Brrr! February is here and along with it are cold floors. But never fear, for there is a superhero in your very own home that can help you block the cold. It’s your rugs!
Don’t believe in a rug’s super-powers to block and prevent the cold? One of the most jarring experiences is putting bare feet on a cold floor when you wake up. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, drafts and dropping temperatures can combine to create cold floors. They are an excellent solution for staying warm all through the snowy season.
The Kitchen
Most kitchens have tile or hardwood floors. While beautiful and easy to clean, kitchen floors can also be the coldest in the house during the winter. How can you keep your feet warm while also preparing delicious hot meals for your family?
The most obvious place to have one is by the kitchen door. Kitchen doors, even the doors that lead to mudrooms, are often responsible for chilly drafts. Find an easy-care and low-maintenance kitchen throw rug to place down by the back door. A 2′ x 3′ size is perfect for this small area. As a bonus, it can help absorb the moisture brought in by heavy boots and tracked-in snow. Other small scatter rugs in the kitchen can help not just with drafts but also provide extra cushioning under your feet.
The Dining Room
A large soft area rug in the dining room will not only banish the cold while enjoying family dinners, but it is also beautiful to look at. As a general rule of thumb, dining room floor coverings should be at least two feet (24″) wider than each side of your dining table. You should be able to pull out each of the dining chairs without reaching the edge. The most common size for the dining room is 10′ x 8′, for a table that seats six chairs. A plush, deep pile is soft and cozy underfoot.
The Living Room
You probably already have a large rug in your living room. Another idea to bring warmth to family living spaces is to layer different rugs. It creates the effect of wall-to-wall carpeting. For this look, you’ll need durable floor coverings, since they can stand up to the high amounts of traffic in the living room. When you layer them, make sure they have different patterns. Natural fiber rugs are reasonably priced and great for layering on cold living room floors. Other excellent materials for the living room include wool, braided cotton, and polypropylene.
The Bedroom
It’s hard enough leaving a warm bed on a January Monday morning. Then you put your bare feet on a cold floor? It’s not an ideal wake-up call. A small rug of 2′ x 3′ size, either oval or rectangular, right by your bed where your feet first hit the floor will provide a better cushion during winter mornings. You’ll be warmer, too. Make sure you have a pad under it to prevent slipping.
A large floor covering underneath the bed and long narrow ones for the pathways around the bed can also help increase the warmth in your bedroom. Your bedroom is the first room you encounter in the morning and the last room you spend time in during the evening, so make it a warm and cozy place to spend time in this winter.
Hallways
Create pathways through your home’s halls, to prevent from walking on cold floors this winter. Long narrow rugs, such as runners, that are only two feet (2′) wide can be purchased in different sizes. Keep one in each hallway this winter. If you lay them correctly, you won’t have to walk on cold floors at all!
These are just a few of the many ideas you can utilize in your home, to help block and prevent the cold from wood or tile floors. Even those of you with wall-to-wall carpeting can experience cold floors from time to time – so enjoy toasty toes with these decorating ideas! When the snow melts and warm weather comes to visit you once more, simply roll them up and store them until the cold comes to visit you again.
Find more about how area rugs will keep you warm:
- How to choose a warm bedroom rug this cold winter by Ronique
- a warm rug & some fall primping {home decor} by by Cindi Albright
- Rugs Add Warmth to a Room by Daleydecor