Sequins were a big trend on the spring/summer 17 runways, but we took the trend a step further by rounding up some of our favourite high shine items from around the web.
For those of you looking to add a little more glam to your rooms, look no further than the luxury that metallics add. Shine, whether it is through sequins, silk, velvet, or metal, will brighten up any room (or outfit) and create a rich feeling.
As if finding one rug wasn’t complicated enough, the trend of layering rugs has been popping up everywhere lately! This look can create an interesting visual effect. To assist you in your search, we put together 6 tips to consider.
1. Contrast Size
If there is a rug you love, but it is a little too small, add a larger rug underneath. You could also use a smaller rug to highlight and define areas of the room. Make sure to leave about a foot boarder on all sides to allow the carpets some space. You can also use a runner on top of a rug for a fun update.
2. Contrast Shape
Play with a round or irregular shape carpets on top of rectangular carpets to create an interesting visual, or turn one of the carpets on a 45-degree angle. By slightly overlapping two odd shaped rugs, you can create a more traditional shape, and fill a wider area.
3. Contrast Colour
If you are going to pick two patterns to layer, make sure they are similar styles and colours. Have the bottom rug match more closely to your furniture, and the top rug contrast to allow the room a little break. By choosing rugs from the same weaving house, the rugs will likely have similar construction and dyes, meaning they will look like they go together better.
You can also look at layering a coloured rug on top of a more neutral rug. This may be easier to match and look less busy.
4. Play with Texture
If you are into the shag rugs or hides, look at layering one on top of a flat weave or shaved carpet. It will add some playfulness in the room if you are looking to keep the carpets in the same tones. Make sure to use the flatter carpet on the bottom, to avoid bumps and rippling in your top carpet.
5. Keep it Cohesive
As with your décor, make sure both carpets match the feel of the rest of your room. By pulling in colours or tones from other areas of your décor, the rugs will fill the space nicely and not look too busy.
6. Don’t be afraid!
Layering rugs is a trend that has been popping up all over for the past little while. If you’re going to tackle this trend, look for help. There are many very talented interior designers in Toronto. When doing your shopping, bring us pictures of the room and fabric samples. This will help us know what you are working with and streamline the entire process.
Jane Lockhart wrote and article for the Toronto Sun about choosing carpets! We always enjoy seeing her in the studio, and thank her for the shout out.
When vacationing in new country it can be stressful trying to communicate with locals and find your way around if you don’t speak the native tongue. Most people will try to learn a few key phrases, or maybe buy a pocket dictionary before their travels. When it comes to businesses though, most industries tend to have jargon they speak, and as a consumer it can be just as frustrating.
We believe that educating our clients is one of the best ways to ensure customers are happy with their decisions, and to help out, or as a little refresher, we pulled together a list of words you might hear in a carpet store, so you can feel a little more confident the next time you come by.
Warp:
The easiest way to describe the warp is that is it’s the vertical yarn. In some cases, it is visible (see flat weave). In most carpets though, the knots are tied to the warp.
Weft:
The weft is the horizontally thread going over and under the warp. In a flat weave, it is what you see, and in any other kind of carpet, they keep the carpet together.
Hand:
The hand of a carpet, just like the hand of a fabric, is the feel. The had can be soft, coarse, smooth, light, or many other things. It’s just a technical name for how the carpet feels and acts under touch.
Light side/Dark side:
Most rugs are woven on vertical looms, and where the weaving starts becomes the dark side of the carpets. This is because the fibers fall in one direction, so there is a smooth side and rough side to the carpet. Looking at the smooth side, colours will appear more subdue. We recommend that you look at wool and silk carpets from the soft side, because the silk will shine. Looking at the rough side, there is less reflected light, and colours will appear bolder.
Pile:
The pile of the carpet is the thread that sticks up from the knots. Shaved carpets have little to no pile, while shag carpets have a long pile height.
Cut and Loop:
Loop and cut carpets combine threads that are looped with threads that stand straight. This can be used as a technique to create interesting textures and patterns. You can see an example below of Piece no. 27558, where the beige is a looped wool and the cut pile is plum bamboo.
