Decorating with area rugs is an easy and inexpensive way to enhance the atmosphere of your rooms, to unify or define living spaces, to preserve floors and carpets in high traffic areas, absorb noise, and add warmth and drama to your home. Before you start comparing the thousands of colors, designs, materials, sizes, styles, and prices of rugs available, it is best to estimate of the number and sizes you will need, and the functions you expect each of them to perform.
Major Decisions
1. Uses
* The rugs you need to preserve floors and carpets or to conceal worn spots should be of good quality with detailed patterns and dark colors that conceal dirt and wear.
* Rugs used to define a furniture grouping should be large enough that the front legs of all furniture around it can be on the rug; if used in the dining room, should accommodate all chair legs on the rug when people are seated at the table; and if used in the bedroom, don't need to be centered if the bed is not.
2. Sizes and Shapes
* Runners come in standard rectangular sizes and are great for high traffic areas.
* Under coffee tables, a good size is 4' by 6' or 6' by 9'; to unify areas in an average size room, 8' by 11' usually works well; and under a dining room table, aim for an 8' width and measure to determine the length, which should extend 18" to 24" beyond the ends of the table.
* Oval rugs soften angular and straight lines in a room; rectangular is the most common shape; and round, square, and octagon shapes are useful when you have odd shaped rooms.
* Aim for an equal amount of bare floor to show on all sides of the rug whenever possible or on two parallel sides, at least.
Style, Pattern, and Fabric
Having decided on the function, size, and number of rugs you need, you come to the fun part - choosing colors, styles, and fibers.
1. Color:
* Decide if you want your rugs to act as focal points with dramatic splashes of contrasting color and design, or if you want to coordinate them with colors and fabrics already in the rooms.
* In the family room or a child's room, busy designs and colors that conceal dirt and spills make life easier.
* Dark colors make a room appear smaller and warmer; light colors make a room appear larger and cooler.
* You can select from curvilinear, geometric, and floral patterns or solid colors. Geometric designs tend to look contemporary, but there are no hard and fast rules here. Let your imagination guide you, but avoid clashing with fabric or wallpaper patterns already in the room.
2. Styles:
* Contemporary rugs look great in a modern home.
* Custom braided rugs are popular in country homes.
* Shag area rugs are never out of style and look best in informal homes.
* Oriental rugs are the most expensive and fit into any decorating style.
3. Fibers:
* Wool area rugs are the most durable, soft, easy to clean, and the most expensive. You can find wool blended with other materials, which gives you some of the advantages of wool at a lower cost.
* Sisal is strong, durable, and colorfast.
* Synthetic fibers (e.g., acrylic, polypropylene, olefin, and nylon) have the advantage of being cheap compared to natural fibers, and are tough, stain resistant, easy to maintain, and come in a wide range of colors. You can find synthetic rugs designed especially for outdoor living as well.
Comparison Shop
Shopping online allows you to compare hundreds of rugs from the comfort of your home. If you buy online, you can take advantage of wholesale and discounted prices that are routinely offered by the retailers who don't have the expense of a storefront outlet to maintain. Check out the products for sale by such well-respected manufacturers and retailers as Karastan, Milliken, and Shaw. You will find guarantees, easy ordering instructions, and can rely on safe sites for credit cards use.
The fastest and easiest way to add beauty and comfort to your home is to buy one or more wonderful area rugs.
About the Author:
Scott Gray is currently a home decorating enthusiast and freelance writer who enjoys providing tips to consumers who are looking for an area rug including custom braided rugs and seagrass area rugs.
