Abrash Galleries

Rugs and Antiquities

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40 Main St N Woodbury, CT 06798

203-263-7847

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Day Tripping in Woodbury

September 29, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

As the Autumnal cool in the air replaces the heat of the Summer the urge to enjoy the landscape of New England calls to us all. Woodbury Ct is the perfect day trip for weekenders and homesteaders alike. An ideal melding of antiques, history and outdoor trails makes this a great location for a Saturday adventure.

Getting an early start will require some breakfast fortification that can be found at the various diners and restaurants. Dotties Diner with its famous cinnamon donuts highlighted in Gourmet Magazine is a must.
The Woodbury Flea market is located at the intersection of Rt 64 and Rt 6 . Open at 7:30-2pm on Saturdays and 10-2pm on Sundays an array of antiques and treasures are displayed in a field that is walkable and has adequate parking.

The town of Woodbury was founded in 1672. A beautiful array of historical buildings line the Main Street making this a wonderful place for a walking tour. A booklet on the history of the homes can be checked out of the Woodbury Library. The Glebe House Museum is located directly off Main Street on Hollow Road and is a very important historical landmark. This is where the founding of the Episcopal Church in the United States took place. A rare garden designed by the famous English horticulturist Gertude Jekyll also graces the property. The museum is open from 1-4pm.

The Main Street is also lined with such a high concentration of antique stores that Woodbury has been known for some time as the “Antiques Capital of Ct”. The antiques dealers here take special pride in the fact that they helped to establish the CT Antiques Trail and have continuously provided beautiful merchandise to designers and collectors alike. The Woodbury Antiques Dealers Association website is a great reference for shops and hours of operation.

Flanders Nature Center and Land Trust located at 5 Church Hill Road has trails for hiking,walking and wildlife observation. Pack a picnic and enjoy the scenery. The founder of the nature center- Natalie Van Vleck was one of the very first women cubists in the United states. Her paintings can be viewed in her studio located on the same property.

Ending the day with one of the many top shelf restaurants is a must. Carole Peckʼs Good News Cafe offers nouvelle cuisine that is sure to please the most discerning foodie. Bon appetit!

Filed Under: Tips, Woodbury

Decorating with Repurposed Antiques

June 13, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

As design trends change some people will opt to go out with the old and in with the new. Others will see opportunity that exists with what they already own. An antique suitcase that sat nicely stacked as an accent may be transformed into a stylish coffee table once it is set upon a low wood platform. Old chalk boards can be tastefully hung in a kitchen to add both character and a useful canvas to put up reminders .
Vintage seltzer glass bottles area beautiful sun catchers positioned in the right spot and old copper buckets and tubs are fabulous ice buckets to showcase the white wines at a dinner party.

Residing at flea markets and thrift shops are treasure troves of objects just waiting for your imagination as far as repurposing is concerned. A worn out kilim rug can be reclaimed to reupholster a stool or a seat cushion or be made into a pillow.

Antique faience jugs are ideal to make into lamps especially of there are cracks and other imperfections that would make them less useful for their original purpose. Even old cookie jars can make some great lamps especially for a childʼs room.

Old wooden tool carriers can do double duty as magazine storage and decorative old doors can be transformed into tables that are quite the conversation piece. With a little paint and elbow grease a battered piece of furnishing can become both useful and stylish.

Repurposing can be seen as away of melding creativity and environmentally responsible shopping. It is a fantastic way of recycling a piece of history!

The next time you are antiquing keep this in mind.

For more information on repurposing please call Abrash Galleries at 203-263-7847 We are located at 40 Main Street North Woodbury, Ct 06798

Filed Under: Decorating, Tips Tagged With: antiques, decorating, design

Does your oriental rug need a foundation?

