Buying a rug can seem like a daunting task. With one Google search you are bombarded with so many rules you hardly know where to begin. Do you need to have the furniture completely on the rug? How big should your rug be? What kind of rug should you get? Of course then there is the biggest question of where can you find a quality rug for a price that doesn’t match the mortgage on your home? These questions can make the task of selecting a rug so overwhelming that it is eventually placed on the back burner. You find yourself looking for the PERFECT Rug only to be left with cold feet.
Let's break down the process and make selecting a rug for your home more manageable. Here are 5 easy steps to picking out a rug.
1. Floor Plan
2. Size
3. Material
4. Color/Pattern
5. Price
First, consider the room in which you want to place a rug; what is the floor plan? You want to choose a rug based on the space you want to fill. If you are trying to find a rug for your living room make sure that your rug fits under the legs of your furniture, or that your furniture fits completely on top of the rug. If you are looking for rug for a bedroom it should be placed so that the bottom 1/3 of the rug is showing from the foot of the bed. For dining rooms consider the size of the room and the shape of your table. If you have a long rectangular table in a large room, a circular rug will not fill the floor space and make your furniture look inappropriately sized.
Once you determine which room and the layout of your furniture you can now choose the size of your rug. The standard area rug sizes are 5’x8’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, and 12’x15’; if you need to have a rug larger than these you may have to custom order a one to fit the size of your room. An easy way to determine what size rug will fit your room is to measure and mark it out with painters tape directly onto your floor. This way you can visualize your furniture placement on the rug and make sure that your rug is large enough for your space. A trick for choosing a dining room rug is to measure the length and width of your table and add two feet on each side. This will allow you to avoid choosing a rug that is too small which will make your room feel less spacious and ungrounded. Plan accordingly and plot out the size of your rug based on the room size and your furniture placement, and you will create that luxurious and comfortable atmosphere you were expecting.
Selecting the material of a rug is extremely important. You need to consider what materials suit not only your décor but your life style. Many area rugs are made from synthetic fibers such as nylon and acrylic. These fibers are durable and easy to clean, perfect for high traffic areas such as family rooms and any place young children or pets may spend a lot of time. Synthetic fibers have come a long way and often look like their more expensive natural fiber counter parts. Natural fiber rugs made with wool or cotton are often handmade, thus accounting for the higher price tag. That Persian rug in Grandmas’ house is a fantastic antique that should be loved and cared for, as it is a handcrafted piece of art. These rugs require more delicate care than a synthetic rug, but with proper handling they are often passed down from generation to generation. Finding a rug with fiber blends is a great way to get a durable high quality rug that wont break the bank. Mixing synthetic fibers with natural ones helps to strengthen the weakness of certain fibers and will still give you the soft cushy feel of a high quality rug under your feet. The best way to determine the materials of a rug is to read the rug label. The label will tell you if your fibers are natural, synthetic or a mix, as well as its size, where it was made and whether it was machine or handmade.
Choosing the color and pattern of your rug is the fun part. Much like choosing a paint color or wallpaper, here you can set the tone of the room. Are you into a modern vibe? Pick something with a bold graphic print. More traditional? Try a rug with a floral design. Personally I like a more neutral rug, which focuses on texture rather than color, but feels so soft under my feet.
If you have ever been to Restoration Hardware I’m sure you have gushed over the rug selection. In fact the collection by Ben Soleimani is nothing short of fantastic artwork that I would love to own. What I do not love is the price tag attached. Few people can spend roughly the equivalent of two mortgage payments on rug. So while I may dream of owning one of these amazing handmade creations; I will stick to shopping for rugs at Home Goods, Wayfair, West Elm and Pottery Barn. There are rugs of every size, and style in these stores that won’t break the bank. You will be able to find the perfect piece to ground your room in one of these stores.
Follow these guidelines and you will find that selecting a new rug for your home is less stressful, and more fun. Not matter what rug you choose if you love it, that is all that matters. Much like a piece of artwork, furnishings are personal. What works for someone else may not work for you, so pick what you love and display it proudly. After all, you want to feel comfortable in your own home, and having something soft under your feet is a great start!