Choosing the right discount area rug for your room can be as simple as picking the first rug you see that you like the looks of, but in most cases, it’s a lot more complicated than that. There are a lot of different elements you need to consider when it comes to selecting the perfect rug for your room, and for some people, it can take months to narrow down the many options available and find the right choice. When you have the right rug in your room, you can create the kind of space you’ve always dreamed about all while sticking to your favorite style and sense of theme. The right rug can make a room come to life and can really add a lot to any part of your home. Read on to learn much more about how to select the perfect area rug no matter what room you’re trying to decorate.
Choosing an Area Rug Based on Size
One of the most common ways to select an area rug is based on the size of your room or the space you’re looking to cover. However, how do you know what size rug to pick if you’re not just purchasing one big enough to cover the whole floor? The size you choose depends a lot on the shape you want to work with as well as the setup of your room space. There are more or less three different ways to choose your area rug based on size: the whole floor size of your room, the size of the area you want to decorate, and accent pieces.
- Whole floor size
When choosing your rug based on the size of your whole floor, you’re probably looking for something in a rectangle or a round shape. These rugs are the most traditional and standard, and using a rug that covers the majority of your floor space is an old-fashioned method of decorating. If the type of room you’re looking to create is very traditional, this may work well for you. Stick to rugs that are large enough to leave a small border of your flooring showing around the edges, such as a 10×12 or even a large 14×16 rug for this purpose. - Area size
In a much more modern and contemporary style, area rugs are usually used to decorate a portion of a room. For example, let’s say you having a large living room. Half of the room may be devoted to a sitting area around a television, while the other half may be used for seating away from the TV for such activities as reading, crafts and hobbies, or homework. You might use a large area rug to cover one section of the room while leaving the other rug-free. If you do this, choose a round or oval rug for a unique style or stick to the traditional rectangle. Select a rug large enough to cover the space beneath your furniture comfortably, such as an 8×10 or 8 foot round rug. - Accent pieces
Sometimes, all you need is a rug accent to make your room really pop. In this case, you’re probably looking at smaller throw rugs, hearth rugs, or even runners. 2×10 and 2×12 runner rugs make excellent accents for hallways, entryways, and even for the kitchen or dining room if you have a big enough space to accommodate them. Smaller 2 foot or 4 foot round or oval rugs look great as accents in your kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom.
Choosing Based on Room Type
Many people choose the type of area rug they want to work with based on the type of room they’re looking to decorate. While this does have a little bit to do with the size of the rug, it has a lot more to do with the type of space you’re looking to put together. Different styles of room can affect the type of rug you want to buy, and it pays to make a small drawing of how you’d like your room layout to look before you go searching for the rug of your dreams. Keep the following tips in mind to help make shopping for your area rug easier than ever before.
- Living room
This is the most common room in your home when it comes to the use of area rugs. Picking the right kind of rug for your living room is as easy as determining how you want your room to be set up. For example, do you have a very small living room? If you only have enough space for your furniture without a lot of extra walking room, it’s best to stick to smaller rugs to help balance the room’s visual weight. If you have a larger room, you can choose whether you want all the legs of your furniture to sit on your rug, only the front legs to sit on it, or none of the legs to touch the rug. The last method is much more modern and contemporary, while the first is very traditional. - Dining room
You can create an elegant dining room by using a square or rectangle rug in a traditional pattern beneath your table. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a casual dining space, a round or oval rug is a better option. When you’re choosing a rug to place beneath your table, be sure all the legs of the table and chairs sit on the rug. Always choose a dining room rug made of a color and material that will be resistant to potential food stains. Accent rugs and runners are another great way to add color and texture to the dining room without worrying as much about spills. - Kitchen
Most people don’t use large rugs in the kitchen simply because this would make cleanup a little more difficult. Select smaller accent rugs and hearth rugs to place in front of your stove, sink, and other parts of the kitchen where you stand often. This can help you be comfortable on your feet as well as add some color and life to the room. - Bedroom
In the bedroom, you can use a large rug beneath your bed or choose a smaller one to place half under your bed and half not. These are both more traditional methods of room decorating. For a more casual and modern style, choose a smaller rectangular or square rug to place alongside the bed, or at the foot of it. - Outdoor
Finally, if you have an outdoor space you’re looking to decorate, such as a porch, patio, or lanai, choose your rug based on the use of the space. If you’ll be doing any cooking or grilling, select smaller accent rugs to leave the area around the grill free and clear. If the area is only for sitting, select a larger rug made of natural fibers for easy use and cleanup.
