Rashad Will DDS
The right print can either give an impression of a cool, open area or of a cozy, snug room just waiting to welcome you in. It’s the complete skin and hair removed from a cow and then expertly treated in order to preserve it in the finest condition. They adorned the walls and floors of cavemen’s homes thousands of years ago, and they didn’t just look fabulous on a caveman’s bed but kept him and his family warm, too!
Because cowhide rugs are 100% natural and contain no synthetic materials, they’re less likely to contain pesticides or flame-retardant chemicals that can irritate both your skin and your nose. They don’t attract pollen or cat dander, two common culprits for causing allergic reactions. Natural hide repels stains as both the skin and the hair of a cow are designed to keep the animal healthy and clean.
A simple vacuuming will rid your rug of regularly-occurring dust and dirt, or take it out occasionally and give a beating or a good shake and it’ll look like new once more. The leather underneath will grip almost any floor surface it’s placed on, and a good-quality cowhide won’t curl at the edges. We’ve all looked back at pictures of our parents’ living room from years ago, and even our own from the not-too-distant past. They’re timeless pieces, complimenting rooms for years even when other items of furniture are replaced. A cowhide is only available because the cow has arrived at a slaughterhouse as part of the dairy and meat industry. If the hides weren’t picked up and turned into a usable item, they’d be a waste product and disposed of.
At cowhidesdirect.com we bring you only the best, responsibly sourced cowhides from Brazil and Europe and pride ourselves on our A-grade quality hides. Of course, any animal hide will retain a scent of its own, but a cowhide rug will only smell as much as would a high-quality leather jacket. If your dog likes to eat rawhide bones, it doesn’t mean he’ll want to chew on your new rug.
You’ll know if it’s a genuine cowhide rug as the smell of good leather is unmistakable. A genuine rug won’t smell of chemicals or have the plasticky odor of synthetic materials. When it comes to selecting the right color for your cowhide rug, there’s a lot to consider, and while it’s all down to your personal preference, we’re here to help you with that, too.
Whether it’s black, brown, white or gray, a solid color is easy to place in a room. The iconic black and white is a classic hide guaranteed for immediate impact in any room. The bright, clean white of the hide contrasts perfectly with the deep, shiny black markings for maximum effect.
You can place a black and white rug anywhere in the house but they’re particularly popular for nurseries and children’s playrooms because of the playful, whimsical effect they have.
They’re also great for the kitchen because not only are the colors perfect for that rustic, farmhouse look but a cowhide rug, being naturally stain-repellent, means it’s easy to keep clean. Also known as exotic cowhides, tricolor rugs usually have, as is pretty self-explanatory, three or more colors in their shading.
These are cowhides that have been specially stencilled with colored dyes in order to produce an exotic pattern. These can be a great addition to your room if you’re looking for something a little more on the wild side, and yet don’t want to compromise on the authentic cowhide quality by buying a synthetic rug.
Metallic effects such as gold and silver are carefully added by hand to the hide, making for a truly eye-catching piece.
If you want to keep the quality of genuine leather but prefer to go for bolder, less ‘natural’ colors, such as blue or red, or even hot pink, then a dyed rug’s the way to go.
They’re particularly sought after for those who are creating a specific color scheme and want a piece that will tie the room together without compromising on the soft, durable properties of a cowhide rug. … and whether you’re after a classic black and white, or a light brindle, or even a tricolor, we have every color you could possibly think of and everything in between.
Remember that these aren’t exact sizes, but one of the joys of a cowhide rug is its uniqueness, every single time. So, we also have a fabulous range of calf skin and even goatskin hides, too, particularly if you’re looking to cover a smaller floor space. You’ll have carefully chosen the style, size and color, and its placement in your room is just as important a factor to consider. A popular place for any rug to lie is in the living room, often underneath a coffee table.
Most rugs today come in a square or rectangular shape, so they often sit at right angles to a couch or chair. Place your rug at a 45-degree angle to your couch to make it a focal point in your living room.
Your coffee table can sit on top of the rug but be careful not to cover it up completely. If space isn’t a problem, consider placing your rug on the floor as a feature all on its own, with nothing at all sitting on it.
