Product Review- Medallion Rug Gallery!

Do you remember the rug in my living room? Here is a picture to jog your memory.

Before I bought the area rug, I knew the size is not "ideal" for our living room but decided to get it anyway since I love the colors, design, material and price ($350 before sales tax). The rug is 5'x8' from CB2 (discontinued).

The rug above have been in our home for two years and I am ready for a change. It is not easy to find a large, inexpensive rug since oversized rugs are so expensive. After months of searching, I finally found this rug on Tuesday Morning.

It's gorgeous, modern, made of 100% wool and fits the color scheme in our living room and most importantly, the price is right (it costs only $299 before sales tax). The rug measures 7.6'x9.6', still a tad smaller than the size I wanted. For a second, I thought of returning it because of its size but I couldn't because I love it so much. The rug is not ideal but I like how it looks in my living room. I figured I can always use it in another room if I found my ideal rug in the future, yes? 

So, when Medallion Rug Gallery offered to send me an area rug of my choice for a review, I was absolutely thrilled!

Medallion Rug Gallery offers some of the best handmade area rugs in the world at a discounted price that is up to 80% off the retail rate.

Some of my favorite rugs from Medallion Rug!

New Contemporary Persian Sultanabad Area Rug

New Contemporary Persian Kashan Area Rug

Semi Antique Persian Saruk Area Rug

New Contemporary Anatolian Kilim Area Rug

After browsing at literally thousands of rugs on their website, I decided on this one.

New Contemporary Persian Tabriz Area Rug

Here is what mine looks like!

I really adore my new handmade rug, it's gorgeous! The size is ideal, measuring approximately 9'x12'. The colors are brighter and more vibrant than the original picture shown on their website and looks even more stunning in person. I am really captivated by its beautiful, intricately designed floral details. The classic, centrally placed medallion design is a wonderful touch. I can tell that it is a fine wool rug because it feels very soft underfoot and does not shed at all. 

I am absolutely satisfied and excited about my new rug! With its festive colors, I am planning to use this rug through the holiday seasons as well.

*I received this product to review for free but the views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Do you like any of the rugs above? I would love to know your thoughts!

Inexpensive Ways To Improve The Sale Appeal Of Your Home!

This post is brought to you by Anglian Home.

Doors

This is literally and metaphorically the portal to your home. Obviously a door needs to be in the style of the home, but changing a door can not be put in a list of inexpensive things. One quick fix is to make the door's hardware up to date. Handles, knockers/buzzers and even putting potted plants near the door can improve a potential buyer’s first impression.

Windows

Old, single-glazed windows or ones that do not fit the style of the home can massively reduce how much people want to buy, especially with single glazing as it instantly gives alarm bells about their potential heating bills when winter comes.

A quick fix for the heating problem is to install temporary insulation covers over the window, which acts like double glazing, along with draft excluding strips to stop the breeze from coming in, but this will make your home even less appealing to sell as it will look like a bodged job to avoid getting real windows.

While it may not be inexpensive, the value added by installing proper, double glazing windows will outweigh the cost. UPVC windows from Anglian Home offer a good range of options for everyone.

Repaint

A new coat of paint in your home can add thousands to your property and make it much more appealing to buyers if you pick the right colors. For competent DIYers, there is not even the cost of hiring a painter if you have the time to take off. For everyone else, it can be from a few hundred to a couple of thousands to fully repaint a house.

Neutralise

This would not add any value to your home, but it makes sense if you are serious about selling. Quirky layouts, your day to day mess and other things that are more exclusive to you probably would not be appealing to anyone else. 

Unfortunately, these stick in the mind of people viewing the property as they often could not envision what the house would look like without everything they do not want. For that reason, try to make your house as neutral as possible to appeal to more buyers. 

Garage space

For most homes, the garage is a space to store lawnmowers, unused furniture and ladders rather than their intended use of a car. A misused garage is quite literally a waste of space and money, so consider making a use for it.

Even if you do not have the budget to fully insulate and convert it into a conventional room, consider ways it can have a practical use in the home other than a really big, cold box. The quick-fix of a garage space may not add value to the home, but it will show people that the room has potential, so hopefully make you sell it quicker.

Guest post- The Benefits Of Eco-Friendly Rugs!

This post is provided by Mark Healey.

In today’s modern era, green and environmentally-friendly is the name of the game. Entire industries have innovated in the name of it. People have altered their lifestyles for it. Longstanding traditions have made room for it. The rug industry is no exception, and it has embraced the green movement by developing and manufacturing eco-friendly rugs for green consumers.

Why Environmentally-Friendly Rugs?

