There's a certain 'je ne ce quois' about a carpeted floor. Is it the warmth that carpet provides? How about the comforting feel of walking on carpet? Any other floor covering, no matter how beautiful, is still just a cold, hard floor. On my new Brazilian Cherry hardwood floor, I would still lay a look for that perfect accent carpet rug. On my Carrera marble floor, I would still want the warmth and softness of a carpet.
The original hardwood floor with a carpet rug is a green choice as well. Natural woven carpets are backed with sisal, hemp or jute. Grass mats are a green solution. They are made from recycled, quick growing reeds. Grass and natural fiber woven carpets can provide income as a cottage industry for poor laborers. Grass carpets smell fresh and clean. Natural carpets cause fewer allergy problems. Mold does not grow as it does with synthetic carpets. Be sure to purchase natural rugs from fair trades sources. Avoid companies which make their rugs using slave labor.
In times past, carpets were actually large area rugs that reached almost to the wall, but were not fastened down. These carpets were quite thin, more like large pieces of embroidery. The carpets had to be taken up periodically for cleaning. Carpet cleaning was an arduous task that involved rolling up huge carpets 16'- 22' feet wide. They were taken outside. Then the carpets had to be beaten with 'rug beaters'. Rug beaters were made of wire bent into intricate patterns. The housewife would beat the rug to remove dust. Imagine the allergens and dust that got into every pore of the body!
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