How to Choose the Right Area Rug at Home
The idea of choosing an area rug can be tricky. It can be a great deal of struggle if you don’t have a basic and good know-how of choosing the right area rugs. Rugs are an essential part of every household and space. No one can really ignore the role they play in decorating an area. It takes a lot to understand the art of decorating with rugs but to reach the step of decorating; you first need to pick and choose the right kind of rug. There are some simple rules that you would have to follow in order to ace your area rug looks in the best way possible! Rugs are an important design tool that makes a space look unmatchable with their intense patterns and designs. There are several aspects that you would have to keep in notice. You might get a bit precarious when placing rugs in areas around your house such as your living room, bedroom, kitchen etc. but don’t worry because it’s not that difficult as you thought it is. You don’t have to be a certified and professional interior design to nail your way through! Just a little good and authentic guidance is enough for you to do well. Wondering where to get that ”right” kind of information? Well, you don’t have to do or go anywhere, just stay here and keep scrolling at our blog post only. We tell you all the ideas and information as to how you can choose the best area rugs for your home; from the designs, patterns, textures to colors or shapes, we have all the info you need. Keep reading!
The Rug Materials
Rugs come in several materials, all of which have their own identifications and specifications! There are many materials each differing in certain qualities. While buying rugs, the most important question to ask yourself should be relating to materials. What material you want should be your foremost concern. Every material isn’t best suited for every area. And so you need to be very vigilant while choosing rug materials. Some materials are stain resistant (which are best for the kitchen) while some are weather resistant (which are best to be placed outdoors) and some are known best for their durability. Durability is one thing that you should keep in focus. For example, if you are buying a wool rug; it can be a good option to place it in living rooms but it’s definitely not a good idea to place it in kitchens and so other materials are best for some specific areas only. Rug materials are classified into two categories; natural fibers and synthetic fibers. The main difference between these two fibers is that natural fibers are retained naturally (as their name suggests) for example, wool or cotton whereas, synthetic fibers are not natural and can be retained through artificial methods for example polypropylene and polyester materials. We will give you a little know how of some of the most popular rug materials:
Wool (Natural Fiber)
Wool is one of the most durable rug materials and extremely good for high traffic areas. They are considered soft and warm in general. They are easy to clean and maintain and are eco friendly, too! However, they may not be the best option to be placed outdoors. On the contrary, a wool rug is best for indoor areas such as living rooms or bedrooms.
Cotton (Natural fiber)
They are one of the cheapest rug materials that are easy to clean and maintain! Not very durable but have a high level of absorbency.
Jute and Sisal (Natural Fiber)
These materials are extremely durable and strong. They are renewable and stain resistant. The best part is that they are eco friendly! They don’t even fade in sunlight, which is amazing. So, these can be good for outdoors.
Polypropylene (Synthetic Fiber)
They are affordable and very soft. They are stain resistant and very durable. They can be placed outdoors. They can be placed anywhere. Polypropylene rugs are those rugs that are best for every area and space.
Polyester (Synthetic Fiber)
They are soft but don’t really slip. They are also durable and good absorbents. They can be a good option for mid traffic areas.
Nylon Material
They are highly stain resistant. They are super durable and are best to be placed at high traffic areas such as living rooms or kitchens. And yes, they are affordable as well!
And that’s all about the rug materials. We tried bringing the most precise yet complete guide to rug materials. We hope you must have gotten a general idea of what material can work the best for what area. Make sure that you take all the qualities and specifications into account and then make a final decision.
The Right Rug Size
The trickiest part about getting area rugs is the size factor. Many people mess up at the size part and eventually the whole look of their area is destroyed. The common mistake made in such areas is getting a rug that is too small. A small rug means a whole mess up area. The worst part is that a small rug always looks extremely awkward in every space. We always try emphasizing upon getting the right rug size in the best way possible. We can’t stop stressing enough on why you should not fetch small rugs. Now, the question arises; what size do I get. Well, we believe that every room has different measurements such that, living room size of every household is different and so we won’t really tell you the exact size that you should look for. We would rather give a general idea as to what “kind” of size works best.
If we talk about living rooms, your rug should be able to cover at least, the front legs of your furniture or instead the entire furniture set should rest upon the rug. Meaning, they should be covered by the rug. Or, if you have a table your rug should be o a size that should cover it only and not touch the legs of other furniture pieces such as a sofa. It looks very awkward if some parts of your furniture is covered and the other half is not. It also makes the seating uneven.
