Seagrass Carpets Used As Area Rugs

A description of seagrass carpets. How they can be used in your home. The various types of seagrass carpets.

Just say the words "seagrass carpets", and can't you just hear the waves breaking. can't you just smell the salt air, can't you just feel the seabreezes? Who would have thought the name of a carpet could have such a romantic and inviting image? Seagrass carpets seem destined to go with cool water colors and the greys and tans of the beach. The advantage of that is that these kinds of colors do not show the natural colors of the earth that may be tracked in. For this reason, seagrass carpets are ideal for patio, porch, mudroom or entryways.

There are many more reasons to appreciate seagrass carpets besides their camouflaging properties. They are long wearing and durable, and hold up through countless amounts of traffic, and sweeping and vacuuming. It is just about stain resistant, or at least as stain resistant as any carpet can be. Since the fibers in seagrass carpets are insoluble or impermeable, stains don't set, (This is the same reason they do not come in colors, because colors do not set either.) But the natural color of seagrass carpets is so lovely that they should never be dyed in any case.

They are reminescent of the blades of tall grass waving in a field that we remember from our childhoods. These beautiful carpets are typically made from a fiber that is cultivated in India, China and other countries in the east, in large paddies in the wetlands and coasts of this area. During the growing season, these paddies become flooded; this is the reason the fiber is naturally impervious to water. This fabric is very abundant and easy to grow, therefore it is inexpensive. Since the fiber is inexpensive, the carpet is also inexpensive. They are the most natural and most versatile of floor coverings available. Since there is no variety in colors, these carpets are made more interesting though the use of patterns. The most popular patterns are "Seashore Weave", which is rows of fiber with alternating tiedowns; "Sea Basket", with fibers that are thatched into squares; and "Sea Bass". "Sea Breeze" and "Seashell" which are all varieties of the same basic design-a symmetrical mesh in zigzag or herringbone pattern.

Seagrass carpets that are intended to be used indoors such as in the living room or dining room have a border or binding made of leather. tapestry. wool or cotton. with reinforced backing or padding for better traction. These features also extend the life of the carpet. Usually, the backing is jute, attached using a natural, chemical free adhesive. Since seagrass carpets are not colored, but left in their native states, they are natural looking and can go with almost any décor. They are as close to nature as you can be without being standing in by the sea in the grasses.