Key Factors When Choosing Your Perfect Area Rug

Key Factors When Choosing Your Perfect Area Rug

Area rugs are one of the key design elements that define a space, set the tone of a room and anchor your furniture. Whereas the price of the rug is important to consider when you decide to buy a rug, you should also consider some other key factors before you start your shopping.

Below are some tips that set you on the right track while searching for the perfect area rug.

1) Measure the Area Where You Want to Put Your New Rug

The area rug should be a minimum of six inches and no more than two feet away from any wall in the room we want to carpet. When placing your furniture on the rug in a family room, the rug should be centered in the area with the seating around it. Only the front legs of the sofa need to be on the rug. On the other hand, in a dining room the rug should be large enough for all of the chair legs to sit comfortably on the rug when the chairs are pulled out and occupied.

2) Decide on the Material and Construction That You Would Like the Rug to Be Made of

You should choose a rug that fits both your lifestyle and your space. As an example, a natural-fiber rug such as a sisal or jute would have simple yet wonderful texture but most likely you wouldn’t enjoy it in your bedroom as it would not offer any plushness under the feet. Moreover, if you have young children or pets, you should be considering durability and ease of care as well. For example, a high pile rug is soft and cozy in a room but it does sometimes show footprints. On the contrary, flat weave rugs have dense construction which allows them to handle wear leaving no imprint. Wool is a very durable fiber and easily cleans many times with as little as cold water. It is also a plusher fiber. Nylon and polyester are likewise durable only second to wool. Poly-acrylic blends are next in line while straight acrylics may provide some plushness but may not have the longevity other fibers offer.

 3) Consider Your Budget

You should make a decision whether you want a cheap rug that gets you through a couple of seasons or whether you want a better quality piece at a higher price that you enjoy for years. Hand-knotted wool rugs usually carry higher costs than machine-made synthetic rugs. If you want to enjoy seasonal trends, the way to go may be to buy a rug with a lesser or low cost.

In the end, buy the rug you love. Buy the rug you enjoy looking at and feeling under your feet. Weigh all your pros and cons. Remember, the best choice is buying what you love.