Transcript
A (0:01)
Next time on Dear alice. Do you have any tips for our listeners on how buyers can evaluate the quality and craftsmanship when they're choosing a rug?
B (0:12)
Sure. I mean, first of all, I would always say is make sure you're buying it from a trusted source, you know, that somebody you know has reputable reputation. So and then secondly, I would say also think about how are you going to live with that rug? What space is that rug going in? And as you said, you have pets, kids, what is the traffic and what is your budget? And then based on that, I always say, look, even though handmade rugs have the reputation of being more expensive, you can find an amazing handmade rug at a good price and value these days because there are so many different types of constructions. So I'm a rug geek. So I always look at the back of the rug and I can tell, you know, okay, like if there is no, most of the time that it's either a nice flat weave or it's a hand knotted rug, you know, if you have a canvas backing, then you'll know that it's a hand tufted rug. If and then machine made rugs, you're able to tell pretty quickly because they don't fall too well and you know, they feel like they're synthetic. So I would say, you know, think about again where the, how you're going to use that rug, you know, a little bit about, you know, what's your budget. And then I would just say again, pick a fiber that's going to last you for a long time. Think about whether you like thin rugs or you like really plush rugs. Touch and feel it to see if it has a soft hand. I always do the rub test again to see the shedding part because like wool as a fiber naturally will shed a little bit in the beginning, but a good wool rug will stop shedding over time. And when you do that rub test, if you have a lot of coming out, that means it hasn't been, you know, that means maybe they didn't use the right length of the fibers, so exactly the right wool. And you know, so I would say look at the materials, make sure it's, you know, you can look at the construction, look at the look and feel of the rug and touch it, make sure it feels soft, it feels well made. The backing is always a good idea. And then again, it's all about how you're going to use it and what's, and what are your needs because a lot of people have different, you know, rugs can be everything from beautiful plush piles all the way to, like, flat weaves, which I personally love, that are thin. That doesn't mean they're not well made. It's just that they are thinner, so they have a thinner profile. And so knowing those things and asking for those ahead of time and doing a little bit of research always helps.
A (2:48)
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