People generally assume the outside world is full of pollutants and harmful chemicals. While that is true, the Environmental Protection Agency recently released a study stating indoor air quality is often on par with or even worse than outdoor. This is particularly troubling because people spend infinitely more time indoors, placing themselves in consistent close-proximity to dangerous fumes and chemicals.

Upon completing the manufacturing process, the majority of mainstream furniture and rug companies thoroughly spray their products with various chemicals to both protect the material and help retain the original coloring. While beneficial to the overall appearance of household items, these chemicals can cause harm to the human body after prolonged exposure.

Rarely are the symptoms of these chemicals fatal, but they can often cause eye and throat irritation, fatigue, dizziness, and fatigue. Partially alleviating the flow of damaging particles can improve your bodily health and put your mind at ease. Eco-friendly rugs are comprised of recycled or 100% natural materials devoid of chemical treatments that will contribute zero harmful emissions to your indoor space.

The Materials of Green Rugs

In terms of specific materials, environmentally-friendly rugs vary across the board. Natural fibers are commonly used, along with the application of less-toxic adhesives and chemicals. Wool rugs, jute rugs, sisal rugs, and seagrass rugs are also popular sustainable options.

In an attempt to reduce health risks, some companies have decided to completely forgo the usage of harmful chemicals. They instead use vegetable dye or abstain from dyes altogether.

Verifying Their Sustainable Nature

In today’s competitive consumer markets, it is easy to slap an eco-friendly label on virtually any product to an attempt to validate a higher price or push a brand’s green image. Yet it is highly advised to resist purchasing a rug if it does not contain eco-friendly authentication by third party organizations. Certifications issued by the Global Organic Textile Standard, Scientific Certification Systems, and SMART Sustainable Flooring are indicators of sustainable authenticity. Look for the appropriate labels to avoid being scammed and bringing home a faux-green product.

Eco-Friendly Installation 

Chemically based-glues are the normal adhesives used to help secure a rug to the floor. One of the most basic glue-substitutes is tacks, and they are very easy to use. For those who insist on using glue in the installation process, look for water-based glues that contain little to no volatile chemical compounds.

Conclusion

Eco-friendly rugs are a sustainable household solution that can both bolster your overall health and minimize your carbon footprint. Plus, they come in a wide variety of designs and styles, allowing them to nicely complement virtually any room.

The One Room Challenge- Week 3!

Time flies when you are busy. In a blink of an eye, it is the third week of The One Room Challenge already. If you missed the previous posts, please click here and here.

Last week, I told you about my art decal problem and many of you gave me suggestions like using modge podge and spray adhesive to fix the peeling decals. I haven't try any of the suggestions yet since I have been busy working with this week's DIY project. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for all the wonderful tips, you guys are the best!

Back to this week's progress. Yay, I have completed another DIY project! Here it is, my branch mobile!

Let me tell you a little story about my branch. You see, I have been admiring a lot of branch mobiles ever since I saw them on Etsy and Pinterest. So on a particularly windy, rainy day, when a branch broke from my birch tree, I decided to save it so I can make my own branch mobile some day. The sad little branch has been sitting on my front porch for almost a year before I finally use it for this week's project. Luckily, the branch is still in good condition or else this project will not be possible. :)

For this project, I have used some yarns, colorful papers and fish lines. The project itself is pretty straightforward. You just wrap the yarns around the branch as tightly and as closely together as you can (to avoid gaps) to create the results you wanted. The best thing about this project is you can pick any color combinations you want to complement your color scheme.

Overall, this project was quite easy but it was awfully time-consuming. The wrapping part took me a full 4 1/2 hours (not kidding) due to a few redos. Admittedly, I worked slower than I anticipated to prevent getting poked and scratched by the sharp little branches (I learnt this after receiving a few painful scratches in the process). The challenging thing is trying to wrap the yarn around the uneven parts of the branch (those little bumps suck!). 

Lessons learnt from this little DIY project? 1. Always remove and sand the uneven parts 2. Remember to wear a long sleeves shirt and long pants to prevent getting scratched from the branches.

Anyway, moving on to the paper airplanes. So when I thought the dreaded part is over, unknowingly I had another bigger challenge ahead of me. Who knew stringing up paper airplanes can be that hard? 

Before I started, I used a random paper airplane I made for experimental purposes and found that no matter how I stringed them, the airplanes don't seem to turn out the way I envisioned it. They always look loop-sided for a reason. I am not sure if I will be keeping the paper airplanes, remove them completely from the yarn-wrapped branch or make new ones.