Cut Pile:
A cut pile carpet is simply when the loops of pile that are created during the weaving process are cut. This is the majority of carpets that we carry at W Studio.
Over Dyed:
Over dyed is when an old carpet, or new carpet, is given new life by being re-dyed. Some of the original pattern may show through the new dye colour, but generally in an uneven fashion. This creates a fun and playful feel, as it can be done in very vivid colours.
Hand Knotted:
A hand knotted carpet is the traditional way of making carpets, and dates back thousands of years. The number of artisans weaving the carpet depends on the carpet width. This style of weaving can take months, and sometimes years, to finish.
Hand Tufted:
When a carpet is hand tufted, a person with a hand-held tufting gun to shoot yarns onto the backing, it takes less time to create a carpet using this method than it does to create a hand knotted carpet.
High-Low:
A high-low carpet infers that some of the carpet pile is higher than others, usually in the form of a pattern or a different colour. This can be done in tone on tone, with different fibers, or it can be very intricate.
Flat Weave:
Flat weave carpets are made by weaving together the warp and weft. There is less material used here than in a knotted carpet, but there can still be many patterns and interesting textures that can be made with a flat weave. Using the same size warp and weft can create a very uniform looking carpet, but varying the sizes can create something more playful. Below you can see a close up of a flat weave, Piece no. 27715.
Broadloom:
Broadloom is a term for carpeting that runs wall to wall. There are many different styles, patterns and types of broadloom available.
Traditional/Classic:
Traditional or classic style carpets are carpets with patterns that are based off the old weaving look. They used to be used to tell a story of the artisans’ town, but can have many different styles and motifs within them. The patterns are generally balanced and have a border. Piece no. 16088 is a beautiful traditional carpet. 
Transitional:
Transitional carpets generally pull motifs from traditional/classic styles, but generally don’t have a border, or have a more heavily repeated pattern. Piece no. 27762 is a great example of a transitional carpet.
Contemporary:
Contemporary carpets can feature graphics or can be abstract, and can even have a graphic pattern. This term is more a catch-all for carpet that don’t fit within the other two styles. Piece no. 27710 is an example of a contemporary carpet.
Fringe:
Some carpets have fringe at the ends of the carpet, which is generally an extension of the warp of the carpet. It can be cut short or even cut off in some cases depending on personal taste. Not all carpets have fringe. Piece no. 27794 had quite long fringe.
Knots per Square Inch:
Knots per square inch means exactly what it says, but it can imply a few different things about the carpet. Carpets with a higher knot count can have more intricate patterns, with a higher resolution. A higher knot count takes more time to be woven, making them comparatively more expensive than carpets composed of the same type of material in the same size with a lower knot count.
On Loom:
When a carpet is on loom, it just means it is in the process of being woven. Before a carpet can be put on loom, the raw materials need to be gathered, dyed, and spun.
We hope that this has helped educate you a little more on the world of carpets! For a full educational experience, come in to 1330 Castlefield Ave, or call us to book an appointment at 416.929.9290.
Kitchens are an essential part of any residence. They are used frequently and can be where your family comes to gather around the day for meals, snacks, and catching up. You spend time cooking, cleaning and prepping for meals, and can spend quite a bit of time on your feet.
By adding a carpet in your kitchen, you can do many things. Adding a carpet can add warmth and coziness to the space, and break up a room that is usually full of hard angles, for your floors, counters, cupboards, and appliances. Changing up your rug can also be a great way to freshen up the room without undergoing kitchen renovations.
Of course, it is always important to understand the size of the room you are working with. Runners work in a small area between your sink and your kitchen island, and you can always choose a small matt if you want to just have something to keep your feet warm in front of the sink and stove. If you plan to fill your whole kitchen, we recommend that you keep about a foot and a half border on all sides of the rugs, so that you can see a little of the floor.
