A rug completes the look of your living area. However, with so many options available, determining the best one can be like attempting to solve a riddle.
The correct rug will bring a room together and will last for years. Most designers will tell you that a rug is necessary for a living space to seem put together.
Rugs, on the other hand, can be quite costly. And, because a large-scale item like that will have a significant impact on the way a space looks and feels, selecting one can be scary. A good rug can endure decades in your home. The improper rug will act as a daily reminder of how much money you squandered — and how much money you’ll have to pay to replace it.
And, with the variety of fabrics, colours, designs, and sizes available, doing it wrong is all too simple. Finding the perfect rug is a difficult challenge. To help you solve that puzzle, we have summed up some of the best tips to buy a perfect rug!
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Use One or a Few
There’s no rule that says you can only have one rug in your living room. In larger spaces, designers frequently employ many carpets to designate distinct sections. So how do you know if one or a few are the best?
A brightly patterned rug can be the focal point of a living room. Smaller spaces, as well as living rooms surrounded by walls and doorways, benefit from a single huge rug.
Multiple rugs assist different furniture groups and can be used to divide a living room from a dining or media area without walls. They are more likely to benefit sprawling, open-concept areas like lofts.
Can’t Decide? Then Layer Them!
Another option is to layer rugs, with a large plain rug at the bottom and smaller decorative rugs on top. on top to anchor separate seating areas.
Determine the Size
When shopping for a rug, it is critical to consider the obstacles in the space. While considering the architecture and mechanics of a home, we always start with the functional and work our way to the aesthetic. Is it necessary to consider doorways and door swings? Do you have any HVAC floor grille that you don’t wish to cover? Is there a fireplace in the area where you must deal with a hearth?
After you’ve considered these aspects, think about circulation around the seating spaces. Nothing is more inconvenient than being compelled to walk around the circumference of a rug with one foot on and one foot off.
Select a size that either totally covers the walkway or exposes the floor where people must pass. Then, consider how far the rug should extend beyond the furniture. A basic method for sizing a rug is to ensure that it extends beneath all four feet of all furniture.
Alternatively, a smaller rug that runs under the front foot of the sofas and chairs and stops there could be used. Simply ensure that smaller things near the rug’s edges, such as end tables and floor lamps, are totally on or off the rug.
Choose Patterned or Plain
A vividly patterned rug can be the focal point of a living room, but because it has such a big impact, it’s a risky option. Choosing between a graphic statement rug and something more subtle comes down to personal style, as well as your overall design concept and the location of your property.
If you decide to buy a patterned rug, you will have a plethora of options, ranging from free-form contemporary designs to more classic ones. If you like to keep things simple, there are lots of options to incorporate pattern on a smaller scale.
Pick a Material
Materials used to make rugs include plant-based fibres such as cotton and linen, downy natural fibres as wool and silk, and synthetic fibres like nylon and solution-dyed acrylic. Nonwoven carpets can also be manufactured from stitched-together materials such as cowhide.
Each material has its own distinct appearance and feel, as well as variable features linked to how well the materials wear and how easy they are to clean. They also have a wide pricing range.
Plant-based rugs are frequently among the most economical and provide an easy, casual aesthetic. However, the endurance of different fibres varies: Cotton and linen, for example, age quickly, whereas sisal and allo can withstand more misuse.
Wool is a popular material that can have a variety of looks depending on how it is treated, ranging from thin, flat weaves to hairy, hand-knotted shags. Wool is more expensive than other plant-based materials, but it is stain-resistant, softer underfoot, and long-lasting enough to endure centuries.
Silk, on the other hand, is often more expensive and delicate, but has a softer feel and a lustrous sheen. Some luxury carpets are totally composed of silk, while others blend wool and silk to achieve a variety of designs.
Don’t Forget the Rug Pad
It’s tempting to bring a rug home and immediately lay it down, but you should always use a nonslip rug pad.
Cut the pad to a size that is just a tad smaller than the carpet. To give optimum grip while eliminating an apparent change in level where the rug transitions from pad to floor, it should be trimmed approximately an inch shorter than the rug on both sides.
Rug cushions provide a little extra comfort, but its true utility is in keeping it in place and extending the life of the carpet. In other words, it guarantees that your new rug will not slide around like a banana peel.