If we talk about bedrooms, the rug in your bedroom should be able to cover the front of your bed. We would suggest that any part of your rug should not be placed under your bed as that can lead to unevenness. Also, you work runner rugs around your room, too in this scenario. You can place two runners beside your bed to make your room look aesthetic.
One tip you can use to take the exact measurements of your rug is to use the tape method it is basically that you tape the area you want to get covered by the rug or the space that you want the area rug to be placed at. Then, take measurements of the dimensions i.e. the width and length of that area. It is the best method to get the exact measurements without messing anything up. Shipping your rug back and forth can be a huge hassle and we don’t want you to get into that hassle.
How can I Choose Rug Patterns?
Choosing the rug patterns is one of the most significant things in your house. Whenever buying rugs, matching the patterns should never be neglected. You can’t be buying wrong patterned rugs and then expect your room to look amazing. We mean it is an important step while choosing area rugs for any room. Our advice would always be to mix, match and contrast. It may sound a little confusing but it’s actually very simple. For example, if your room has neutral energy and is subtle, then you should go for rugs that make statements and are intense. Such combinations work amazing this way you can maintain the equilibrium and still rock with subtle tones and bold, intense rug patterns. We know it would look breathtaking! On the other hand, if your rooms’ layout is bold and loud, then you should go for rug patterns that are rather toned down and subtle. Such combinations work simply but don’t disappoint the viewers. You can mix and match as much as you can but don’t get completely off. Your room can showcase its inner dive without being extremely loud and bold. Follow the layout of your room and the vision you have in mind.
What About The Rug Colors?
They say, choosing a rug color is as simple yet complicated as choosing the right wall color. The colors of your area rugs can make a lot of difference in the overall look of your room. The fun part about it is that it changes the way you look at your room. Wondering what that means? Meaning, a mere rug color can make your room look smaller or larger. For example, a white colored rug can make your space look spacious and spaced out a bit. You can use all your favorite hues and ace the eventual look. The furniture colors and items also play parts in mixing with the rug colors. If you have a room that already has plenty of colors playing, then you can go for warmer and neutral tones instead. However a minimalistic area should look the best with multi colored rugs. Again, the concept of contrasting dives in. you should match the designs, patterns and colors with the already existing items in your room/ area.
The Rug Shapes
Rugs come in an array of shapes, from the standard shapes such as squares or circles to unique and weird shapes as clouds and hearts. Did you know that there are even rugs with triangle shape? Sounds weird, right? But, it’s true. You can work in and experiment with different shapes of rugs in your room. If you have a coffee table in one of the corners for your room, then we would suggest you small round rugs or even triangle shaped rugs. However, shapes like square or rectangle work best in living rooms (at the focal spots). As we have mentioned previously, you can work runner rugs in your bedrooms, too. You can place them beside your beds. Obviously, you can place them in your entryways and hallways as well! You can choose from anything!
Rug pads: An Essential Part
Rug pads are the most neglected but the most important part of rugs. They should be given equal importance as you give to rugs. They are extremely important for rugs and your floors. People don’t really pay much attention to this aspect of rugs as they consider them something that is unseen and thus, unimportant. But, it’s very wrong. Rug pads contribute to the longevity of the rugs and protect your rugs and floors. They help prevent slipping and keep the rug intact with the floor. Thus, a rug pad has multiple benefits and considerably no disadvantage. You should always buy a rug pad alongside your rugs.
And that brings us to the end of this blog post. We sincerely hope that you found it helpful and informative. We tried bringing the most authentic information to you regarding how to choose area rugs. We covered all the aspects that you must be confused over when buying rugs. We hope that you must have a clear picture as to what kind of a rug you want. Try keeping in mind all the tips and tricks we have listed above so that you don’t get disappointed with the eventual look. Remember, you should sometimes try your own art and creativity rather than blindly following the rules. Sometimes, you will follow all the expert advice and still not be satisfied with the tug you get/ buy and that’s because you didn’t practice your personal choice. Don’t forget to ask yourself as to what you want and what suits you. Remember that it’s your room and you have all the rights to practice your choice on it. We believe in you!
If you are looking for buying area rugs, then RugKnots is the ultimate destination for you. We have the most diverse collection of rugs. You can choose your favorite rug from the widest collections of rugs present in various designs, styles, colors, shapes and materials. Trust us; you won’t be left disappointed after shopping from us. You can even get a customized rug and that too, will be amazing. Feel free to contact us in case of any queries regarding area rugs. Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions that you might have in your mind and don’t forget to leave a comment!