Rugs, alfresco

OUTDOOR carpeting used to mean Astro Turf, a green plastic more suitable for an Easter basket than a barefoot frolic. Although all-weather rugs have been rolled out for a few seasons now, they were largely flat Tuscan tapestries in a choice of colors, as long as you wanted neutrals. Then came Sandy Chilewich (www.chilewich.com), the designer who brought textural vinyl weaves and vivid contemporary color to the outdoor floor. The Chilewich factor has not gone unnoticed, as manufacturers the world over have taken on the concept of indoor-outdoor rugs.