The one-of-a-kind design and naturally bright, vivid colors of a cowhide rug make it perfectly adept at carrying itself all on its own in a room, with no help from other furniture necessary! This way, the whole rug is on view and none of its beauty is hidden but you can still enjoy the practicalities of a coffee table in front of you. It’s not a problem to cover up the edges of a cowhide rug with a sofa or the legs of a table, particularly if space is restricted. Given its durability, versatility, and all-round ability to make any room look fabulous, you’ll have an abundance of options when it comes to placing your rug.
It serves as an immediately eye-catching component, and its hard-wearing features mean that it can deal with plenty of family traffic throughout the day. Placing the cowhide at an angle along the edge of the rug will allow for it to stand alone while at the same time giving a warmer, deeper texture to the room. The ‘less is more’ theory still applies, but in this example the cowhide is toning down the louder, more gregarious colors of its pairing rug.
The matching colors in both rugs, while displayed in completely different textures, will complement one another without losing their own individual properties. Once again, our staff are on hand to give you all manner of suggestions and advice, so don’t be afraid to ask questions! We’re firm believers in showing off your beautiful, one-of-a-kind rug ain all its glory, wherever it will be most appreciated.
More and more of our customers are taking a leaf out of the caveman’s book and displaying their beautiful cowhide rugs on the wall, or even the ceiling. Either way, you’re sure to find the perfect method of hanging your cowhide rug on the wall or the ceiling. They’re mainly decorative, but there’s another reason our caveman friend loved to sleep under a cowhide at night. They retain heat very well, are extremely comfortable, and will keep you snug and warm all through the night, particular in the colder winter months. You might find that your dog takes very little time to realize just how luxurious and comfortable your new cowhide rug is. A smaller cowhide rug, or even a small calf hide, will fit into a dog’s bed and provide him with untold warmth and comfort.
In fact, if you’d rather he kept off the furniture and your bed, getting him a cowhide rug could be an excellent way of luring him into his own space. Of course, you might find it a true extravagance to treat your puppy with to such finery, but we promise you should you wish to splash out on your pup, our lips are firmly sealed. They can also be put on the back of chairs and look particularly cozy draped onto reading window nooks for those wintery nights in, curled up with a good book.
Nursing moms have found that a cowhide rug on the back of a rocking chair in their baby’s room can make those night feeds that little more comforting, too, as well as adding a splash of style to the nursery.
In fact, the more time you spend perusing our huge selection, the more difficult you’ll find the task of narrowing it down to a final winning choice. This is the first question to consider, because it will immediately put you in the frame of mind for a particular kind of rug.
This will help you to decide on the right shade of cowhide rug to go for, and you’ll be able to picture exactly how you want it to lie. Don’t forget to carefully measure the space you want the rug to be placed in, in order to get the maximum impact possible in your room.
You might have always had your heart set on the deepest, snuggest brindle pattern you’ve ever seen, or you may believe that no other rug than the reddish-brown of a Hereford cowhide could ever grace your floor.
Don’t forget, though, that with our easy 30 day exchange or refund service, even if you get your rug home and decide something’s just not quite right, you’ll be able to fix it!
Once you’ve picked the perfect rug and it’s on its way to your house, you’ll be itching to unpack it and place it in its new home. When you first remove it from its packaging, you may find that your brand new cowhide rug has wrinkled in transit.
If the wrinkles don’t disappear quickly, turn the rug over, so it’s lying hair-side down, and run a damp (not wet) cloth along the leather. They’re so durable and easy to look after that you’ll wonder why on earth you waited so long to get a cowhide rug.
Now lying pride of place in your favorite room, it will continue to look as good as new longer than you could even dream of and requires very little upkeep. Be sure to mop up any spills quickly and there’s no need to worry about stains, as natural leather is extremely stain-repellent.
Imagine the softness and luxury of your beautiful cowhide rug, but right next to you on your bed or couch. And remember, we ship all over the world, so wherever you are, we'd be proud to help furnish your home with our beautiful products.
