Picking the perfect rug can be difficult for even the most experienced decorators. From pets to flooring, to the feng shui of a room – there are a lot of factors to consider when selecting the rug for you. If even one aspect of your rug is not suited to the environment, it can end up causing a lot of problems in the long run.
Rugs can also get pretty pricey, so it’d be a shame to get one that simply isn’t suited to your lifestyle. That’s why we’ve decided to make today’s blog a 101 guide on how to choose a rug that suits your lifestyle!
Step 1: Take Note of the Conditions of the Room
The first thing you need to do when deciding on a rug for your space is to take note of the size of the room, the shape of it, and where the furniture is placed. In general, average-sized rooms should have a rug that leaves 10-20 inches of the floor exposed between the rug and the walls of the room.
The kind of room you are placing your rug in should also be taken into consideration. Here are some rules that should be followed for various room types:
- Dining Room: Your kitchen rug should be large enough for your dining room chairs to be fully pushed back on it without touching the floor.
- Bedroom: You can either opt for a rug size that covers the entire area underneath your bed and nightstand or go for a rug that extends roughly 2/3 of the way under your bed.
- Living Room With Furniture Against the Wall: Choose a rug that will allow your coffee table and the front legs of your furniture to be on it.
- Living Room Without Furniture Against The Wall: Open-concept living rooms should have a rug that fits all chairs and tables in the room on it.
Another factor that should be considered when choosing a rug is the type of floor it is going to be placed on. Here’s a list of floor types and the kind of rugs that pair well with them.
- Carpet: Choose a rug thickness that contrasts the carpet below and a rug colour that doesn’t differ too significantly from the colour of your carpet. Cut-pile and flat-weave rugs usually work well on carpeted floors.
- Concrete/Stone Floors: Add an element of warmth to your floor by placing a wool rug on it.
- Dark Wood Floors: Select a light coloured and simply patterned rug if the rest of the room is decorated in a modern style. If you want to add a splash of colour, choose a rug with a vibrant colour to complement the dark wood.
- Light Wood Floors: A patterned rug stands out against the monochromatic look of rooms with light wood floors. Also, consider getting a larger area rug since dirt is much more visible on light wood floors.
Step 2: Consider Your Companions
Your lifestyle should play a large role in the type of rug you ultimately decide to get, especially if you have pets and/or children. If you do have pets and/or children stay far away from white carpets and choose a rug that is made of synthetic materials. Synthetic rug materials include polypropylene, polyester, acrylic, and olefin. These materials don’t stain or retain unwanted odours.
If you’re a social butterfly that regularly has guests coming in and out of your house, a flat weave patterned rug is the way to go. This rug will mask stains and be able to handle a substantial amount of wear and tear.
Step 3: Be Realistic
Last but not least, it’s important to be realistic about the amount of effort and time you’re willing to put into your rug. Rugs require quite a bit of maintenance and need to be rotated and vacuumed frequently. Unlike high-pile rugs, flatter rugs are easier to vacuum and can even be beaten outside the good ol’ fashion way!
Why Love Your Rug
At Love Your Rug, we’ve been offering top-of-the-line rug cleaning and rug repair services throughout Southern Ontario since 1894. We pick up and deliver rugs to our customers within 7-10 days and have won awards for our excellent customer service. Contact us today to get a free quote. You definitely won’t regret it!
