Outdoor rugs can inject comfort and color to porches, decks and patios.
More rugs featuring colorful prints and designs and made from materials that can withstand outdoor elements appear to be on the market, said Atlanta home stager and real estate agent Krisztina Bell, owner of Virtually Staging Properties and No Vacancy.
Rugs are not just a welcoming addition under your feet on a hot or cold day. They can complete a space, too. Homeowners also can add a rug after pressure-washing a porch floor, or if they want to update a porch without painting it, she said.
Popular patterns are found in outdoor/indoor rugs such as the black-and-white chevron design by Ballard Designs (retails for $12-$229, depending on the size) or the starburst design by Jaipur (starting at $345 for a 5-by-8 rug).
Spring hues include the peacock blue and mint green rug in the Picnic line by Surya, a Calhoun-based home decor company with a showroom at AmericasMart in Atlanta. The reversible indoor-outdoor rug is made of 100 percent PVC that is hand-woven in India, with a suggested retail price of $249 for the 5-by-8-foot rug. New products include a sailboat-themed indoor/outdoor rug by Jellybean Brand Rugs, designed by painter and printmaker Cynthia MacCollum (suggested retail price $79.99 for 34-by-54 rug and $199.99 for 58-by-78 rug). It is expected in stores in April.
When buying an outdoor rug, it is important to look at the materials, which could determine how long they last. The Mad Mats handmade rugs by Philadelphia-based Mariachi Imports consist of 100 percent recycled polypropylene, from items such as plastic milk jugs and containers, and are UV-protected and fade-proof, according to Mariachi. The rugs come in geometric, folk art, traditional and floral patterns, such as the daisy pattern in violet, green or rust. The 6-by-9 foot rug retails for $130. An underwater coral and starfish rug, made of polypropylene and designed by Robin Pickens, can be hosed off, according to the maker, Homefires Brand Rugs. Prices range from $49.99-$699.99, depending on the size, at madisonatmain.com.
Outdoor rugs can be a splurge, too. A handmade rug by Trans-Ocean Import uses the patented Lamontage process invented by Liora Manne, a Georgia State University graduate who lives in New York. The high-tech process layers acrylic and/or polyester fibers with needle punching, which converts the loose, hand-laid fibers into a nonwoven fabric on a needle loom. The 100 percent polyester rugs are durable and antimicrobial treated, said Dean Smith, vice president of sales for Trans-Ocean Import in White Plains, NY. The 5-by-8 Visions IV collection rugs come in patterns such as arch tile, in lapis and red, and the suggested retail prices is $750.
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