Deborah from Houston wanted some gray alpaca pillows recently. As it happens we have them in both Huacaya, which is the most prevalent Alpaca breed, but also in Suri, which is less common. We were sold out of the gray Huacaya, so I was hoping she would like the Suri. Deborah ended up getting the Suri in both 20in round Cool Gray and 16x24 Blue-Gray.

Deborah was kind enough to send us some photos of how she was using them in her high rise. As you can see, the pillows have found favor with Basia, her doggie. Looks as if Basia really enjoys relaxing on them, and they didn't need to be stuffed either!

Deborah tells me that Basia had been scratching the chairs in her husband’s office, but now that she has the pillows, the scratching has stopped. I hope that doesn’t wear off! I’m not sure if the pillows were bought for her, but they definitely belong to Basia now!

Deborah wanted to know if I thought her dog was spoiled. The answer is YES!! It looks as if she’s the boss around the high rise, so it’s very fitting that she gets pouffy fur pillows to sleep on… Actually we sell a lot of alpaca pillows and rugs for people’s pets. It's easy to understand if they are all as cute as Basia!

See more Suri Alpaca Pillows on our website, SoftRugs.com.

I have noticed that while people may own many things, there are always a few possessions that are especially prized over others. Maybe they are exceptionally useful, or beautiful, or hold sentimental value. Often they are things that simply evoke a special time or place in one’s life. And when they are lost, there can be a strong desire to replace them. I know that in this business we often get requests to replace rugs that were lost for one reason or another.

Rosia from Nashville, Tennessee, had for years owned a round Alpaca rug from Peru. She had purchased it in Pigeon Forge and it meant a lot to her, so when it was lost, she naturally wanted to replace it. The store in Pigeon Forge was out of business, so she spent 3 years on and off, searching the internet for one similar. Finally, she found our website and saw there an Inca Wheel pattern round rug that seemed a direct match for her old one. When she called us at SoftRugs though, I had to tell her that our Alpaca rugs are all handmade in Peru from pelts on hand. Consequently, no two have the exact same coloration. We had no white-bordered Inca Wheels like the one shown on our website, in stock. Typically we never know what Lima is going to send us next, so there was no predicting when we would get one in!

We do take special orders though, and so we sent a request down to Peru with a picture of the rug she had set her heart on. Our designers had no trouble with the colors she wanted. When the rug arrived at SoftRugs, I knew she was going to love it, because it looked just like the picture. I will use Rosia’s words to tell the rest:

'Once the rug arrived I was totally happy and completely satisfied. Everyone who has visited my home since I placed the rug in my Living Room loves it and wants to know where I got it from. My grandkids, along with other kids that visit, love this rug and just want to lay and roll on it because of its unique softness. I have to constantly try to keep them off of it. I truly love this rug and the cost was very reasonable. It gives my Living Room a very attractive and elegant look'

Rosia

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I have noticed that while people may own many things, there are always a few possessions that are especially prized over others. Maybe they are exceptionally useful, or beautiful, or hold sentimental value. Often they are things that simply evoke a special time or place in one’s life. And when they are lost, there can be a strong desire to replace them. I know that in this business we often get requests to replace rugs that were lost for one reason or another.

Rosia from Nashville, Tennessee, had for years owned a round Alpaca rug from Peru. She had purchased it in Pigeon Forge and it meant a lot to her, so when it was lost, she naturally wanted to replace it. The store in Pigeon Forge was out of business, so she spent 3 years on and off, searching the internet for one similar. Finally, she found our website and saw there an Inca Wheel pattern round rug that seemed a direct match for her old one. When she called us at SoftRugs though, I had to tell her that our Alpaca rugs are all handmade in Peru from pelts on hand. Consequently, no two have the exact same coloration. We had no white-bordered Inca Wheels like the one shown on our website, in stock. Typically we never know what Lima is going to send us next, so there was no predicting when we would get one in!

