Area Rugs are much more than just floor coverings – they are essential elements to the overall design of a space. It’s important to select the right rug for your space (and better so early in the design process). Here’s how we go about selecting the perfect rug:
Why Rugs are Important:
Area rugs serve multiple purposes in a room. They add warmth, texture, and color, and can help delineate different areas within a larger space. A well-chosen rug can anchor your furniture, create a focal point, and tie the space together as a whole. Rugs span the entirety of the space, so it is very important to choose well!
Choosing the Right Rug:
Deciding on a rug early in the design process can be crucial. The style, color, and pattern of the rug will influence other design choices, such as furniture, window treatments, and accessories. We tend to go for hand-tufted or hand-knotted rugs as they are well-made and look beautiful. We also love woven flat weaves, but a lot of our clients have pets – so we worry about chewing and digging. Another note for if you have pets -we recommend steering clear of looped rugs if you can. Cut pile rugs are less “tempting” for our furry friends and if they do like to dig or chew will not show as much damage.
- Hand-Knotted Rugs: Known for their durability, are often made from wool and can last for generations.
- Hand-Tufted Rugs: These are more affordable than hand-knotted rugs but still offer a luxurious look and feel.
- Flatweave Rugs: Lightweight and easy to clean, these rugs are perfect for high-traffic areas.
Color Coordination:
While your rug should complement your room overall, it doesn’t need to match everything perfectly. Instead, aim for a cohesive look where the rug ties in some of the colors from your furniture and accessories. This prevents the space from looking too “matchy-matchy” and adds depth and interest. This is one of the reasons we like to choose rugs earlier in the process, as we can then pull the colors from rug. It’s a little harder to find a rug if you are trying to correspond with specific existing colors (we find rugs one of the hardest things to shop for online as no matter how good the photography, it looks different in person! We order physical rug samples whenever possible to make sure we get a good look at what we are specifying). If you are doing a neutral rug or a rug with not as much color and pattern, the timing of your selection isn’t nearly as crucial.
Composition:
When selecting a rug, consider the material. Wool is a fantastic choice because it’s durable, naturally stain-resistant, and easy to clean. Here are our thoughts on rug materials:
- Wool: durable, long-lasting & naturally stain-resistant, but can often be on the more expensive side and also can shed in the first few months.
- Cotton: soft and affordable but can wear out quickly in high traffic areas. Also, we find that cotton is much easier to stain than wool.
- Viscose: we tend to stay away from viscose (unless there is a very low content percentage) as it is a delicate material that we find does not wear well overtime – especially in high traffic areas.
- Jute: jute rugs are classic! We love the look of jute especially when using as a base for another rug to go onto. If you are looking for soft, jute is not the rug for you, and it can be a difficult material to clean.
- Nylon & Polyester: If you are looking for a high-performance rug that isn’t wool – synthetic rugs may be for you. Nylon & Polyester rugs tend to be affordable and easy to clean.
- Polypropylene: A lot of performance rugs are made of polypropene. These rugs are affordable, fade resistant and easy to clean making them a great choice for high traffic areas.
Scale and Proportion:
Think about the scale of the rug in relation to your room and furniture. A rug that’s too small can make a room feel disjointed, while a rug that’s too large can overwhelm the space. Your rug should be large enough to fit under the front legs of your furniture; any smaller and the rug will look dwarfed in the space. For spaces like dining rooms, you should also consider how much space the dining chairs need to be pulled out – no one wants to sit half-on half-off a rug! The rule of thumb for dining room rugs is to have the rug 2′ wider than the table on each side to allow the chairs to pull out.
Incorporating the right area rug into your design can elevate the entire space. By choosing the right style, color, material, and size, you can create a room that feels both cohesive and inviting. Remember, the rug is often the foundation upon which the rest of your design is built, so take your time and choose wisely.
Stay Inspired!
The Margery Wedderburn Interiors Team