Although I am not too sure about the airplanes, I am still quite satisfied with the overall project. What do you think? Do you like how the paper airplanes turn out? Should I make them smaller or remove them completely? Please share with me your thoughts! I am clearly not good with all these DIY stuffs!

Remember to check out the rest of the participants from The One Room Challenge below!

Calling it Home 

Chinoiserie Chic 

Classic Casual Home 

Cottage and Vine 

Design Addict Mom 

Design Crisis 

Design Indulgence 

Design Manifest 

The English Room 

The Green Room Interiors 

Henhurst Interiors 

Little Black Door 

Maddie's Nest 

Mix And Chic 

My Notting Hill 

Pawleys Island Posh 

The Pink Pagoda 

Shelter 

Simple Details 

The Vault Files 

P/S: Come by and enter my current giveaway for a chance to win $200 store credit from DecoraUSA!

Giveaway- $200 DecoraUSA store credit!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and Happy Columbus Day! As promised, today I have another fantastic giveaway for you, thanks to DecoraUSA, a wonderful store which offers brand name online lighting, home decor and ceiling fan products and more.

Below are some of my favorite items from their website!

Imax shire ceramic seabirds set of 2

Sterling industries sterling fire island coral display statue

Imax zig zag bone inlay boxes set of 3

Imax suspension bridge candleholder

Imax small sailboat

Imax duvall framed wall prints set of 2

Imax nesting boat shelves set of 2

Kichler lighting rum cove 6 bulb chandelier foyer with cayman bronze finish

Imax koyna embroidered accent pillow

Imax ik ayaka green velvet on linen pillow with down fill

Imax wilkins tennis racquet mirror set of 3

Transglobe 2 light table lamp- adjustable height-2 pack with wood and polished chrome finish

Sterling industries large metal wall clock

Sterling industries vivienne mirrored cabinet in off white

These pieces are so chic and fabulous, don't you think? Which one are you drawn to? The good news is DecoraUSA has decided to give away a $200 store credit to one of Mix And Chic readers, isn't that great?

This giveaway is open to US residents only.

To enter:

 

1. Be a follower of Mix And Chic via Google Friend Connect (click on the button located under 'Followers' on the right sidebar) and let me know how you will spend your $200 DecoraUSA store credit if you win(with a link included). After you have done both, please leave a comment followed by your email so I can contact you if you are the winner. 

 

 For example: I am now a follower of Mix And Chic via GFC and I would love to get this item if I win: 

http://www.decorausa.com/sterling-industries-erhart-mirror-dm1957.html

(enter your email here)

 

(one basic, mandatory entry)

For additional entries (an extra entry for each of the following):

2. 'Like' DecoraUSA on Facebook and leave a separate comment.

    

3. 'Like' Mix And Chic on Facebook and leave a separate comment. (If you are already following, please leave a separate comment to let me know as well.)

4. 'Follow' DecoraUSA on Twitter and leave a separate comment.

5. 'Follow' Mix And Chic on Twitter and leave a separate comment. (If you are already following, please leave a separate comment to let me know as well.)

6. 'Follow' Mix And Chic on Pinterest and leave a separate comment. (If you are already following, please leave a separate comment to let me know as well.)

7. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status (include a link back to this post and leave a separate comment.)

8. Tweet about this giveaway (include a link back to this post and leave a separate comment.)

You have a maximum of 8 entries.

The last day for entries is October 23, 2013. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced on Thursday, October 24, 2013. Good luck!

Book review- Beyond Chic: Great Fashion Designers At Home!

I bet you already know that I am a huge fan of home tours so when I was contacted by The Vendome Press to review a book which lets me peek into the homes of the biggest names in the fashion industry, how can I say no? The book I am referring to is Beyond Chic: Great Fashion Designers At Home, authored and photographed by Ivan Terestchenko.

In his book, you can take a private tour to the remarkable homes of iconic people in fashion such as Yves Saint Laurent, Manolo Blahnik, Coco Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Kenzo Takada, Laudomia Pucci, Giorgio Armani, Rosita & Ottavio Missoni and more! Besides décor, photographer Ivan Terestchenko also shared works of art and the personal collections of these legendary designers.

Here is a sneak peek of the exciting spaces you will find inside the book.

Photo credits: Ivan Terestchenko

This 284-pages, oversized book is not about interior decorating but rather an exploration into the creative, stylish and unconventional abodes of these highly-talented designers. You will find many captivating décor in this book, from the eclectic to the exotic and the truly unexpected. An absolutely fascinating book with amazing interiors! I would definitely recommend this book for those who are interested in fashion, interiors and design. You can get your copy here.

*I received this book to review for free but the views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.