition, and pattern details on each end piece, creating an area rug look.

But area rugs continue to enjoy the reputation of giving spaces an elegant finishing touch that other types can't quite match. For this reason, area rugs are most often found in executive offices, boardrooms, and reception areas where the floor covering needs to put across a personal statement or corporate philosophy.

Area rugs are often broken down into two categories: custom and customized. But before narrowing down options, you should carefully reflect on what statement or philosophy the rug will project.

Companies that stress value and cost-efficiency to their clients may want to steer clear of placing an intricately designed wall-to-wall wool rug in a highly visible area. Cutting-edge high-tech firms may seek an abstract contemporary design. In effect, it creates a piece of art that embodies the company's character.

Carpet mills can create a rug from original drawings (custom work) or can alter patterns and colors of standard designs (customized) to match a preference. Generally expect custom work to cost more and take longer to produce than customized rugs. But since prices differ widely among mills, you may want to shop around a bit and ask for client lists. Prices start at $25 a square foot, but low-end handmade rugs from China and the Middle East run from $4 to $12. For custom work, the major influence on price comes from intricacy of design, quality of yarn, and weaving method. To hold down costs, chose a pattern from the mill's standard offerings and select a standard dimension.

Identically patterned hand-loomed and machine-woven rugs placed side by side will appear identical to the human eye, but durability may vary. Axminster, a woven method, allows intricate color designs usually with a level cut-pile surface. Wilton, another woven style, uses a Jacquard loom and has a more restricted color selection.

Wall-to-wall rugs can be modified to fit around columns, fireplaces, or other irregularities. To erase the danger of tripping over carpet ends on other installations, many companies set rugs into the floor by building up a hard-surfaced border of marble or other stone accent around the area.

Rugs too large to fit in elevators and too awkward to transport around corners may have to be cut into several pieces and sewn together in the room where they are to be installed.

Ease of installation and reuse often tips the value scale toward area rugs over broadloom and modular. Rugs of a manageable size can be rotated to even out wear patterns, thereby extending the rug's appearance. In fact, rugs often have a lifespan greater than the person buying them, Reuse is limited only in directional rugs, rugs that must be laid out facing a certain direction so that a corporate logo or other design is easily viewed.

Some may still gravitate toward investment-quality Persian and Oriental rugs. Instability in the Middle East has dried up the rug trade in some regions and Orientals can't match the intricacy and color quality of antique Persians.

Current dyeing techniques can often replicate those ancient, colorful, hand-knotted designs and offer a wider selection of color choices. And custom rugs can be tailored to fit any requirement.

When you have the option to do a custom, buy exactly what you want-and design it yourself. That's when the real enthusiasm is created.