All rugs are not created equal. There is a big difference between hand-knotted, machine made and tufted rugs. The hand-knotted rugs are made by tying individual knots by hand on the loom to create the design and the pile of the rug. This is a laborious process, but results in creating a rug that is valuable and could last for generations. Depending on the intricacy of the design and how tightly the rug is woven, it could take several months to several years to weave even a small hand-knotted rug. In contrast machine made and tufted rugs are much easier and faster to produce. That’s why you see such a price difference between the two. If you’re looking to buy a fine rug your best bet is to find a reputable rug dealer who has been established for many years. They should be able to guide you to find the perfect rug for your home. You are welcome to call Kamran or Kristi, our certified Rug specialist at 248-723-8888 to answer any questions you might have.
Happy Hanukkah!
Birmingham Design Studio wants to wish a Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate!
Top Winter Design Tips of 2018
Although the first day of winter isn’t technically until December 21st, that hasn’t stopped Mother Nature from sending snow and frost our way.
And since we’re already experiencing winter weather, we at Birmingham Design Studio want to share with you some winter design tips and trends.
Here is our list of the top 5 winter interior design tips of 2018:
Dark Palettes
Our favorite dark palette colors include deep greens, purples, grays, and browns. These colors take dominance over other colors in each room they’re in. They also reflect comfort and a more laid-back energy that people usually have in the winter.
Blankets
As with every winter season, blankets and throws are popular again!
This year, the trend is focusing much more on comfort than it has in the past. Some examples of this
include
- Soft and cozy fabrics (cashmere, faux-fur, wool),
- Mismatched comforter and pillow sets,
- Decorative pillows, and
- Extra throws and blankets on top of comforters.
Sparkling Accents
Sparkling accents bring a sense of winter and the look of snow inside your house, without bringing in any of the cold.
A little goes a long way with sparkle though. Too much will be distracting and oftentimes too bright.
Some types of sparkling accents include white snowflakes, gold stars, or poinsettias in rose gold pots.
Wreaths
Largely considered a Christmas tradition, we think that wreaths should be popular all winter long.
Wreaths can be hung on the front door, in windows, or over the mantle. Considering that wreaths fall into the darker green color palette we already love, that’s another positive. Wreaths also symbolize growth, which is great to keep in mind going into the New Year.
If you want a real wreath, you will have to replace it a couple of times, however artificial wreaths are also sold.
Textures/Patterns
Textures and patterns from all over the world have been popping up in clothes and in homes this season.
Some of the most popular textures are
- Rugged nomadic styles,
- Intricate block prints,
- Rich mohairs,
- Velvets,
- Paisleys, and
- Glittery sequins.
Persian Rugs Represent the Best of Oriental Rugs
Why are Persian Rugs typically better than other Oriental Rugs?
Fine Persian Tabriz Rug.
I’ve been in the Oriental Rug business for 30 years now and have dealt with many types of Oriental Rugs. While there are many fine rugs produced in different countries, in my opinion fine Persian Rugs are far superior. That opinion is based on following reasons.
- Fine Persian Rugs are like pieces of art. Each rug has a soul and conveys the beauty of an art that dates back over 2500 years.
- The workmanship and degree of detail is unmatched by any other Oriental Rug.
- Persian rugs are produced in different parts of Iran and exhibit unique designs, color palette and weave characteristics of the area they are produced in. Each city, village and tribe have their own signature style.
- Because of the variety of designs available in Persian Rugs, they’re easy to use in Traditional, Transitional and Modern Interiors.
- The testament to quality of Persian Rugs is the auctions in Sotheby’s and Christie’s where you see Antique Persian Rugs fetching very high prices. Good Persian Rugs don’t just get old, they become precious antiques.
How come I don’t see fine Persian Rugs in many of Rug Stores, Furniture Stores, Design Centers, and Interior Design Studios?
Offering Fine Persian Rugs require knowledgeable rug experts on staff and substantial investment in inventory. They are one-of-a-kind works of art for people who appreciate their beauty, workmanship, history and can afford the best, and you can’t get the same exact one in a different size. Mass produced less expensive rugs that are being promoted heavily in shelter magazines or by sales people/ designers at national and local chain furniture stores don’t require knowledgeable rug expert or large investment to carry and are much easier to sell in volume. So you may never be presented with the best choice for your home.
How do I find a Persian Rug that’s ideal for my room?
Your best bet is to find a reputable dealer near where you live who specializes in Persian Rugs and has been in business for many years. They should be able to find a rug that works with your decor and budget.
- Ask them to take the rug home and see it in your space.
- Look at it during the day and at night. Also view it both from the light side and the dark side.
- Ask what makes that rug special and why the dealer thinks it’s a good choice for you.
- The rug should feel at home when you lay it down in its intended space.
Avoid auctions unless you’re an expert. Definitely avoid “Going out of Business” sales unless you know the dealer has been in business for many years and are very familiar with the quality of their merchandise and what they normally carry. Also buying online from a photo could give you a lot less than you bargained for.
With the variety of designs and colors available it’s impossible to walk in to a showroom and expect to find the rug of your dreams right away. We talk to our clients to find out what they like, their room, fabrics, furniture, decorating style, how they use the room and then search throughout the country and over seas to find the perfect rug for them. Then we allow them to take it home to make sure it works and shop us around if they wish. When they are comfortable to make a decision then we talk about them acquiring the rug.
For more information feel free to contact Kamran or Kristi Karimpour or check us out on Facebook or Instagram!
Thanksgiving Color Suggestions
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching! While you may have the perfect sweet potato recipe, you’re in need of some decorating tips for your Thanksgiving table.
