How the sun-baked carpets of Antalya perfect their colours

Outside the coastal city of Antalya in southern Turkey, thousands of carpets and rugs are left exposed on the bare ground during the hot summer months (from June to September). This dries out the vegetable dyes in the fabric, which helps to achieve the desired colour.

The wool-knotted carpets arrive from all over Turkey to be washed, trimmed and left out to dry. The morning dew and the heat of the day soften the tones of the vegetable dyes, transforming them into attractive pastel shades.

Each year, up to 60,000 carpets and rugs are left to dry on a 100-acre site. Around 15,000 of them are stored side by side at a time for drying. Around 50 workers are required to turn over the carpets each day, and if it rains, 100 people from the local villages run to fold the carpets and take them to a shelter until it stops.

As soon as the carpets reach the required shade, most of them are transported to Istanbul's Grand Bazaar to be sold, with many of them exported to other countries.

This colourful display of carpets and rugs has become a tourist attraction, attracting visitors from many parts of the world.

When you purchase a new wool carpet from a flooring retailer in Chester and surrounding areas, there is no need to wash it and leave it out to dry in the garden. Modern wool carpets are manufactured with dyes that stay bright and don't fade over time, meaning you’ll get to enjoy their colourful appearance for longer.

What is neuroaesthetic design?

There is a growing trend for neuroaesthetic design in homes. This design style emphasises the impact of interior design on mood and overall wellbeing. For flooring, this often means soft textures, calm colours and natural patterns.

There has been a rise in people adopting lifestyles that improve their health and wellness. Their interior design choices reflect this commitment to physical and mental wellness.

There has also been an increase in people working from home who want flooring that supports the transition from work mode to relaxing after work. Soft carpets in home offices and living rooms help keep a sense of calmness whilst at work and relaxation when work is over for the day.

Those who support neuroaesthetic design do not restrict their wellness care to their own health but extend their concerns to the wellness of the planet. This is demonstrated by their demand for sustainable and eco-conscious interior materials. Floor coverings made from natural fibres such as wool, sisal and jute are popular sustainable choices. Consumers also prefer underlays that contain recycled materials.

Nature-inspired earthy colours like beige, taupe, sage green, terracotta and ochre are tones that are grounding and calming. If wanting patterned carpets, designs inspired by nature, such as plants, flowers, and trees, are popular.

Some design experts predict that the future of interiors is a focus on how spaces in the home make people feel and align with their ethical principles.

To see a wide range of carpets made from natural materials and featuring calming colours, contact your local carpet retailer in Chester.

What’s the difference between floating and glued flooring?

The key difference between floating and glued flooring is how the floor covering is attached to the subfloor. Glued flooring uses an adhesive to fix the flooring to the subfloor. Floating flooring relies on the weight of the floor covering and interlocking system to stay in place.

Installing glued flooring

An adhesive bonding solution is applied to the subfloor, then the floor tiles or planks are pressed onto the adhesive, making the tiles or planks firmly attached to the subfloor. This creates a very stable floor, which is good for high foot traffic areas. If the subfloor is uneven, it should be levelled first.

Installing glued flooring takes skill and time and is best done by professional installers. If the floor is damaged, it is not easy to remove individual planks or tiles to replace them.

Installing floating floors

Floating floor installation involves laying planks or panels on the flooring and joining them using an interlocking system, such as a tongue-and-groove or click mechanism. The planks are not glued or attached to the floor, which allows for limited movement and expansion.

Compared to glued flooring, floating floors are easier to install and can be installed on top of existing floors if they are level. Individual planks are easier to replace if damaged. However, floating floors are susceptible to movement and can be noisier to walk on. Uneven subfloors may require levelling before floating floor installation.

Which method is best?

Which method to use depends on three factors: flooring type, subfloor and personal preferences.

Glued-down floors are stable and durable, making them excellent for high-traffic rooms and underfloor heating systems. Glued flooring is recommended for solid wood and vinyl floors.

Floating flooring is a good option for DIY installations as they are easier to install, and it is simpler to replace sections if damaged. Engineered wood, vinyl, and laminates are suitable for the floating floor method.

If you are uncertain about which installation system is best for your floors, consult with a flooring company in Chester, Wrexham or elsewhere in North Wales for expert advice on the installation of hard surface flooring.

Which flooring types make a home sellable?

On an episode of Unsellable Houses on the HGTV channel, hosts Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb looked at how flooring can make a home more difficult to sell.

They showed a home with floral patterned carpets that they said only appealed to buyers with a "very specific taste." They recommended replacing the carpet to make the home more sellable.

Patterned carpets, especially ones with bold colours and shapes, express personal taste, which is fine for homeowners who choose them. However, when it comes to selling the home, they can put buyers off.

According to flooring expert Yuri Grakovski, younger home buyers:

“Prefer a hard floor because it’s cleaner, requires less upkeep, and aligns better with modern design aesthetics.”

Households with heavy foot traffic and pets prefer luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or engineered wood for durability and easier maintenance.

In bedrooms, plush plain colour carpets are fine as they add comfort and warmth. Experts recommend home sellers replace bold patterned carpets with ones in neutral tones that appeal to a wider range of buyers. Grakovski recommends a light grey or soft taupe carpet to make a bedroom more attractive. When the old carpet is removed, check the subfloor for stains, mould, or damage and repair if necessary. If the existing carpet is a plain colour in good condition, it may simply need a deep clean.

If a bedroom carpet is old and worn, it's time to contact a local carpet retailer in North Wales and ask them to install a new one that makes the home more sellable.

500 years old lost carpet is found and returned to Turkey

A 500-year-old Usak carpet, which had been lost for 30 years, has been found and returned to Turkey.

The carpet is a rare example of an Ottoman-era hand-woven carpet. It was owned by Adrian Stefan Ionescu, who bought it from an Italian collector Erminio Bottini after he died. Ionesco then discovered that the carpet matched the description of a missing carpet featured in the book "Vakıf Halılar" (Foundation Carpets) by Suzan Bayraktaroğlu. He offered to voluntarily return the carpet to Turkey, where it was woven.

The carpet is a fine example of a Usak hand-woven carpet made with thousands of handmade knots. The dark blue carpet features large naturalistic flower pattern medallions. Damaged sections of the carpet were restored before the carpet was delivered to the Ankara Museum of Foundation Works, which is dedicated to reclaiming and protecting Turkey's artistic legacy.

Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister, said:

“We are proud to see this elegant carpet, once knotted thread by thread in Uşak, reunited with the land that inspired it, just like every heritage that carries the spirit of this soil."

When you buy carpets in North Wales, while they may not be able to last as long as 500 years like the Usak carpet, unless nobody ever treads on them, you’ll find that modern quality carpets will last for many years even in areas with high footfall. A premium quality carpet bought in Wales also costs considerably less to buy and install than a highly valuable 500-year-old hand-woven carpet.