June 13, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Many times people do not realize that an oriental rug should not be put down on a hardwood floor without first having a rug cushion cut to the size of the rug. The rug cushion not only provides protection for your hardwood floors , but also for the oriental rug itself. The hand knotting of the rug leaves the opportunity for sand and grit to fall through the piece and then get continually crunched into the backside of the rug as it is walked on. A good rug cushion is made of wool and has divots on the side that is placed in between the rug and a natural rubber grip on the side that is against the hardwood floor. This prevents slipping .

Sometimes a rug will be placed on top of wall to wall carpet and this requires a different kind of cushion to prevent the rug from traveling and causing someone to trip. This type of rug cushion is also cut to the size of the rug but is far different in appearance. It is a very thin double sided sticky cushion so that the rug will stay in place. This is very good to have under accent rugs that are in rooms where the rugs will be walked on.

There are many types of mass produced rug cushions that will claim that they are protecting floors but are actually causing problems beneath the rug that are not discovered until the rug is moved. One such type of cushion has a grid pattern and is a rubbery webbed construction. These types of cushions eventually deteriorate and leave the grid pattern on the hardwood floor even after removal.

A professional oriental rug dealer will stock the appropriate cushions to protect your rugs and many times these cushions will also come with a 7-10 year warranty.

Filed Under: Decorating, Tips Tagged With: oriental rug, rugs

Oriental Rug Buying 101

June 2, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

So, you are looking for an oriental rug and the vast array of possibilities are making your head spin. The first thing that I recommend is to do a little research. Treat this purchase as though you are buying a car- although I will let you in on a scary little fact- you will most likely own the rug a long time after you have replaced many of your cars.

Your room should be built from the ground up. The rug is technically the foundation of the room, so it is important to keep in mind a variety of colors will later offer a variety of design possibilities. If you select a single color tone than make sure it is one that you can live with, as your decorating style may evolve.

Finding a rug to coordinate with fabrics that are already there is much more difficult than selecting a rug and then choosing fabrics- fabric samples are much lighter to carry around than rugs! So if you can find a rug first that is much easier.

Identifying whether of not you like a geometric design or a curvy floral design will further narrow your search. Geometric designs can be paired with both traditional and modern furnishings, where the floral pieces tend to be a little more formal. Also important is whether you prefer an overall design where the pattern repeats itself or a center medallion. The center medallion creates a lovely statement but not if the fireplace is off center and it cannot be positioned in the room correctly.

Hand knotted wool rugs will offer you the best quality and longevity. The wool is vegetable dyed and then hand knotted on a loom to create the design. When the rug is turned over the knots are clearly visible. This technique produces a very sturdy piece that can take a lot of wear and tear and will consistently clean well. These pieces come from a variety of countries- Iran, India, Turkey, Romania, Morocco, China, just to list a few. The rug name is usually linked to the village that it was woven in. A Persian Heriz for example is a Persian hand knotted rug that was created in the village of Heriz.

If you can identify the type of rug that you like then you can put a little research into the piece. Tabriz, Heriz, Sarouk, Kilim, – treat the names of the rugs as if they were different types of automobiles when you were looking for a car. Just like “test driving” an auto you should be able to do the same for a rug. Any reputable dealer will let you bring the rug home before you make the purchase to see if it works in the lighting that exists in the space you intend it for.

Take the measurements of your room and the space that you wish to cover before you begin your rug quest. If you are having trouble visualizing what the rug will look like in the room , cover the intended space with newspaper to get the correct dimensions.

With a little bit of knowledge and patience you are destined to find that magic carpet.

Filed Under: Decorating, Tips Tagged With: decorating, design, oriental rug, rugs

Abrash Galleries

40 Main St North

Woodbury, CT 06798

203-263-7847

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Located on 40 Main Street North, Abrash Galleries is your one-stop shop for all rug-related needs. From washing, restoration, and appraisals to design services, Karen will make sure that every need is met.

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About the Owner

KarenKaren Reddington-Hughes is an oriental rug expert with extensive experience working with corporate and private interior... Keep reading

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