Birmingham Design Studios is here to help! Here are our top 10 Thanksgiving color suggestions, plus some decoration tips.
- Orange and White: Orange is considered the traditional Thanksgiving color and pairing it with white means that the orange will pop even more. Decorate the table with miniature white and orange pumpkins and alternate between the two colors.
- Red, Orange, Yellow, and Brown: Traditional fall colors can be combined to make a festive looking Thanksgiving table. We recommend using brown as the accent color and adding decorative turkeys around the table.
- Neutrals and Sage: Mix white, tan, and cream colors with sage for a natural looking Thanksgiving dinner table. Decorate each person’s plate with a sage branch and attach a name tag.
- Burgundy and Copper: These two colors combine beautifully to create a table that steals the show away from the food! Decorate by scattering fake burgundy leaves around the table and use copper napkins to reinforce the color scheme.
- Black and Gold: Both colors in this set make the other stand out. No matter how you decorate the table, it’ sure to look good. Switch up the napkins and tablecloth colors so that you don’t get too much of one color.
- Yellow, White, and Tan: These neutral but bright colors create a very down-to-earth table. Decorate using natural materials, such as a burlap tablecloth, and contrast that with yellow napkins for a real feel of the color scheme.
- Gray and Burgundy: Contrast a bold color with a dimmer one to create a memorable Thanksgiving table. Use gray as the main color and add burgundy flowers as the accent color.
- Deep Purple and Burnt Orange: These two colors are popular right now! Combine them for an “in” Thanksgiving table. If you want to use deep purple as the accent color, add hydrangeas as flowers. If you want to use burnt orange as the accent color, scatter burnt orange rose petals on the tablecloth.
- Gold and Light Green: Combine shades of light green and light gold for an earthy-feeling table. The gold makes the occasion celebratory, while the green keeps the occasion grounded. Decorate with gold plates and utensils while having shades of green for the tablecloth, napkins, and placemats.
- Neutrals and Oranges: Use cream, tan, and sand with various shades of orange to create a table that goes from lighter to darker. Keep the sliding scale in mind when decorating and make sure all your decorations match the color they’re on.
If you want more help, stop in or call us at 248-723-8888.
What is a Persian Heriz Rug?
Persain Heriz Rugs
Persian Heriz Rugs are made in villages near the city of Tabriz in the north western part of modern day Iran. The craftsmen of this area use Turkish Knott to weave beautiful capets with simple and stylized designs that are very appealing to the eye. They fit well in Modern as well as Traditional Interiors. The older less busy Heriz rugs are sometimes called Serapi.
Beautiful Antique Persian Heriz Rug
Choosing Your Oriental Rug first makes your Interior Design Project Easier.
Persian & Oriental Rug Gallery at Birmingham Design Studio
An Oriental Rug creates a center of gravity for your room.
The right Rug would anchor the room and allow you to arrange your furniture around it. It can also be used to define space specially in open floor plans.
It is much easier to find fabrics that work with an Oriental Rug than vice versa.
Finding the right rug could be difficult, specially if you like a more unique piece like a Perisan Rug. Many of the fine hand knotted rugs are one-of-a-kind. If you’re looking for a higher quality unique pieces you can make your lifemuch easier by finding the rug first. That is because there are many choices of fabrics avilable to select from for your furniture that would coordinate with your rug. But if you start with the fabrics first, finding a unique rug becomes very difficult. Any competent designer could help you find several choices that would work with your rug based on your taste and lifestyle. You can also take the fabric swatches home and look at it next to your rug to decide which one you like the best.
It makes sense to build from ground up.
Once you’ve chosen your Oriental Rug it is easy to lay out fabrics for different pieces of furniture next to the rug and make your final selections. You could also pick the finishes you want for your furniture.
From there you can consider your choices for paint colors and drapery fabrics. You can make all these decisions before you start ordering your furniture pieces and because everything builds up from the rug you would end up with a well coordinated color pallete for the room.
Have an Oriental Rug expert find the best rug for your project.
At Birmingham Design Studio we have two Oriental Rug experts with over 28 years of experience who will search the entire country to fine the best rug for you. We also have an in house professional design team and carry many of the top fabric lines in addtion to the fabrics available from the furniture manufacturers to help you or your designer find the best choices for you.
Contact Kamran or Kristi at Birmingham Design Studio for more advice.
Real Oriental Rugs in Michigan: How to recognize a real Hand-Knotted Oriental Rug
A reputable dealer who specializes in hand-knotted Oriental rugs and has an established business in the same location for many years would be your best source for finding real Oriental Rugs in Michigan.
How to Tell if your looking at a real Oriental Rug.
A fine Hand-Knotted rug is truly a labor of love and could take months even years for skilled artisans to weave. After you see a few high quality Persian Rugs, it would be easy for you to tell a true work of art from mass produced floor coverings.
Here are several ways to tell if the rug you’re looking at is really Hand-Knotted;
1. The fringe on a real oriental rug is an integral part of the rug itself. It is the continuation of the warp threads that run across the
length of the rug’s foundation. In other words it’s not sewn onto the rug.
2. If you open the pile of the rug you’d actually see the knots at the base of the pile threads.
Machine made and tufted rugs don’t have knots.
3. You can not pull the pile threads out of a real Rug, because they’re knotted. Some rugs just loop the yarn on the foundation.
They’re not considered true Oriental Rugs.
4. Generally you could see the pattern of the rug on the back side of it as well. Tufted rugs usually have a backing.
Some machine made rugs show the design on the back.
5. The handle of a real Oriental rug is much different from tufted or machine made rugs.
Learn more by contacting Kamran Karimpour at Birmingham Design Studio: https://www.birminghamdesignstudio.com/rugs.inc
