Rug Selection: How to select the perfect Rug for your room

Have you ever wondered why your furniture do not look as good as it looked when it was displayed in the furniture store? Lo and behold, the answer to that is the 'set up'. Correctly placed and matched Rug can complete the look in your room. Let's try to answer one of the most common questions in furniture business, how to select a Rug.

Things to consider when selecting a rug

• Traffic / Usage
• Size / Shape
• Design
• Quality / Budget

Traffic / Usage

First thing to consider when choosing a Rug is where it goes. Most commonly, we use rugs in a Living Room, Dining Room or in a Bedroom. In addition to that, you can use a rug for Patio and even in the bathroom.

If the area is a high traffic space like a living room, a hand knotted Rug will last a long time. A material like Wool is very strong and resilient. Also they are naturally more stain resistant which makes them ideal if you have kids and pets. Hand knotted Rugs are washable and ideal for a high traffic usage.

In low traffic areas like bedrooms, you can use a rug with viscose which gives you a soft silk feel . Viscose has the relaxing feel which I calms you before getting to the bed. For a rug in the patio area, a material like Jute works really well as it is tough and course.

Size / Shape of the Rug

Rugs come in different sizes and shapes. The most common Shapes are Rectangular, Square, Round and Oval. Out of all the shapes here, Rectangular Rugs are the most popular Rugs.

Determining the size of the rug depends on the size of the room as well as the furniture you want to keep on the rug. The most common Rectangle Rug sizes are 5’x8′ , 8’x10′ and 9’x12′. The safest size that could work in regular sized houses is 8’x10′.

When you select 8’x11′ as the size for the Rug, your living room furniture can be partially placed on the Rug to define the space. Also, 8’x10′ size can work with medium to large sized dining setups up to 8-10 seating. 9’x12′ Rugs are ideal for large spaces, specially for living rooms. If you have a really small space, you can use a 5’x8′ rug.

Depending on the shape of your space, you can also use a rectangular, circular, or an oval shaped rug.

Design

Design of the Rug plays a vital part as it is the main element which ties up all your furniture and accent pieces giving your room a ‘finished’ look.

Main things to consider when choosing a Rug Design;

• Furniture Style you have in your space
• Color of your floor
• Colors of your accent furniture and other decorations
• Color of your wall.

If you have more traditional furniture in your space, busy floral patterns and traditional dark color Rugs can enhance the traditional look in your space. If you have a more contemporary setup, a light color rug with less or minimal patterns will continue the clean look of the room.

The Rug does not necessarily has to match 100% to the colors of your wall, your floor or other furniture. However, it has to complement the colors in the room.

The Rug can share the colors and patterns of the accent furniture and Decorations like wall arts in the space. Shapes, Colors and Hints, Patterns, Borders and Tassels on the Rug will also define the style of the room.

Quality / Budget

Quality and the price of a Rug is often determined by the materials used and the construction of the Rug. Hand Knotted Rugs are usually the highest priced and the highest quality Rugs as every knot is weaved by hand. Also, Hand knotted Rugs are the only Rugs that appreciate with time. Hand Tufted and Hooked Rugs are made to offer a similar look and feel to Hand Knotted rugs however, the price and quality is not as high as a hand knotted Rug.

Did you know sometimes, it can take years to weave a hand knotted rug?

Power loomed or machine made Rugs are the most common type of Rugs available today which offer a great price point with a variety of designs and sizes. These Rugs are made using mechanical looms by weaving fibers through a mesh backing.

Also, most natural materials used in Rug construction including Wool and Cotton could also increase the value and the quality of the Rugs while materials like Polyester and Polypropylene offers a better price point.

Knowing these basics will help you when selecting a Rug for your space. A Rug is not only a piece of art on your floor, it is a vital element that ties up the whole setup and completes your space.