How to Buy the Best Rugs for Your Home
Now that you have decided to change your flooring from wall-to-wall carpet to hard flooring you may find that you need an area rug to add color, warmth, and protection to your new floors. Area rugs are more than just a floor covering, they are works of art and the right rug can transform your room from nice to fabulous.
With so many choices of area rugs, how do you decide which one will work for you? This article will give you the knowledge to choose the right one for every room in your home.
You first need to decide on the size of the area rug you need. If you want it to cover most of the room good rule of thumb is 2 feet from all walls, that way the rug isn’t under a lot of furniture and you can still see some of your beautiful flooring. Most rugs come in the general sizes of 2×4, 3×5, 4×6, 5×7, 5×8, 6×8, 6×9, 7×10, 8×11, 9×12, 10×13, 12×14 and runners are usually 30 inches wide and in varying lengths. Always measure the space before going rug shopping to make sure it will fit in the room.
Another important factor when choosing a rug is the thickness. If the rug is too thick you may not be able to open the door to a room or closet. Measure the space between the floor and the bottom of the door before going shopping. If you are using a pad under your rugs factor in the thickness of the pad and rug together when it is near a door.
The next step is to decide on the type of rug that will work best for each room in your home. Wool is always the best choice, but there are also different types of wool rugs to choose from. When you have children and pets you will need one that can stand up to a lot of wear and spills. Synthetics such as olefin, polypropylene, and nylon rug work best and clean up great.
Any area rug where you can see the same pattern front and back is always best. Not all are made to withstand daily use, spills, and pet accidents. Take into consideration what room it will be in. A rug that works in the bedroom may not be able to handle the daily routine of a living room.
Here are different types of rugs and where they will work best in your home. This is my professional opinion and is not written in stone, but from a cleaner’s point of view from what I see every day.
Synthetics are made with olefin and polypropylene fibers. These rugs stand up to heavy use, clean easily, and can be used in any room of your house.
Hand Knotted Wool rugs are good for bedrooms, in front of wood-burning fireplaces, family/living rooms, and entrances. When used in an entrance make sure the dyes are stable, that you vacuum at least once a week front and back, and get it professionally cleaned a minimum of twice a year since they get all the dirt and debris from outside. Wool rugs can be used in a kitchen, but they can stain easily with food and drink spills, having a multi-colored pattern does hide a lot of spills though.
Carpet remnants turned into rugs can be used in any room, but you will have to have a pad to keep them from scratching your floor and keep it in place. Synthetic carpet leftovers work great for playrooms and basements. It is easy to edge your leftover carpet into scatter mats for entrances and mud rooms.
Flat weave (dhurries and kilims), braided, and rag rugs can work in a bedroom, a kitchen (can stain easily) sunrooms, and home offices. Flat-woven rugs tend to like to stay grey looking when they get too dirty. These add a nice country/rustic feel to any room.
Wool Felt Shag is great for adding texture to a room but doesn’t stand up to a lot of use as the fibers mushroom out and pill. They are difficult to vacuum and tough to get all the loose dirt and debris from the bottom of the fibers. Good for a bedroom.
Viscose, Rayon, Art Silk, and Cotton are great for low-use areas like bedrooms. These can fade easily and absorb spills and stain easily. They can also be turned into wall hangings.
Hand-tufted/designer works best in low-use areas. These types of rugs have been known to shed, may have an odor from the latex glue, stain easily, and are not environmentally friendly.
Shags are very fashionable and nostalgic. They are great for bedrooms and pets love them too, mostly for an indoor bathroom. Shags need to be vacuumed and cleaned more often and trap a lot of dirt and debris in the fibers. It can be difficult to keep them looking fresh and clean.
Silks are a great luxury to have in a bedroom or home office and are perfect as wall hangings. Silk rugs are renowned for impeccable workmanship and beauty. They are not recommended for use as an entrance rug or in a dining room.
Knowing what kind of rug works best for each room of your home saves you money and headaches. If you have questions about what rug works best call your professional area rug cleaners and a few trusted rug galleries to get their opinions.
