5 strategies to help you choose a rug for your home

Sounds easy right?

In theory yes, but when it comes to making that final decision it can be very overwhelming. I mean lets face it, A rug is one of the biggest investments in decorating a room so you want to get it right. Here are 5 strategies that can help you when choosing your rug.

1 - Choose the right material for your lifestyle.

There are many types of rug fibres out there and each of them show wear and tear differently. Do you want a rug for your formal lounge where you only sit occasionally and have minimal foot traffic? Are you looking for something in your main living area where the kids are running around and is prone to high traffic and occasional spills? These are questions that you will want to consider when choosing a rug.

The fibres used in our rugs are wool and hemp. Wool is a well known natural fibre that has been sourced from New Zealand and Argentina. It is soft and supple, has good natural stain resistance and extremely good for sound absorption. Hemp is a more hard wearing fibre that softens with age and is supple under foot. Perfect for the family friendly home or light commercial area.

2 - Choosing the right colour. 

There are many variants to rugs and one of them is colour. This is one of the biggest problems people have when it comes to choosing a rug. It really comes down to what other furniture and decor items you have in your room and your personal preference. Some people like to go with a lighter rug to give their room that light and bright feel. Some people like a more grounded look and will choose a darker rug. If you can pluck a bit of colour from elements in your home you will create a link which will give your space a more cohesive feel. The best thing you can do in this situation is talk about it with either design savvy friends or an interior expert. We are always more than happy for people to send in photos for advice!

3 - Choosing the right pattern.

Another design element that can make rug choice a difficult one. Again it does come down to personal preference and your furniture and decor items. Many people have a plain style sofa without pattern so to add an element of interest pick a patterned rug! It has been said many times that a rug is like a piece of art for your floor so make it interesting! On the other hand you may have many interesting art pieces on your walls and a plain rug might suit better. Its very dependent on where you want your point of interest in the room. In terms of what pattern to use, choose something that grabs your attention and gives you that sense of joy. You're the one that has to live with it so get something that you love.

4 - Getting the right size.

Rug placement and size can be tricky so here are some examples of how your can choose the right size for your room. In a living room situation you want at least the from 2 legs of your sofa on the rug (see image below). If the budget allows and you want to go bigger, you can have all four legs on the furniture on the rug but its good to leave a space between the rug and the wall. This will be the difference between a well sized rug or poorly laid carpet.

Same rules apply for the bedroom, have the rug come out from the lower two thirds of your bed (see image below). Its always nice to have a high pile plush rug in the bedroom - a soft start to the day.

In the dining room you want all of your chairs to be able to fit on the rug when they are pushed into the table. Ideally they would still be on the rug when someone is sitting in the chair but it a personal preference and depends on your budget! (see image below)

5 - Create Balance.

When you are thinking about shapes and sizes of your rug consider whether you room will be balanced. A great way to figure this out is to lay out some tape in the area that you want the rug and leave it for a few days. This will give you an idea on whether you have gotten the size right and the shape. If you still aren't sure send us a Picture and we can help! - email rohan@thewhiteroominteriors.com.au

We hope this has helped you make your decision! To see what rugs we have on offer visit the link below;

www.thewhiteroominteriors/collections/rugs 

Rohan,

Founder/Director

The White Room Interiors NYC