Area rugs benefit your home through their many roles that include giving character to your home, providing comfort, and reducing noise. Knowing how to choose the perfect area rug for your home will help you choose the right size and shape, color, and style of rug to fit your home decor and needs. This post explains what you need to understand before choosing your perfect area rug.
Know the Right Size and Shape
Area rugs come in standard and non-standard sizes and shapes. The most common shapes include rectangular, round, square, octagonal, and long and narrow. The most common sizes include:
- 2x3
- 5x8
- 6x9
- 8x10
- 9x12 and bigger
Prior to shopping for your area rug, accurately measure the space where you plan to place your area rug. Rug dimensions may vary by 5 percent and the fringe is usually not calculated into the rug's size. One effective way to visualize the right size for your rug is to lay out newspapers to determine what looks right in your home. Another rule of thumb is to have at least the front legs of a chair or couch on the rug. Contact an area rug professional for other tips about accurately measuring your space.
Know Your Desired Color
When you're deciding on the color of your rug, bring paint samples, fabric, or a sofa pillow to the showroom so that you can easily match your desired color. An exact match is not required because memorable interior design will often complement or contrast the primary color of a room. It's best to use one primary color along with two secondary colors.
What's Your Style?
You should choose a style that enhances the room's overall decor. The most common styles include:
- Contemporary - Contemporary rugs such as Emma Gardner's rubbertree rug feature floral and geometric patterns. These rugs place any room in the moment with a long lasting style.
- Transitional - When you have a room that is a little traditional and a little contemporary, a transitional rug from Couristan's& Botanique Collection might work.
- Traditional - A Traditional rug like the Anatolian by Delos can give any room an old-world character.
Understand Durability of Area Rugs
The durability of a rug is based on its construction, material, and foot traffic. Understanding a rug's durability will help you determine where you place your rug. There are three descriptors of rug durability and they are:
- High - High traffic rugs are good for hallways, family rooms, and entryways.
- Medium - Medium traffic rugs are good for the dining room and a home office.
- Light - Light traffic rugs are good for bedrooms and formal dining rooms.
Important Differences in Area Rugs
Understanding the different construction of area rugs will help you select the right rug for you. The most common area rug constructions are:
- Hand-knotted - Hand-knotted rugs are the most unique area rugs made on a loom by hand. Characteristics of these rugs include individual knots and the overall design are visible on the back, hand finished edges, and imperfections & irregularities in color and design. These rugs are typically constructed of wool or silk. A 9 x 12 rug could take months to make.
- Hand-tufted - These rugs are made using a tufting gun by hand which speeds up the process and thus reduces the cost of the rug. These rugs typically are made of beautiful materials such as wool. Hand-tufted rugs usually have cotton backing glued to the scrim that protects the floor.
- Machine-made - Also known as power loomed rugs that can be mass produced and are the least expensive rug option. Often these rugs will be made of inferior fibers like polypropylene rather than wool. Machine made rugs have a three to ten year life span.
As you can see, knowing the size, shape, color, and style plays an important role in choosing the perfect area rug.
