We live in what I like to call a “throw-away society.” We buy things that we like, use them, and when the items become obsolete or broken, we throw them away. Even our large expenses such as vehicles or high-end electronics are eventually going to make their way to the trash heap. We, as consumers, have grown to expect a certain period of use, and then expect to begin looking for a replacement.

One of the most common questions we get at our business is how we can afford to offer our Lifetime 100% Trade-In Policy. It’s a legitimate question. Can you think of any other items that you can purchase, use and abuse, and then return for your full purchase price in in-store credit? I only wish that you could do that with a car…

Hand-knotted oriental rugs should not fall into the “throw-away” category. If constructed properly a hand-knotted rug should last a lifetime, or roughly 70-80 years. Even with heavy wear and tear, a well-maintained rug can last even into 100 or 150 years. And some of the most valuable rugs are literally hundreds of years old.

The secret is held within the construct of a hand-knotted rug, individual knots, tied by hand on a foundation of interwoven strings. The use of strong, natural materials such as wool, cotton, and silk also help to ensure a long lasting product. When a hand-knotted rug is damaged, the damaged knots are removed, the warp and weft re-attached and new knots are tied.

But here is the real secret as to why we can offer the trade-in policy- hand-knotted rugs actually increase in value with both use and age. As the pile of your rug is worn down to the original knots, the rug develops a softness, a patina, and a sharpness of pattern that can only come from many years of wear. (Antique rugs must be at least 100 years old.) This makes the rug not only more rare, but more appealing to those looking for an old-world look and feel.

So that’s how we can do it. You always have the rug you want, and the rug you trade in is more valuable. Everybody wins, everybody is happy! If you would like to learn more, or would like to see the details of our policy, contact a sales associate or visit our website at www.lexingtonorientalrugs.com/tradeinpolicy.

For those of you that don’t know, our store is in Lexington, Kentucky.  Typically, February brings a mixture of either snow or ice to complicate our daily commutes.  Mother Nature has played tricks on us this year, sprinkling in 50 degree sunny days between rain and snow showers to keep us confused about what jacket to wear in the morning.  Spring can’t get here fast enough.  And our store is starting to show our anticipation.

Check out this great room setting I found while wandering our store this morning.  I didn’t need to go too far to find some inspiration… our on-staff designers make sure of that.

The weathered wood style has really come into its own, and the popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing.  It is a casual, yet sophisticated look that will prove to be timeless.  This particular bed is from Lexington Home Brands, the Henry Link Collection.  The Colton’s Point bed will surprise you with a texture and range of color that needs to be seen in person to truly appreciate.

The art above the headboard is by one of our favorite accessory manufacturers, Uttermost.  The mirrored frames add a transitional/contemporary feel to the setting.  The mirror to the right of the bed is by Bernhardt, as is the nailhead chest below.  The small chair that managed to sneak into the picture is the Joanna chair by Taylor King.

We really love the combination of the weathered woods and mirrored frames with the light blue wall.  The setting feels light, soft, and tranquil.  You can almost imagine sunlight coming through an open window while you sleep late on a Sunday. 

Here is a great rug that could be paired with this setting.  The Vestiges Collection by Jaipur Rugs features some wonderful repeating patterns with very subtle colors.  The rugs in this collection are hand-knotted using high-grade wools to last a lifetime.  Not all rugs need to anchor a room, and this one would fit into the setting nicely, accentuating the feel without stealing the show.

Are you aching for spring to be here?  We are.  Come into out showroom and speak with one of our on-staff interior designers to get an early start on the Spring season.  After all, it’s never too early to feather your nest…

Come in and visit our showroom at any time of the year and you will find us stocked with a huge selection of great hand-knotted rugs by a manufacturer named Kalaty. We’ve been working with Kalaty for a long time. There is a perfectly good reason why we have been partners with them for so long… they’re really, really good at making quality handmade rugs.

We love all of the collections that Kalaty has to offer. Many of our employees have Kalaty rugs in their own homes, and our interior designers go a little crazy when we get in new shipments. But we particularly like the English Manner Collection, and we want to tell you why.

Kalaty is a family-run business that began in the early 1900’s in Iran. This business eventually moved to the U.S. and established ties with India for most of their production. Over the years, the company has become synonymous with color consciousness, design innovation, service, and loyalty. And as it turns out, they are pretty good to their people in India, too.

What we like so much about the English Manner collection is that they are simple, yet very elegant. The inspiration for the collection comes from actual royal residences managed by Paul Burrell. Mr. Burrell is a former footman for Queen Elizabeth II and was later a butler to Diana, Princess of Wales. With his experiences, you can imagine that he had access to some of the greatest rug and furniture designs the planet has to offer. Many of the designs within this collection are simple tone-on-tone patterns utilizing texture and subtle color differences to make a statement. Simple, yet elegant, and we love them.

All of the rugs within this collection are hand-knotted using high-grade New Zealand hand-spun wool and natural dyes. They are easy of the eyes just as well as your feet and need to be walked on to truly be experienced. Come in and visit our showroom today to learn more about Kalaty and the Royal Manner Collection.

Hauling rugs around is no easy task.  It takes strength, it takes determination, it takes… a two wheel hand cart so we don’t need as much strength and determination.  We would like to think that moving all of our rugs around has kept us in shape and healthy.  The Urban Mountain Challenge put this thought to task.

Team Lexington Oriental Rugs participated in the 2011 Urban Mountain Challenge on January 28^th.  Why you ask?  Because we love punishment… and because it was a great community event to support local groups.  638 stairs, 29 floors in the Fifth Third building in downtown Lexington.  It was touted as a race against the clock, but as we found out, it was really just a race to not pass out.

Thanks to all of our team members and all of our awesome clients that we saw at the event participating.  And a very special thanks to all of the Lexington service members, police, and firefighters that completed the challenge.  You never appreciate just how hard these people train to save your life until you see them climb 638 stairs in full fire gear faster than you.  Consider us impressed!

Team Lexington Oriental Rugs is a group of company employees, clients, and friends that are interested in giving back to the community through local charity events and fundraisers.  Events vary from charity road races to Habitat for Humanity builds.  You may be able to recognize a team member by their brightly colored shirts, with a team logo on the front and a quirky nickname on the back.  If you would like to join our team, it’s free, and we are always looking for members.  We usually sponsor our members, and members will also get a free team shirt/jersey.  And, of course, the events are always fun and rewarding.  You can learn more by contacting Chad at 859-254-4412 or by visiting our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/rugslex.