Shopping for area rugs can be a confusing and even sometimes chaotic experience. Choosing the right rug for your room may not be as easy as picking the first rug that fits the space or matches the color of your bedspread, for example, and you may find yourself stuck not understanding everything you need to know about area rugs when you start shopping. Below, we’ve put together five of the most important facts you need to know about area rugs to help make the shopping experience that much easier. You should be able to use this information to narrow down your selection and find the perfect piece of interior decor for your home in no time.
There are three major area rug styles.
The first style you’ll want to concern yourself with is traditional. Traditional rugs are the rugs you think of when you call to mind old-fashioned rugs, southwestern styles, and antique Persian rugs. These feature designs that usually incorporate smaller floral patterns, repeating geometric patterns, and thick borders around the outer part of the rug. They often have tassels, but not always, and are usually made of wool. They also feature colors such as earth tones and jewel tones, and they usually don’t include more than two or three colors at the same time.
The second type of rug is the contemporary, or modern, area rug. This type may be made of a wide variety of different materials, and more commonly these days, these rugs are made of eco-friendly fibers that are able to break down over time if they end up thrown away in a landfill. These rugs come in all sorts of abstract designs and may also include large floral prints, animal prints, nautical prints and just about anything else you can imagine, too. A vibrantly-colored orange and white rug with tiger stripes will most likely fall into this category, especially if it’s also made of synthetic fibers.
Finally, the third type of area rug style is the transitional rug. This variety of rug falls somewhere in between traditional and contemporary. This may mean that the rug features a large, modern, floral print, but is made of hand-woven wool and designed in colors befitting of old-fashioned rugs. On the other hand, the rug may have a very classic oriental rug design, but could be made in bright, unique colors and machine-woven of a more modern fiber such as bamboo. There are a lot of combinations that can make a transitional rug work.
Rugs come in more shapes and sizes than you may realize.
If you previously believed are rugs were limited only to rectangular and maybe square options, or if you have always thought you have to buy a large area rug or nothing at all, you’re in for a big surprise. There are actually all sorts of different kinds of area rugs out there, and even if you’re looking for something incredibly specific, chances are good you can easily find it among the wide selection of rugs available on the market today. You can find everything, from traditional rectangles to circles to paw print shaped rugs and just about anything in-between, too.
You could decorate your dining room with a light yellow rug that sits under your table or off to the side, or you might use the same rug in your bedroom in a smaller size as a throw rug or accent piece. Similarly, a blue and purple rug in a big size can be a great centerpiece to your living room, while the same rug in a smaller size could be an incredible runner or even a small throw rug to use in the entryway of your home. You may even be able to keep the same color scheme or pattern going throughout your home with differently-sized and shaped rugs.
Synthetic fibers may not always be the most durable.
Surely a wool rug is less likely to hold up to years of wear and tear than a rug made out of synthetic, man made fibers, right? Not so! Actually, in most cases, synthetic fibers are not nearly as durable as more natural fibers like wool. Thankfully, everything from your favorite traditional rug to your beloved orange and turquoise rug can be found in wool varieties if you are willing to do a little digging. You can find rugs to suit all sorts of tastes and styles if you prefer to stick to wool. Of course, there’s no shame in buying synthetics, and you can save some money on them if you don’t mind the difference in longevity.
Outdoor rugs can work great indoors.
You may have found an excellent purple and gold rug that perfectly suits your sense of style, only to find out it’s made of jute—a material that’s often saved for outdoor rugs. But did you know a rug like this can really work well indoors, too? There’s no reason why you can’t use a jute rug (or any other type of outdoor rug) indoors, especially if you’re willing to do a little layering or be creative with the placement. Just try to stay away from using these rugs in kids’ rooms, since the texture may be a little too rough for small hands and feet.
Vacuuming is crucial.
Keep your favorite sage green area rug looking as vibrant as it did the day you bought it by vacuuming it regularly. Even if you only thoroughly deep-clean your rug once or twice a year, your lavender area rug can remain an important fixture in your bedroom for years to come if you keep up with regular vacuuming maintenance. Depending on the type of rug you have, you may need to use a different setting on your vacuum for it, so do a little research to be sure you’re sticking to the right option for your rugs.
Don’t forget there is a lot more you can learn about area rugs, too, if you’re willing to take the time to do the research. Sure, you can always run out and buy the first rug you see, but if you do this, chances are good you’re not going to be happy with the end result. Pay attention to the information listed above to help you figure out which rug is right for you. You may even use this knowledge to help you choose a rug for every room in your home!