7 Expert Tips To Choose An Area Rug

One of the most common mistakes people make (to save money), is to buy an area rug that is too small for a particular room. This immediately makes the whole room look smaller. A good rule of thumb is that there should be no more than 10 to 20 inches of open floor between the wall and the edge of the rug.

There are, however, other factors that could overrule the general guideline above, such as your furniture arrangement. These include:

• Living room. Here you have two choices: all the furniture should fit comfortably on top of the rug, or at least all the front legs should rest on the rug.
• Dining room. The dining room chairs should be your guide in this room. The area rug needs to be big enough so that, when the chairs are pushed back from the table, they still fully remain on the rug.
• Bedroom. A good rule of thumb here is that the area rug you decide on should 'frame' the bed. For a queen-size bed this would mean a 8 x 10 feet rug, and for a king-size 9 x 12 feet.

Your lifestyle should be one of the biggest considerations when choosing an area rug. If you have pets or children, for example, a white high pile rug is unlikely to be your best choice. If you know that the rug you buy will be subject to a lot of heavy usage including dirty kids' feet and pet hair, a flat weave rug with a bright pattern that hides stains well is the better choice, because it's easier to keep clean and maintain.

On the other hand, if you have no children in the house and your only pet is a budgie in a cage, you might want to create an ambiance of luxury and comfort. In that case, a nice soft rug with a higher pile is a good option.

The variety of rug styles out there is simply astounding. Whatever your lighting style, furniture style or room style might be, there is bound to be something that suits your taste. The days when classic European styles or Persian rugs were the norm are long gone. Nowadays there are many modern alternatives such as strong geometrics, bold florals, as well as simple sisals and jutes.

Apart from practical considerations such as how easy or difficult it would be to clean and how much wear and tear it will be subjected to, the choice here is all about the atmosphere you want to create.

Here are a few useful guidelines:

• If most of the furniture in the room features a solid color, a good idea is to buy a patterned area rug to match their hue. If the furniture, however, features a vivid pattern, why not opt for a solid or muted color rug to complement the furniture?
• If you want to create a sophisticated, refined ambiance, look for an oriental rug where the secondary color matches the color of the lounge suite.
• Remember that in the final instance you and your family will have to live with the rug for a long time, so feel free to choose something that really strikes you as beautiful, even if it breaks most or all of the rules.

When choosing an area rug, you will have to decide whether you want a low, medium or high pile one. In this regard you should take the following factors into account:

• Low pile rugs are normally easier to clean and vacuum, and they are typically able to withstand more wear and tear than their high pile counterparts. They are often also not as pricey as high pile rugs. This is why they are a good choice if you have kids or pets in the house.
• Rugs featuring a longer pile, however, are more luxurious and softer underfoot and will help to make any room look more inviting and cozy.

As a general rule, any room that has lots of foot traffic is a good candidate for a low pile rug, e.g. a kilim or dhurrie. A thicker rug is perfect for those rooms that have less traffic, and where you want to create a more sophisticated ambiance.

Synthetic rugs are (and will probably always be) very popular simply because they are often the most affordable option.

Natural rugs, however, wear better and they last longer. A fabric such as wool, for example, contains lanolin, which is a natural stain repellent. This is why wool carpets are particularly easy to clean. There are nowadays, however, many synthetic rugs on the market that come very close to their natural counterparts in terms of beauty and longevity, so don't let a limited budget prevent you from buying your dream area rug.

There is no written or unwritten rule that you have to buy a rectangular area rug. If there is a rule, it's that the shape of your area rug should complement the room as well as the furniture.

• Room. It's only logical that you will consider the shape of your room when deciding on the shape of the area rug you buy. If a room is long and narrow, a square or round rug is not a practical choice, because they will both leave the corners of the room uncovered.
• Furniture. The area rug you buy should reflect the shape of the furniture in the room. A simple example is when you have a round dining table, in which case the near obvious choice would be a round area rug. If you, on the other hand, have a rectangular living room and the furniture is arranged accordingly, a rectangular rug makes a lot of sense.

If there is a single item that can seamlessly pull all the different elements of your decorating scheme together, it's the right type of area rug. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.

Coastal

For a room with a coastal decorating theme we recommend an airy rug featuring the blue of the ocean combined with a light, neutral color such as gray, beige or white. Florals or soft stripes can make the ideal pattern for a venue with a coastal decorating scheme.

Rustic

If your lounge or dining room has a rustic theme, there are two words that immediately come to mind when searching for the right rug: 'natural' and 'neutral'. Go for natural fibers such as jute, cotton, bamboo or seagrass. And keep the colors neutral and earthy, for example beige, brown or ivory.

Glam

Glam decorating schemes offer a mix of an upmarket, airy feel and glittering metals, luxurious fabrics and shiny accessories to create an elegant and refined ambiance. Popular colors here include white, ivory, charcoal, and turquoise. Although patterns are not taboo, mono-colors are very popular. If you do go for a pattern, something like a simple geometric pattern will look more at home than e.g. a floral design. Hand-tufted wool is a good choice for this type of rug.

Contemporary

Contemporary decorating schemes are defined by subtle sophistication, simplicity and clean lines. Geometric patterns and hand-tufted wool are popular choices here, as well as abstract patterns, stripes and handwoven flat-weave wool.

Scandinavian

Scandinavian decor is known for its clean straight lines. Area rugs that are black, gray or white are excellent choices for this type of decorating style. If they are accented with minimal designs such as stripes or geometric patterns, they can look really classy. Handmade tufted or braided wool, flat-weave cotton, and faux sheepskin are popular choices here.

Traditional

This style of decoration is orderly, calm and predictable. There is nothing even remotely chaotic or wild about a traditional room. If this sounds like your home, think of a vintage Persian rug, perhaps with muted floral colors. A Moroccan shag rug will also not look out of place, as would a traditional hand knotted Pakistan wool rug.

If your budget doesn't stretch that far, don't panic. Natural fibers such as jute, cotton or sisal can also create that warm, earthy look - at a fraction of the cost. And although synthetic fibers might not be quite as durable, a good quality viscose, nylon or polyester rug can go a long way to create that same timeless elegance without breaking the bank.

The bottom line is that the area rug you buy should not just be seen as a floor cover. It should also say something about your home, your lifestyle, your family, your pets and yourself.