Home & Interiors

Over the past 20 years, Goodweave have been working tirelessly to end child labour in the carpet industry. They take a holistic approach to their work, harnessing market forces to clean up supply chains, promote education and improve conditions for all workers. They have saved over 6,740 children from child labour and given over 25,476 a quality education. GoodWeave provide partners such as Bazaar Velvet Rugs, with the confidence that their rugs will never be made by child labour. Child Labour in The Rug Industry Throughout South Asia, nearly 300,000 children are forced to weave rugs for the highly profitable handmade rug industry. Many of them are victim to their family’s debts and are sent off to work in dreadful conditions as young as seven years old. Others were kidnapped or trafficked. These children suffer from malnutrition, impaired vision and breathing, sexual abuse and injuries from using dangerous tools. So why have so many children found themselves in the workplace rather th

Choosing the right flat roof in London , tips and hints! The general consensus associated with flat roofs is normally one of worry and concern. Poor materials and shoddy workmanship are the common cause and root of the problem. Flat roofs have been around for as long as we all can remember, here in London you only have to look out of the window of the train or your own home and there are flat roofs are far as the eye can see. The question is, why worry. If a flat roof is undertaken by a competent contractor a flat roof can ​have a long life expectancy. A High end Reinforced Bituminous Membrane (3 layer felt system) is the most cost effective, tried and test system that when installed correctly has all of the following benefits, extended life-spans, ease of maintenance, proven resistance to the fluctuation of the British weather, together with high performance and cost effectiveness, a flat roof can offer a real alternative to a pitched roof. When installed and maintained correctly,. Ti

Every bespoke rug project at Bazaar Velvet has its own unique and exciting back story. Each brings an original array of fresh inspirations, new challenges and happy surprises. One of these such projects was with renowned Architecture and Interior practice  Carr and Poth . They came to us with a brief for an edgy bespoke rug to be placed in a modern Marylebone home. Their California based client had recently purchased this London base with help of popular US television programme ‘House Hunters’. The projects aim was to harness the client’s enthusiasm for the city and her fun and vibrant personality. At the centre of the home was a large open plan living area with high ceilings, large windows and a vast expanse of white rubber flooring. This blank canvas was a complete dream for designer Laura at Carr and Poth, as well as the design team at Bazaar Velvet. Laura recognized the opportunity to use a statement rug, and sought out Bazaar Velvet to create this for her. Our subsequent design

Geometric rugs have been a firm favorite of style-conscious homeowners for many decades. Modern and elegant, this timeless style is constantly reinvented. Changes to the scale and color of a design can give a pattern a hugely different aesthetic, from quiet and subdued to bold and brash. The number of geometric designs available on the market is always increasing as designers strive to meet demands for fresh on-trend pieces, yet the roots of these designs can often be traced back hundreds if not thousands of years, with early geometric motifs being dated at 5000 years old.  Geometric rugs have been created for thousands of years with many different areas of the world having their own interpretation. One of the most famous is Northwest Persia, with many designs featuring obvious rectilinear geometry. However, the term geometry is not only confined to designs with straight lines, but also those with medallions, scrolls and arabesques.  All of these require precision in angle and curve,

No type of  contemporary rug  design holds quite the same mass appeal of striped rugs. They have a clean, simple aesthetic yet are enriched with a sense of fun that can really lift a room. There are numerous different styles of striped rug on the market, as this basic design lends itself to a very wide range of rug constructions; from inexpensive machine made rugs, to hand woven kelims and luxurious hand knotted rugs . Striped rugs can vary greatly in design too, with thinner stripes giving a more subtle, textural feel, and wider stripes making more of a statement. Striped rugs have been popular choices for interiors for hundreds of years. Find out more about more about what makes them so special. Traditional Striped Rugs – The Kelim A kelim, or flatweave, is a type of rug that is woven with only warp and weft threads and no pile. This style of rug dates back to ancient times, and was used by tribal and nomadic people all over the world due to its light flexible nature and ease of cons

Energy saving and roof insulation A quarter of the heat loss from homes occurs through roofs in uninsulated attics. Installing insulation in your attic or attic is a great way to save energy and prevent heat loss. While many see insulation as an unwanted additional cost to their roof or home project, it will pay for itself many times over in energy savings over its lifetime. If you replace more than 25% of the roof, the insulation must be installed and meet the minimum energy performance level to meet current building codes. Properly insulating your attic has many benefits, including: Reduce your heating costs Improve your home's energy efficiency and carbon footprint It keeps your house warm in the winter months and cooler in the summer months Help reduce condensation problems in your home Types of insulation for your roof Open Attic - In attics that have not been converted for home use, laminated coil insulation is usually installed between the ceiling joists. We tend to use grou