We do take special orders though, and so we sent a request down to Peru with a picture of the rug she had set her heart on. Our designers had no trouble with the colors she wanted. When the rug arrived at SoftRugs, I knew she was going to love it, because it looked just like the picture. I will use Rosia’s words to tell the rest:

'Once the rug arrived I was totally happy and completely satisfied. Everyone who has visited my home since I placed the rug in my Living Room loves it and wants to know where I got it from. My grandkids, along with other kids that visit, love this rug and just want to lay and roll on it because of its unique softness. I have to constantly try to keep them off of it. I truly love this rug and the cost was very reasonable. It gives my Living Room a very attractive and elegant look'

Rosia

]]> https://www.softrugs.com/softrugs-newsletter/great-horned-owl-makes-awesome-nature-study-in-alpaca-fur-rug/ Fri, 30 Dec 2016 13:11:33 +0000 https://www.softrugs.com/softrugs-newsletter/great-horned-owl-makes-awesome-nature-study-in-alpaca-fur-rug/

Most people I believe, have some animal species that they feel a special connection to. Some people tend towards the exotic (think panther or sea turtle) while for many of us, a simple dog or cat is our connection to the natural world. It may be a spiritual connection, or there may simply be a love for the great outdoors. For whatever reason, images of favorite animals will always be a popular decorating accent for many people.

Kenny from South Carolina wanted us to create a custom alpaca rug for him, featuring a Great Horned Owl. He sent us the pictures you can see at the top of this post, that were used as models for the rug seen below.

Alpaca may not seem an ideal medium for animal art, but it really has a lot going for it. For one thing, alpaca is extremely soft and warm, enabling you to actually touch your animal art, once it has been created (try that with a painting!). And since alpaca is so light, it can be used as a wall-hanging just as easily as a rug. Alpaca comes naturally in a wide range of colors, remarkably suitable for depicting nature. And while fur may not seem to lend itself to intricate detailing; take a look at the owl close-up below .

Note the fine details on the breast and wing, and keep in mind that this owl is only about 20 inches tall!

Children love to stroke these alpaca "pictures", making them ideal for a child's room. Every child (and most adults) have a favorite animal that they would like to feel close to. Alpaca fur is a great way to let them do that.

If you have an idea for a custom project, give us a call, or email, and we will be more than happy to discuss your decorating options.

Kenny’s custom project can be seen below, as a 3 x 5 rug. Kenny called us as soon as he received his owl, to tell us how happy it made him. Favorite critters will do that!

Almost everybody likes Superman. At least it seems so to me. People read the comics, go see the Superman movies, or perhaps just like the idea that someone is out there, righting wrongs. If you do have a soft spot for Superman, then I think you will like this custom alpaca rug that we made recently for a doctor in New Orleans.

When Brandon called me with his idea for a rug that would speak to his feeling about caring for people, I was thrilled. It was a bit of a change from the kinds of projects that people typically ask us to do. And I felt sure that we could make him a rug that would be a powerful statement for him. He didn’t have a specific requirement about size, he just knew what he wanted it to say. That was good, because when fur is the medium, a certain size is helpful to get the details to look right, especially letters.

Brandon wanted the rug for in front of his fireplace, so I knew we couldn’t go too big. We eventually agreed on a 5 x 6 size, which I felt would not overpower his living room, and yet provide enough room on the rug to create impact. A picture frame border was added to set off the strong design, which Brandon enhanced by his choice of bold, primary colors. In the pictures you can see how the red in the rug ties into the upholstery accents on the couch and ottoman.

I know Brandon was excited about getting the rug, because he contacted us several times to see how it was coming along. This excitement must have leaked down to our facility in Peru, because they sent me a picture of the rug as soon as it was done (see below).

I was pretty excited, but I kept that picture and did not send it down to Brandon. I wanted him to get the full impact of the rug when it arrived at his home in New Orleans. After he got it, Brandon sent us a simple email, saying only “Love my rug!!!!!”

What do you think about this design strategy? What would you have done differently? Leave us your comments below!