The colour is always important when choosing a rug. You add character to a space that might otherwise be quite bland, or keep with a monochromatic, uniform theme. You want to make sure you work with the rest of your décor to achieve an overall feel. If you cannot decide how you want the rug to fit in with the rest of the room, go to this blog post (here) and follow the steps.
A low pile height usually works best around doors that swing open, and stand up well to high traffic. A high pile rug works well for adding extra comfort and warmth. A high traffic area calls for something durable. Because there is nothing more durable than natural fibers, they are a good place to start. Wool, or something with a high wool percentage, is probably the best option.
Like all carpets, we recommend that if you need cleaning, you leave it to the professionals. Chemicals used in most cleaners can cause the fibres of the rug to slowly break down over a number of years, and can cause damage to the carpet and its colours further down the road. If you are looking to have your carpet cleaned, feel free to call us at 416-929-9290, and we can have it cleaned for you by one of the professionals in our network.
There is always safety to consider when choosing any product for your home. W Studio always carries underpads for rugs, which are important so your carpet doesn’t slip around. This can be a great way to avoid any possible injuries. Wool is also flame resistant, but it is always important to make sure your home is equipped with the proper safety measures.
As sprig is a time for renovations, you may find yourself looking for a new rug. Or you may just be spring cleaning and decide it is time to switch up your space. One of the most important things to consider when choosing a new rug is what you want it to accomplish for the room. Your rug is usually on of the largest pieces of décor, so it has a pretty big impact on your room. We are here to walk you through choosing a piece accomplishes what you want and ties your space together.
The first thing that you have to consider is weather you want the carpet to be the focal point of your room or the backdrop. Weather you want to play it safe or go bold, take into account the other pieces in your room; the texture, colours, size, and weather or not there are any patterns to be aware of.
Now, once you have decided which direction you want to go with your carpet you have to consider how both the pattern and colour will go with the room. If you are looking to go bold with the carpet, choose a stand out colour or a bold pattern. If you are looking to play it safe with your carpet, go with a neutral colour, or choose a smaller scale pattern.
The next thing to keep in mind is the texture. If your room is full of glass and metal, you can use wool or a shag to go bold, but use silk or bamboo to create a safe look. Oh the other hand, if your room is filled with fairly matte textures, use silk to create a contrast and wool to play it safe. Playing around with the percentages of wool and silk can also create a difference in the outcome of the room as a whole and the price of the carpet.
No matter what look you are going for, the scale of the carpet is important to keep the room looking balanced. If you have high ceilings and a large room, going with a smaller carpet or pattern can make the carpet look out of place, or make it look like the space isn’t properly filled. If your room is on the smaller side, having a large patter or carpet could overwhelm the other elements of the décor.
No matter what the look you are going for, we are here to help. If you know what you are looking for send us your wish list and we will hand, select a number of options for you to view. If you don’t know where to start, call us or book an appointment to see us at the studio or have us do a complimentary house visit. If we don’t have exactly what you are looking for, we can source it or have it custom made for your space.
Follow this quiz below to see our recommendations on what you should look for!
Check out this great infographic about the psychology of colour. Do you agree with these statements?
Made from the durable fibres of bamboo, our bamboo silk lines of hand-knotted carpets can be both casual and elegant to the eye, but luxurious to the touch. These carpets have been extremely popular and it’s easy to see why: the colours are deep & rich but truly come to life when seen as a whole piece on the floor. No image can truly provide the depth and variation of colour as much as seeing (and touching) them in person. To see them for yourself and to learn more about bamboo silk, please stop by the W STUDIO main showroom at Designers Walk Bldg Nº5 in Toronto or by visit us online at: http://www.wstudio.ca
Imagine 150 of these knots in one square inch, that is the average knot-count for our carpets–all of which are hand-knotted.
This month we take a look inside Amanda Forrest’s home exploring her rockstar glam aesthetic and how it influences her interior design sensibilities…(click anywhere on the article to see a larger version in your browser)
A new monthly series showcasing some our favourite Interior Designers in their favourite spaces.
Head on over to the W STUDIO Online Outlet to see the entire selection here: http://www.wstudio.ca/outlet.html
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