Choosing Based on Material
In some instances, you might prefer to select your area rug based on the type of material available to you. This choice may have something to do with your budget, since there are many types of discount rugs available for a much more affordable price than some of the other, costlier options out there. However, in some situations, you might choose your material simply based on a matter of texture preference without concern for the cost of the rug. Whatever your reason, if you’re looking to choose your rug based on material, you have two options: synthetic and natural. Both of these types of fibers are available in a variety of different weaves to suit your needs.
- Synthetic
These materials include synthetic blends, acrylic fiber, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, and more. They are always manmade and do not come from any natural substances. In some cases, synthetic blends for shag rugs may be mixed with natural fibers to improve their softness. Sometimes synthetic fibers can be very coarse and stiff in comparison to natural ones. Synthetic fibers are usually available in machine made and power loomed varieties, but you may find hand made options as well. If you’re looking to save some money on the cost of materials as well as the cost of production, synthetic is the way to go. These rugs are also much more durable and long-lasting than their counterparts. - Natural
These are eco-friendly, all-natural fibers that come from either plants or animals. They include wool, jute, sisal, seagrass, hemp, cotton, and silk. These rugs are often hand tufted or hand woven, but you may be able to find them made on machines as well. Choose a natural fiber rug if you’re looking for something environmentally safe. You might also go with one of these rugs if you prefer a coarser texture in your room or if you want something very delicate and fine, depending on the type of natural fiber you choose. These rugs may be more expensive than synthetic ones.
Choosing Based on Style
Last but certainly not least, you might be one of the many people who prefer to choose an area rug based on its style. This is different than choosing based on its color or pattern, but the two do go hand in hand. There are three types of room styles you might choose to work with throughout your home: traditional, transitional, and contemporary. You might select one style to use throughout the entire home, or you might mix and match between the three depending on how you want to decorate. No matter which way you choose to go, the right area rug can make all the difference.
- Traditional
This is an old-fashioned style that hearkens back to the days when rooms were decorated in opulence and elegance. Rooms with a traditional style tend to stick to warmer colors and jewel tones, and you might find a combination of navy blue, black, gray, gold, dark red, emerald green, and deep purple in the décor in these types of rooms. Area rugs include these colors as well, and traditional patterns usually include floral prints, repeating simple geometric patterns, and some more complicated designs incorporating animals and plants both. - Transitional
This style incorporates some elements of traditional room décor with some elements of contemporary designs. For a room like this, you have one of two options. You might choose to select a rug that features a pattern commonly found in traditional rugs, but with brighter colors or more modern materials used in its production. On the other hand, you might choose a solid color Safavieh or Dalyn rug made of a more traditional material in a color more reminiscent of the rugs of old. Whichever way you choose to combine the two themes, be sure you do the same with the rest of the décor in your room to make it really work. - Contemporary
A contemporary room is very upscale, modern, and sophisticated. These rooms usually focus on one to three colors without overloading the visual weight of the space with more. The patterns used in this style are often very limited, and may include abstract splashes of color, simple bold stripes, or solid color rugs. Shag is very common in contemporary room rugs, but it isn’t the only option you have in terms of weave. Choose an eco-friendly rug for a more unique twist on the contemporary area rug style.
Hopefully, we have given you some food for thought when it comes to selecting the right area rug to suit your needs. There are a lot of different aspects to choosing your area rug, and you might not have even realized how important some of these are until now. If not, that’s okay! Shopping for the perfect rug can be tricky, and sometimes, it takes a little practice to really get it right. When you follow the tips outlined in this article, you’ll already be well on your way to finding the perfect rug for your needs. You might even want to go ahead and pick a rug for every room of your home!