I have had great luck w/ wool rugs. I purchased a runner from Overstock that we used for the steps...has held up wonderfully!

I also have a set of fake rugs (maybe olefin?)that I bought in 1997-98 from Home Depot and they are still in great condition. Ironically, I still love them too which is surprising since I have had them for so long.

No real advice I guess, but I do not think you can go wrong with wool.

I buy authentic hand knotted wool rugs. 100 sq knots per inch is the rule for high traffic areas. We have inherited many. DHs great uncle was a carpet imported around 1900. We have a few very valuable ones. If you've done your homework and watch the shipping, great deals can be had on Ebay.

Laying rugs in a house is an art in itself.

Love hand knotted all wool rugs - you just can't beat them, they last forever with little care, and I love the way they feel too.

I don't know if Karastan has rugs that are not Orientals but they hold up extremely well. After more than ten years of heavy use mine doesn't look much different from when I first bought it.

I second the advice from Ingrid.

The oriental rugs that I have in high use areas (TV room and living room) have had the fringes worn. I'm not sure how to repair them since they are the woof? or weave? that the rug itself is knotted on. But there has definately been a wear issue there.

The toughest rug I have is a hand looped wool rug that I got at a crafts fair.It was made in West Virginia. It lies in the side entry way and gets constantly walked on with dirty shoes and boots. I have brought it to the laundry mat to wash in the bigger machines and I have also washed it myself outside with a hose and woolite and it still looks wonderful. I paid a fair amount of money for it to the woman who actually made it, and it was a very good investment.

Hand knotted rugs are your best investment.

Barb, don't know which area you're in, but I've had the fringe on my Moroccan and my Tibetan replaced by an expert cleaner/restorer who operates in the NOVA area. It's amazing what fine craftsmen can do, and wasn't all that expensive. If you can't find a source in your locale, it may be worth shipping the rug for cleaning and repair to the closest expert.

Abundantblesssings,

Thanks for the advice. I'm far away from NOVA, but I will look around for someone closer. Perhaps the dealer I bought them from can give a referance.

I am trying to educate myself about quality rugs. I found this unique hand hooked wool rug on Etsy. The maker says that it "was hooked on rug warp. It is "fine" (as opposed to "primitive") hooking, meaning I use fine-cut strips of wool fabric, each loop pulled up by hand." She also says, "keep the pets off it! Cats love to lie on these rugs, but the loops don't always respond well to kitty claws."

Is the kitty part true of all hooked rugs? I love the way they look but I don't want to buy something that my cats will destroy!

{{!gwi}}

Artlover, I'd hang that on the wall, out of kitty reach. It's more art than rug.

Sueb, dunno where you went. If you've got lots of $ then go for it. But if you're more concerned about your kids having fun and you being more relaxed, why not look for something on CL for now, and invest in higher quality rugs when your kids are older and more responsible? I got CL rugs because I have pets. I love the rugs, I loved the price, and I don't feel a bit uptight about the rugs, which is wonderfully relaxing. Besides, all my $$ went directly to some nice folks in my immediate area -- not to China or wherever.

I actually was asking for a friend, and she ended up buying a Karastan. The store was having a great sale plus she got a rebate that Karastan is offering this month. I didn't expect her to like Karastan because she was leaning more contemporary, but she fell in love w/ one of their new designs that is pretty contemporary. Thanks for all the input!

That hooked rug us cuteness itself!

I have 5 boys who are very hard on area rugs. The average live of a living room rug in our home is about 2 years. Locally, there is a company that cleans oriental and area rugs. If I'm in the market for a "new" rug, I'll ask them to call me if any "room size, blue/gold, wool orientals" have not been picked up, and they usually sell them to me for a steal.

Try natural rugs like sisal rugs and with border jute rugs. They are eco-friendly and at the same durable.

Here is a link that might be useful: sisal rugs

i'd have to advise against sisal... not easy to clean and not particularly comfortable. i had wool/synthetic blends made up with borders for our last house and they worked out wonderfully. if you go to a reputable showroom they may be able to guide you. good luck!

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-clean-a-sisal-rug.htm

O, good point about the pets. We'll be shopping for rugs in a few weeks, all in high traffic areas. We have two dogs and two cats. The cats I can train..knock knock knock, but it's the 14 year old dog who'll do her thing when I'm not looking.

So I too need rug advice. I assume wool rugs are hard to spot clean?

Oh! I noticed something interesting in the floor store when we were there. They had a very large area rug, not sure of the brand, but the main color was black. At a distance it looked awfully faded or dusty, and I know they vacuum because their floor is a showcase unto itself! The rug wasn't near a window either.

I'm wondering if black background rugs look lighter than they should? It was enough for me to do a doubletake!

I have 2 large sized Safavieh's and the wool is tight and barely sheds. In my investigations of rugs, I've learned that nylon is the most durable...fade resistant, can be hosed, good for hard ware. I have a nylon Sphinx that I'm pretty happy with...especially good for bathrooms.