Shopping for rugs can be both fun and intimidating. With so many choices in color, style, and fiber, making a decision can be overwhelming. However, arming yourself with a little knowledge can make buying an area rug more enjoyable than intimidating. After all, isn’t that what decorating is supposed to be?
Choosing the Right Size Rug for Your Space
Size is one of the first things you need to consider. Are you looking for a small 3×5 rug to place in front of your French doors, or do you need a larger 8×10 for your living room? There are some guidelines to help you determine the right size for your needs.
If you’re purchasing a rug for under your dining room table, make sure it’s large enough to accommodate the chairs when they’re pushed back. Add 6 inches to this measurement to ensure the rug is the correct size. This method ensures that all chair legs stay on the rug during use, preventing any accidents when a chair catches on the edge of a rug that’s too small. After all, you don’t want awkward chair movement during dinner parties!
In the living room, you have more options. You can choose to have all the furniture sit completely on the rug, which requires a very large rug. This style is often used in larger rooms where you want to create separate seating areas. A more common choice is to place the rug under the coffee table, allowing the front legs of surrounding sofas and chairs to rest on it. Alternatively, you could opt for a smaller 4×6 accent rug and place it under the coffee table, with no furniture touching it. Just make sure all the legs of your coffee table sit on the rug.
The bedroom offers different options. You could place a large 8×10 or 9×11 rug under the bed, ensuring that there’s at least 3 feet of rug on all sides for the proper look. Alternatively, you could place two runners on either side of the bed. These runners, usually 2-3 feet wide and 7-9 feet long, are perfect as bedside rugs.
The choice is yours. Just be sure the scale of the rug fits the room and furniture. A rug that’s too small won’t be noticed, while one that’s too big can overpower the entire room.
Budget is another important factor when buying an area rug. Now that you know what size you need, you can make more informed decisions about how much to spend.
Hand-knotted rugs are the most expensive. As the name suggests, each knot in these rugs is tied by hand. The general rule is: the more knots per square inch, the more durable, valuable, and expensive the rug will be. If you’re fortunate enough to own one, it’s a good investment, as these rugs can last a lifetime.
Most budgets, however, don’t have room for such a luxury. In this case, hand-tufted or hand-hooked rugs are great alternatives. Both of these types utilize machinery as well as manual labor. In tufting, a tufting gun is used to push yarn through a pattern on the back of the rug. If you see a cloth backing, you can assume the rug is tufted. A hand-hooked rug, on the other hand, is made by pulling yarn through the backing with a metal hooking tool. Both options are more affordable than hand-knotted rugs and offer great durability.
Machine-made rugs are the least expensive option and can be found in a range of price points, depending on the size and fiber used.
Understanding Fibers and Their Impact on Price
- Fiber choices also affect your budget. Natural fibers are generally the most expensive, including wool, cotton, silk, jute, bamboo, and sisal.
- Wool is the most durable and serves as the standard for measuring other materials and fibers. It accepts dye easily and is easy to maintain.
- Cotton isn’t as durable as wool, but it can produce a softer rug.
- Jute, Sisal, and Bamboo are popular for their eco-friendly properties. They can be used indoors or outdoors but won’t last as long as wool or cotton. Sisal is the most durable of the three, colorfast, and static-free. Often, you’ll find it in a wool-sisal blend, which combines the best qualities of both fibers.
Synthetic fibers, such as acrylic, nylon, and olefin, are also popular options. These fibers are often blended to create durable and colorful rugs, and they tend to be more affordable.
- Acrylic is resistant to fading and mildew, making it a good choice for rooms with a lot of sunlight or exposure to moisture, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and children’s rooms.
- Nylon is a great option for high-traffic areas because it’s durable and easy to clean.
- Polypropylene/Olefin is the most durable of the synthetic fibers. It’s stain-resistant, water-resistant, and the most affordable option. It’s perfect for busy rooms in your home.
- Now that you know more about buying an area rug, the colors and patterns you choose are entirely up to you. With rugs available in just about every color combination imaginable, coordinating with the other colors in your room is a breeze. An area rug can be the final piece that completes your room, so take your time and enjoy the shopping process!
