Newest Rug Obession: Big & Coral

Posted on | August 14, 2010 | 11 Comments

Today I went to the New Hampshire Antique show in Manchester, NH and saw so many beautiful things. I met some great dealers that I am looking forward to working with once we get to the decorating phase of our project.

I can’t stop thinking about this rug I spotted. Why oh why can’t I afford a new roof and a rug at the same time? I love the colors and it’s the perfect size for my green room. I’ve heard/read corals are really rare. This rug was in mint condition. Ug! I want it. The dealer was really helpful, knowledgeable and lives in Yarmouth, Maine. Check out his store A.E. Runge Jr. Oriental Rugs here. The rug was about 8 x 10 and I believe late 1800’s? He’s asking $4,700.

If you just gasped at the price remember this is a rest of my life kinda rug. When you spend this kind of money you have to really, really, love decorating and willing to spend everyone dime you have on it. This rug was mint, big, and a rare color combo. I’m sure I could find something similar with a little wear and tear for half the price. The search continues but how awesome is it spot beautiful things even if you can’t afford them?

A.E. Runge, Jr. Oriental Rugs
108 Main Street
Yarmouth, Maine
(207) 846-9000

abc Rug Sale

Posted on | July 19, 2010 | 20 Comments

On friday I met up with fellow blogger Stephanie of even*cleveland. Remember her awesome salt dough ornaments she shared back in December? We met up at Abc to check out a tufted sofa I had spotted on CreateGirl’s blog–more about that in a second post. First, let’s get to my major rug score.

Abc was having a big sale. I’ve been on the search for rugs for months. I’m pretty particular about my colors. I would really like to find a few with pinks, greens, and navy for my second floor to go with my sage green walls. The colors I like are really uncommon because they don’t occur naturally so I need to find really faded antique versions–more common are brighter reds.

Stephanie and I casually flipped through a huge pile of 5 X 7’s when we came across a beauty. It was marked originally for $2,400 marked down to $499. Majority of the rugs in the pile were marked down to $1,499 so we thought the rug was mismarked? I was a big hesitant wondering why it such a good deal? The dealer was a little pushy telling me it was an amazing deal and putting on a big show that someone was going to get in trouble for the mistake.

We pulled it out, walked on it with our bare feet, and checked out every inch for damage. I think I ask Stephanie a hundred times, “Do you like it?” I wasn’t really sure it was an antique. The color looked like vegetable dyes but the pile was longer then rugs I had seen from Iran. In the end it didn’t really matter, the price was right and I loved it.

Photos from inside ABC above and below photos of the rug at my sister’s house. In the background you can see a red antique rug that has more typical patterning and color. So what do you think? Did I get the deal of the century or was I totally played?

ABC Carpet & Home
888 Broadway
New York, NY
(212) 473-3000
abchome.com

Category: new york shops, textiles

Bar Check Curtains

Posted on | May 20, 2010 | No Comments

I’ve received a few e-mails asking me about the check curtains I spotted in Simon Pierce’s bathroom in Quechee, Vermont. The curtains were made of a single piece of wool with tab tops and about a 1 1/2″ inch hem. I loved that the curtains were left unlined allowing filtered light to shine through.

One of my lovely readers found the source for the fabric. Kerry Woollen Mills in Ireland makes beautiful wool blankets out of the bar check wool. They do ship to the US and offer the wool by the metre. Price per metre for the wool is €24.00 plus shipping at cost (e-mail for info). Fabric is 72” wide. Find more beautiful textiles and blankets at kerrywoollenmills.ie.

Category: textiles

Abraham Moon: Plaid Textiles

Posted on | May 12, 2010 | 7 Comments

More plaid to love! A reader tip lead me to these gorgeous examples of plaid wool from Abraham Moon in Guiseley, West Yorkshire. Imagine the possibilities? I could cover chairs, sofas and headboards in beautiful plaids. Above and below just a few of my favorites I found on their website. For distributors in the United States, see here.

Heather Woolsmain 500x288 Abraham Moon: Plaid Textiles

duckegg main 500x253 Abraham Moon: Plaid Textiles

Category: textiles

Plait Textiles

Posted on | May 12, 2010 | 2 Comments

Textiles handwoven by Wisconsin based designer Jennifer Pellman are right up my alley. The pieces are woven the width of a napkin so the natural selvedges are the finished edge on two sides. Above a set of striped red napkins and below napkins in checks and stripes. So simple and beautiful. Check out plait-textiles.com for purchasing.