From the ancient Mughal Empire came some of the most magnificent and attractive traditional carpets ever seen. Influences from Islamic art to Persian-Chinese textiles blend with Indian Hindu origins to create a very naturalistic design associated with Mughal tapestries. At the Velvet Bazaar, we are proud to say that we now keep specimens of this extraordinary art form in our showroom in London. Perhaps the most important figure in the history of the Mughal carpet was Emperor Shah Jahan. He continued to expand the already thriving Mughal Empire in the 17th century and cemented his image of prosperity and success. His influence on the arts and architecture of the time cannot be underestimated as he was the driving force behind the construction of the Taj Mahal - arguably the most iconic building in all of India. Over time, the Mughal Empire spread from the steppes of Asia across the Indian subcontinent from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Bengal. The city of Lahore in Pakistan is currently

Since the 13th century, clay tiles have enriched rural and urban settings with rich colors, shapes, and tones. Clay bricks have played an important role in the history of architectural development. The Romans were the first to make and use clay roof tiles in the country, and the museum's current collection attests to the material's wide use. In the Middle Ages, a craft revival occurred first along the east coast, where contact with the land was strongest and provided a strong, fire-resistant alternative to straw. In 1212 AD, King John issued a building code for London to remove flammable roofs and replace them with tiles. Since then, clay has become a coveted material. In the 18th century, tile became the standard roofing material wherever there was a suitable supply of raw materials, a source of fuel, and a thriving craft tradition. Clay brick production began as a very small scale industry, with many areas having only one source of supply. Over time, roofers developed their o

Aluminum doorway webbing systems are considered by many to be one of the most effective and durable forms of barrier webbing for commercial buildings. However, because they are also among the most expensive, many business and property owners are reluctant to invest. In the next post we will take a look at some of the considerations you need to take into account when deciding whether or not to invest in an aluminum entrance wicker system in the UK. High pedestrian traffic One of the main considerations to keep in mind when choosing from a variety of doorway webbing system options is the amount of foot traffic your building must handle. If your commercial building is a busy office, a popular shop on the highway, or even a supermarket or shopping mall, chances are your property experiences heavy traffic on a daily basis. If this is the case, the aluminum intake system is a good choice because the material offers greater strength than the alternative. Doormats made of inferior and lighter

Each bespoke rug project at the Velvet Bazaar has its own unique and engaging story. Each brings a series of fresh inspirations, new challenges, and pleasant surprises. One of these projects is with renowned architectural and interior design firm Carr and Poth. They came to us with a proposal for a nice, bespoke rug to install in a contemporary home in Marylebone. Your California client just bought this London base with the help of the popular American TV show House Hunters. The aim of the project is to capitalize on the client's enthusiasm for the city and its cheerful and lively personality.  Left: Our rugs from 'Street Art Maid' Floor Art Collection, Right: These are individual rugs In the center of the house is a large open living area with high ceilings, large windows, and very spacious white rubber floors. This blank canvas is a dream come true for designer Laura from Carr and Poth and the Velvet Bazaar design team. Laura saw an opportunity to use a good rug and soug

Designer bedroom rug ideas are the perfect way to add warmth and softness to a quiet space. Bedrooms with hard floors run the risk of freezing cold, but the right carpet can bring instant comfort under your feet and help drown out the noise. Apart from having practical benefits, rugs and rugs are a great way to add personality to an interior. As a private and personal space, it's important that our bedroom reflects our tastes and is a place we love - adding a rug is a great way to achieve that as it is available in an endless selection of colors, fabrics, materials and samples. available. Choosing bedroom rug ideas is part of the fun of any bedroom because there are so many designs. Placing a small, deep rug next to the bed is a brilliant bedroom floor idea to get some warmth under your feet. Or, a larger rug can instantly change the look and feel of a room. Depending on their size and placement, they can be used instead of bedroom rugs to unify or zone a space and can be a great

Gutters are very important because they protect your home from water damage. It is recommended that you maintain and upgrade gutters as your best line of defense against potential problems from snow and rain, leaves, twigs, and windblown debris. For as long as gutters have existed, people have been looking for ways to keep their gutters free of clogs and functioning properly. One of the most popular ways to protect gutters has long been covering the top of the gutter with plastic or a mesh filter, which is designed to keep leaves and debris out.  London roof repair experts can keep your gutters in good working order. An upgrade can prevent most, if not all, of the damage caused by clogged or broken gutters: exterior stains and trim damage, interior leaks and water damage, and damage to ceilings, walls and panels, floorboards, and furniture. Repairs of this type usually cost thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars. Additionally, the Wisconsin winter and the weight of the accumulat