To most people in this world, alpaca is a big mystery. I mean, they don't know if it's an animal, vegetable or mineral. Once they get hold of some though, it's a different story. People familiar with alpaca always seem to want to have it around. So I'm regularly replacing people's 30 year old rugs, lost rugs, burnt rugs, etc.

Vicki from Flemington, New Jersey had a 30 year old alpaca rug that her parents had given her in years past. It had seen better days and Vickie was looking for a similar design to replace it. After a few months research she found us, and our round Multicolor Flower rugs . The Flower is a nice design, because there is lots of opportunity in its many petals to showcase a variety of beautiful alpaca colors. As you may already know dear reader, alpaca comes naturally in an amazing range of colors. Our artisans are skilled at combining these natural colors together in compelling ways.

For her replacement rug, Vicki wanted colors similar to the ones in her old one. 

A quick scan of our inventory showed that a special order would be needed to get those colors for her. She wanted a white border and petals of black, tan, dark brown, and light brown. And as we discussed her options Vickie decided that a matching rectangular rug for next to her bed would be just the thing to go with the round one. As it happens, a lot of our customers buy alpaca rugs in order to have something soft to step onto in the morning. It gives a cozy feeling and provides a decorative touch for the bedroom.

For Vicki we made a white rectangular rug, just 20in x 31in in size, with a multi-color flower design centered in the middle. The colors were matched with the round 5ft Multicolor Flower rug since they were going to be in the same visual space. Vicki indicated that her bedroom was traditional, so we included a picture frame border on the smaller one, as shown here.

Vicki sent me a couple of pictures of the rugs in her room, which I have included in this post. I think they look great on that wood floor and fit right in with her flowery traditional decor. Vicki also sent us a nice compliment:

"I am VERY happy with the quality of both rugs and the help that was provided. They were very quick to answer emails and work out the details of the design with me. And the new rugs look great in my bedroom! "

Tell us about how you have met similar needs in your own bedroom, and what success you have had (add comments below). We want to hear from you!

The Interlocking Squares design has been a perennial favorite with our customers for as long as I can remember. I think it has a number of things going for it. First of all, it's a geometric design that, while bold and arresting, is simple enough to not overwhelm other furnishings. Secondly, the design has 4 major areas that can each have a contrasting fur color to maintain interest and to key into other room colors. And it doesn't hurt that it has matching pillows in both the 16x24 and 24x32 sizes.

One client had us make them a custom Interlocking Squares rug with matching pillows (below). That client customized both the sizes of the rug and pillows, and the colors. You can read more details about this rug and pillow set on our Custom Alpaca Page, about halfway down.

David from York, South Carolina wanted one of these rugs to replace an old one in front of his fireplace. "We have had an alpaca rug for many, many years," he explained. "It seems to my wife and I that it just makes our home feel more homey and comfortable."

"My daughter grew up with an alpaca rug in our home and when I needed to replace my old one she said it just did not seem like our place anymore without the rug. Our grandchildren have always loved them and when we have friends over the first thing they notice is the rug and they cannot believe how soft it is."

The above picture shows David's rug in his living room. He wanted one with a brown border, and I was able to find one he liked from our stock on hand. Since each rug is artisan-made and somewhat unique, we try to keep several in each rug size so that customers can get what they need (and if we don't have it, specific colors can always be special-ordered from Peru). In this application David and his wife have placed the rug over existing carpet. Layering different hues and textures is an effective way of avoiding excessive detail while adding coziness and warmth.

Have you used a fur rug in your living room or den? Please share your experiences with us in our Comments section!

I first talked to Baz in Queensland, Australia a few months ago. He and his wife Annie were looking for a fur rug. This in itself was not unusual. We sell quite a bit of Alpaca to people in Australia. In fact I think we sell more there than any other country outside the US.

