Flokati Give Away!

I'm giving away this 8 ft. round wool flokati rug that I used in my Showhouse space this past spring.  Premium quality, Greek, 3000 grams/m2, my cost was $765.00. Color: Natural.  Shipping is free in the lower 48 states.

Flokati rugs have an interesting history, dating back to the 5th century AD.  Originally from a village in Greece, where shepherds wove the wool from their sheep for blankets to keep them warm.  The story goes that one day, the shepherds left a blanket in the waters of a stream and when they went back to get it, they found the backing had felted together and the wool had unraveled to create the pile.  Word spread across Greece and the Flokati became a popular product, used in all kinds of ways.

Flokati rugs gained popularity in America in the 70's when shag rugs and carpets were in style.  Now it has become popular again, bringing a luxurious, retro feel to modern interiors.  To get more information on flokati rugs, see flokati.com.

It was so funny to see the reaction to the flokati in my Showhouse room.  Some people had no idea what it was and then there were people who commented that their mother or grandmother or aunt had one years ago.  One middle aged man commented that he took his mom's flokati to college with him for his dorm room/bachelor pad.  He said that rug saw some great times!  

Flokati rugs come in varying pile heights or weights.  You may find an 8 ft. rd. flokati at a much cheaper price, but if you look at the weight, you will see the difference.  There are also a lot of imitation wool rugs out there too, but a real flokati is 100% wool.  It does not have a stiff backing, they are actually quite lightweight, and fold up like a bath mat. 

Here's an example of the pile height/weight difference in quality levels.

 1400

 2000

 3000 - (This rug is 3000!)

4000

You can't vaccuum them, you just shake them out. For a deeper cleaning, wash them in the tub and then hang to dry. You can even comb them with a dog brush to separate the fibers and fluff them up. More details on cleaning a flokati can be found here.

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Drawing will be done on  Friday 7/15/11 at noon, central time.

I'm looking forward to meeting some new followers and having this luxurious rug go to a happy home!

Mixing Old and New Furnishings - at the Showhouse

I love eclectic mixes of furnishings. After all, we don't always acquire every bit of new furniture at one time in our lives. Tastes, budgets, and needs change over the years and making the old work with the new can be a challenge. Eclectic doesn't mean jumbled or crazy or anything goes. There has to be purpose to the mix in order for it all to come together. It's really kind of an art.

In my upcoming Showhouse bedroom for an older teen girl, I've used some vintage pieces and some new ones to create a unique space that speaks to the unique personality of my imaginary client. Just like most of us, "Phoebe" likes lots of different styles and finds the art of the mix fun and expressive.

I found this old chair frame in Bryan, TX in a dusty antique shop. I loved the simple lines of the legs, arms, and wings.

I put a Thom Felicia fabric on it and painted the legs in a vibrant turquoise. I love the way the stripes sort of exaggerate the wings. It's a bit whimsical, don't you think?




Here's my grandmother's old 1950's dresser I found in my mother's garage. It was sanded and refinished.

Love the lucite knobs and serpentine base. It has such a nice retro vibe.

I found these old French fashion magazine ads from the 50's in a local antique mall. Great drawings with a hint of color. I framed them in some Target do-it-yourself metallic frames and some new dark turquoise mats to give them a stronger presence on the white walls.

A consignment store find. Doesn't this scream "grandmother" to you? Doilies? Really? It had such curvy, graceful legs though and a simple design. I thought it would make a great base for my jewelry tree. Phoebe could store bowls of her jewelry around the base.

At the finishing shop. It was mahogany with lots of red in the finish and a little veneer damage. I wanted to take the red out and make it more brown colored. My refinisher had to stain it with a green tinted stain to get about 90% of the red out.

Doesn't it look totally different in a more modern space?

This nightstand had some nice detail, but that red!!!

Painted white to match the walls it takes on a more modern look. Love the brass hardware.

I was looking for a really tall 60's look vintage lamp for the dresser. Perfect!

Primed, painted, rewired, and a new shade later......

Love the color.

Now for some of my new pieces.

Love these mirrors in patterns that repeat my pillow fabric patterns. They will be hung over the head of the bed to reflect the light from the balcony doors. I think they add some glamour to the space.

My ghost chair. It goes anywhere!

The custom queen daybed I had made looks great in the space. I wanted to give my client more floor space for a lounge area in the room and a clear path to the balcony, so I pushed the bed up in the corner of the room. The white vinyl has no grain, it's not pretending to be leather. The bed is designed to be sold as a queen bed with headboard. The side headboard is actually king size and can be removed and used separately. This makes such a great backdrop for my beautiful, graphic pillows.

Just a few of my many pillows that will be tossed on the bed.

I love the new 8' round wool flokati I found online. With my gray sisal on the floor, the white flokati provides a wonderful textural contrast and brings the white color down to the floor.

My new bulletin board I had made to hang over the dresser. White linen with some great tape trim. The pattern repeats the pattern in one of the pillow fabrics.

New ottoman that will sit on the flokati. The Brentano velvet is so rich and plush.

If you are in the Houston area, drop in to the Showhouse in Sienna Plantation! It opens next weekend and runs until April 17th. Open Tuesday through Sunday. Come see the mix!

If you like an eclectic mix of furnishings but are unsure of how to put it all together, contact Aston Design Studio for a consultation to begin the design of your creative, eclectic interior.