I have a new apartment with wood floors and need to soften up part of it for sitting, yoga, stuff like this. I love Persian rugs but can't afford one. I'm wondering, what about an area rug that is basically carpet you would find in somebody's house... only not installed or glued to the floor. Just a roll of carpet. I don't know the terminology. This doesn't have to be fancy. What is the best way to go about getting such a thing? Do carpet stores have surplus carpeting laying around if you don't particularly care about style or size? Thanks for any replies.
I'd get a knockoff Persian before I'd get carpet remnants, but most stores keep leftovers. Call and ask.
A carpet remnant (back of store) cut to the size you want with the edges bound (the store will do it) is quite acceptable. If you want, you can have, say, a 4x6 piece of carpet in one color, then, say 12-wide strips, of a second color on the edges. An example: cream area with brown border. I did that for a very nice rug. It can be any two colors you find in the remnants section of the store. Carpet comes in standard widths, one of which is 12'-wide. If you want a rug that large, you can buy the length you need (say 9' for a 9x12 rug) and have the edges bound. This lets you buy any color of carpet they have, not just what's available in remnants. If you want two rugs, one for the LR and one for the DR, the 12' can be cut any width, so you could have two 6x9s or a 6x9 and a 5x8 (with some left over), etc. If the carpet is still on the roll, you must buy the entire 12' width. The carpet store will do all of this for you, for a small price, even help you figure out sizes. You can check OKorder for persian and persian-type rugs -- some are new, others are older but still beautiful. (Some older persians are worth more than new ones because they're better quality (more knots per square inch) and/or have the patina of age.) Check the listing's wording carefully as to its condition (you want at least good, and they'll tell you if there are any worn ares, and look at the pictures (there'll be a pic of the worn area if there is one). I've bought several, all in good or excellent condition, and they looked new, are beautiful, and will outlast me. If you have any questions, ask the seller. Also, stores like Wal-Mart and Sears sell persian-type rugs that are machine made for a lot less than a real persian. Put a good pad under any rug, 4 smaller so it doesn't show, for greater softness.
