Cotton Braided Rugs – Classic Americana in Your Home

The Beginning of Braided Rugs

Americans used to cover their wooden floors with straw or rush-woven mats in earlier days. These archaic coverings were inefficient in bringing warmth and comfort to the home. Although European rugs were available in the mid-18 th century, they were too expensive for the general population. Wool became readily available in the early 19th century, but commercially produced rugs were still quite expensive. So, Americans tried the technique of braiding wool as they used to braid straw mats. This way braided rugs were introduced as a floor covering.

Braided Rugs Gained Importance

In the early 1900s braided rugs became very popular during the arts and crafts movement. People started making rag rugs from leftover scraps of materials and strips of old clothes. With due course of time, necessity gave way more to the art and craft, which gave rise to creative, bold, and fun patterns. And today, braided rugs are a prime choice to protect the floor in high traffic areas, while adding a primitive charm to any space.

Cotton as a Material for Braided Rugs

Cotton is a fluffy staple fiber derived from agricultural cultivation. It is more commonly used in making the foundation of the rug instead of using it for pile or flat-woven facing. It is easy to make an evenly-proportioned, tightly woven rug with cotton yarns. While weaving a rug, the warp must be placed under high tension. Therefore, cotton is the most common fiber used for rug warps because of its high tensile strength.

How Are Cotton Braided Rugs Made?

Strips of cotton are incorporated into a rug design in cotton braided rugs. Technically a cotton braided rug is made by joining three strands of cotton together in a braided pattern. Right strand is wrapped around the center strand and then the left strand over the center one in a repetitive pattern. The braids are then stitched together to create braided rugs into various shapes and sizes.

Decoration with Cotton Braided Rugs

Cotton braided rugs are very popular in decorating homes in a country-style theme, especially when decorating a kitchen, hallway, or porch areas, where an informal look is desired. Acknowledged as an iconic symbol of the Colonial American culture, cotton braided rugs are a great pick for rug enthusiasts who appreciate a traditional touch in their home. You can coordinate these rugs with other accessories to decorate any space. Match them with table runners, chair pads, and hall runner styles to remodel your home. Placing them as a focal point is one of the easiest ways to revitalize and beautify any room. They can easily turn a dull room into one full of color.

Cotton Braided Rugs in the Living Room

Cotton braided rugs can transform the look of your living room incredibly. You can either choose to decorate with a full-size rug or stick to accenting parts of the room. Cotton braided rugs give the entire space a rustic country feeling.

Cotton Braided Rugs in the Kitchen

You can lay a large cotton braided rug in the center of your kitchen. You can also place smaller rugs around the room like near the sink, microwave, or refrigerator to give yourself something to stand on.

Don’t forget – cotton braided rugs aren’t meant just for high-traffic areas. They can easily be incorporated in other areas as well. Cotton braided rugs are one of the easiest ways to decorate your floors in any room of your home.