We even sell sheepskin rugs and pillows down there, which is amazing since our sheepskin pelts originate from Australia and New Zealand. But due to economic forces which I do not understand, it sometimes makes sense for them to buy from elsewhere. Often though, the sheepskin is bulky enough to force us into shipping methods that drive the cost up, so it usually makes sense just for the smaller sheepskin rugs. Alpaca is lighter and less bulky , so we do ship a lot to Australia, up to a certain size.

The unusual part of this (at least to me) was that they wanted to use the rug in the back living room of their 5th wheel trailer. I think this is a first for us. I don't recall any other customer wanting to take their rugs on the road with them. But it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. If you are going to be traveling a lot, you might as well enjoy some plush comfort while you do . Baz was nice enough to send me a picture of his 5th wheel, which honestly looks larger than a lot of people's permanent homes!

Baz and Annie were interested in two sizes, our Jumbo at 5ft6in x 6ft8in and Regular Size at 4ft x 5ft4in. To make their choice easier, I was able to send them pictures of the two Modern Aztec rugs we had in stock that I thought would suit them best. This really raises the comfort level when you are ordering from over 9000 miles away! 

Baz and Annie were initially leaning towards the larger one, but eventually settled on the 4 x 5ft4. It had a dark border, which they wanted and would realistically fit better in their back living room than the Jumbo would. Below is a shot of their rug in its new home . I think you will agree that the size of the Aztec fits the space nicely and the dark border makes a good contrast with the light carpet beneath.

If you're curious as to how Baz and Annie are enjoying the rug in their luxurious mobile living room, make a comment below, and we will forward it to Baz and Annie down under!

Alpaca has a lot of great qualities. Chief among them is the lightness, softness, and silkiness of the fur, ensured by careful pelt selection and gentle processing. This softness makes it a natural for nurseries and children's bedrooms, where it can provide a touch of comfort in a fast-paced world.

Alexis, an artist from San Diego was looking for a soft fur rug for her nursery. Sheepskin was a strong candidate, but she was willing to consider alpaca, if it was softer and whiter. I explained that alpaca was not as shaggy or thick as sheepskin, but was softer and lighter. And since children weigh less than adults, the degree of support offered by the fur is not as important.

We then had a conversation about whiteness, because I never want to surprise people who might be expecting a snow-white natural fur rug. There actually is no such thing. Nature seems to like creams and beiges a lot more than white. But we don't bleach our pelts, because to do so would degrade the durability of the leather and the softness and strength of the fur.

While originally interested in a round or oval custom rug in a Puffs pattern, Alexis and her husband ultimately settled on a stock rectangular 4ft x 5ft4in White Puffs Rug and a matching 16in x 24in White Puffs Pillow as seen in the below picture.

"My husband and I purchased the white puffs rug and matching pillow for our nursery and absolutely love them. The natural coloring of the alpaca looks beautiful in the space and is incredibly comfortable to lay on with our son." - Alexis

There are many ways to integrate the the furnishings in a given area. One very effective way is by using the same color or color range throughout as the primary theme. In the above nursery Alexis has created a unified and harmonious feeling with the white rug, pillow, crib mattress and recliner. At the same time, monotony is avoided by the pleasing contrast with the colorful wall mural (which Alexis co-designed!). 

Depth is created as well, by layering the Puffs rug over a carpet of contrasting color and muted texture and pairing the Puffs pattern pillow with a smooth leather recliner. The result is a nursery that is alive and engaging while retaining a tranquil and restful quality.

What do you think about this design strategy? What would you have done differently? Leave us your comments below!

Here at SoftRugs we have shipped rugs to most every corner of the globe (including Tasmania), but I am always thrilled to add another country to the list. So it was nice to hear that someone in Finland wanted a custom rug to warm up their living room.

Mona is from Tuusula, Finland, a town about 17 miles from Helsinki. Tuusula is spread out along the shores of Tuusulanjarvi Lake (above). The lake has been an artists colony since the early 1900s and boasts some amazing ice skating in the winter. Luckily Mona’s English proved to be a lot better than my Finnish, so we were able to communicate fairly easily.

