Guide
For spreading personality around a room, the area rug has few rivals. What could be more elegant than an heirloom quality Oriental area rug atop a gleaming hardwood floor, or more charming than a handcrafted braided area rug on timeworn pine planks.
Knotting by hand is most prevalent in oriental rugs and carpets. Kashmir carpets are also hand-knotted. Pile carpets, like flat carpets, can be woven on a loom.
Hooked rugs are cheerful, handmade rugs produced using scraps of fabric or wool. Antiques - especially early North American hooked rugs - can be expensive, but their modern equivalents are much more reasonable.
Braided rugs are an American tradition that, as with many crafts, developed out of a need and then developed into an art. Braided rugs made today, are still enriching homes with a timeless quality, compatible with decor of many styles.
Today, hand or machine made pile rugs in graphic, contemporary designs are produced. Although those by 'name' designers and one-offs commissioned for hand-weavers are obviously expensive, cheaper massed produced versions can be very reasonable.
Here is a video showing how braided rugs are made. Thorndike mills produces premium braided rugs in New England with all US made materials.