At first, Mona was considering both Sheepskin and Alpaca. I explained to her that Alpaca fur is silkier and a little softer than sheepskin, but the pile is not as deep. So rugs made with alpaca will not look as shaggy as sheepskin and the fur will not be as dense. So for the same size rug, shipping will be less expensive with alpaca than with sheepskin.

She also considered straight edge vs shaped rugs. Sheepskin rugs are more often crafted into shapes that take advantage of the natural shape of sheepskin pelts. The picture above is a Sexto sheepskin rug composed of 6 sheepskin pelts. The pelts have been minimally carved to retain their distinctive shapes. 

Alpaca rugs on the other hand are usually straight-edged, but can easily be sculpted into whatever shape is desired (as in above picture). I think you can see from these pictures that even if a sheepskin and an alpaca rug were shaped identically, they would still retain their character and have distinctively different looks. 

Mona wanted to preserve a stylish, bright and uncluttered feeling in her home, but also make it more luxurious and cozy for those long Finnish winters. 

She finally decided on a 300cm x 345cm (9ft10in x 11ft4in) rectangular white alpaca rug. These final pictures show how she has transformed her living room into a plush retreat with a dramatic expanse of soft white alpaca fur. Mona is truly delighted with the difference her alpaca rug has made!

Nothing beats the impact of a large white fur rug! In fact some care is in order to prevent such a powerful element from overly dominating a room. Nevertheless, it's an exciting piece and I was glad to make it happen for this client.

Donna from Alberta, Canada was looking for a high impact element for her Great Room. She was thinking of a large round alpaca rug, and she loved our White Puffs pattern (hexagonal puffs with diamonds between), but she had some concerns about maintenance. Specifically, she was concerned about how tricky it would be to keep a  white fur rug clean.

I explained that alpaca rugs naturally resist dirt. Alpaca fur contains no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic, and also means that dirt tends not to stick to the silky, slippery alpaca fibers. Basically, alpaca rugs can be vacuumed (without the beater bar) and occasionally "refreshed" with baby powder. They can be spot-cleaned with dish lotion, and they can also be dry-cleaned by dry cleaners who are qualified to clean leather.

This was good news for Donna, because with her husband in the home construction business, she wanted a real “OMG” piece that would be unique and make a big statement. Solid white is a great way to make that impact, and is less costly than dyed colors. At that point as I recall, we were discussing a 12 ft diameter round rug. That is a seriously large rug, and not every room can handle it, but if there's room... Wow!

Donna was spending the summer in Sweden, so we would have to pick up the conversation when she returned. I remember hoping that she would get back to us because I really wanted to make that piece for her! In September as promised, I heard from her again and design commenced.

The rug was to be made from white alpaca, 11.5 ft in diameter in a White Puffs pattern. Donna preferred round puffs over our customary hexagonal shape, and wanted to maximize impact. Jesus, our head designer felt that the most effective design would be round puffs with a proportional border, so we sent Donna a couple of different design alternatives (below).

Round puffs proved do-able and provide a very different look from our customary design. With hexagonal puffs, the spaces between the puffs are diamond shaped, while round puffs have star shapes between. Donna felt that the design with more circles would work beautifully, and also wanted to go with a surrounding border, so that's the design that was implemented.

You can see the completed custom rug below. 

This first picture demonstrates how big 11.5ft diameter really is. These last two pictures show the rug installed in Donna's Great Room.

She sent this message, which I forwarded to our designers: 'I have received my rug and I LOVE IT! Thank you so much Marc! Merry Christmas!'

This impressive custom rug effectively defines the sitting area. The furniture does not have to sit totally on the rug to be visually connected to it. This minimizes the size of the rug needed, while still ensuring that the surrounding furniture remain part of the defined space. The light color and size of the rug effectively balances the darker colors and substantial size of the couch, chairs, and ottoman.

What do you think? What successes have you had using fur rugs as major design elements? Please share your comments below.