Area Rugs Buying Guide
Area rugs bring a beauty to your home with their colors, designs and textures. They can draw on the colors of a room to bring a sense of coordination and can help create boundaries in larger rooms. They provide an instant update to the decor of your living areas, dining areas, hallways or bedrooms. Rugs are also practical as they protect your floors and can help to keep heat in or out. They guard against slipping on slick surfaces and minimise the noise of walking about.
If you have no idea what sort of area rug you are after, you are in for a roller coaster ride through the limitless choices out there. Getting your color, shape, size and price right are your key considerations when buying an area rug. To help you narrow down your search, this article will tell you a bit more about the main differences you will come across. Hopefully at the end you will be able to say something along the lines that you are after a 7’ round area rug in beige made of wool for under $300. You will then be much closer to making your purchase and enjoying the style and character your new rug brings to your home.
Shape & Size
The shape and size of an area rug will determine the amount of floor that it will cover. As such by working backwards you need to know the area of your room and where precisely you are hoping it will lay, before you can start your rug search.
Rectangular rugs are the most popular for two reasons – this shape is more appealing than a square and also because most rooms where rugs are to be laid are rectangular. Because these shaped rugs are the most popular, they are sometimes also called ‘regular’ rugs. Being regular also means that these rugs come in standard sizes although variations can also be found. Small area rugs vary from 2’ x 3’ to 5’ x 8’. Medium area rugs vary from 6’ x 9’ to 10’ x 13’. Large area rugs vary from 10’ x 14’ to 14’ x 21’. 9×12 area rugs and 5×8 area rugs are particularly popular.
When buying an area rug for the center of your room, make sure it will reach the furniture or it will appear to be lost in the middle. For rugs that do not have furniture between them and the wall, leave an 18-36″ border.
Other popular rug shapes are as follows:
Area rugs runners – these are long and narrow rugs ideal for hallways, stairs and other narrow spaces. Widths are normally between 2-3’and lengths start at 6’ and range up to 20’.
Round area rugs – these are growing in popularity but most furniture does not look right either around or on top of a round rug, other than round tables. As such they tend to be used more for decoration to create interest in a room.
Square area rugs – these are only really any good in a square room or under a square table.
Oval area rugs – these are a compromise between the rectangular and round rugs. They are appealing due to their soft corners, which gives them a less formal look, but can be used wherever a rectangular rug would be suitable. Popular rooms to use them in include bedrooms, porches and informal entrance halls and dining rooms. Oval rugs also work well under oval and rectangular tables.
Odd shaped rugs – rugs really do come in every shape and size imaginable. Some online retailers stock over 60,000 variations. The more unusual shapes include triangles, hexagons and octagons as well as half oval rugs to use up against a fireplace.
Color
The color is probably the most important factor for buyers of area rugs. The color will need to sit right with the decor and furniture already existing in the room. Some people even buy rugs for their artistic qualities that have been designed and weaved by top rug makers.
Rugs can combine colors in unique and appealing designs or can have no design and just solid color areas. Both are useful in different situations. Also on offer in the color stakes are rugs that have a background or dominant color and then the border in a different color.
Rugs are available in any color you can think of but popular colors for the dominant part of the rug are beige, ivory, brown, black, red, green and blue. Burgundy is singled out in traditional rugs such as Oriental and Persian varieties. The color of the border is usually a tint or combination of tints of the main color and if you use this as part of your wall color scheme, you can co-ordinate your room very well.
Pattern
The pattern on a rug is usually very difficult to describe so rugs need to be seen before purchase. Although designs vary immensely they can be grouped by the shapes that are generated by the lines and curves in the design. The standard categories are: geometric, curvilinear and pictorial.
Geometric patterns are made by straight lines, so you will find squares, triangles and diagonal lines in the design. Navaho and Southwestern area rugs often use this pattern.
Curvilinear patterns are made by smooth curved lines and are found in all rugs from traditional to contemporary.
Pictorial rugs depict images of something, whether that is people, flowers, animals or anything else that is popular. They are not as common as the patterned rugs as often they do not fit with surrounding decor. They used to be seen more as a work of art to be hung on a wall.
Style
When searching for a style of rug you need to consider the style of your home or the room where the rug will be placed. A traditional house will dictate traditional rugs. A child’s room will attract a novelty rug. The main styles of rug are as follows:
Traditional area rugs – the majority of rugs are traditional. Any pattern that depicts the timeless designs used in ancient times is classed as traditional. They typically have borders and even inner borders that are filled with intricate designs. Antique or original hand crafted rugs fall into this category. They are expensive as they are works of art.
Other rugs defined by typical style elements associated with their country of origin are also classed as traditional. Persian area rugs have a unique border that ensures the main rug pattern is emphasised. They often feature intricate designs. Oriental rugs are long lasting rugs that are made of natural fibers. The design on Chinese rugs is rarely a pattern; it is generally a message or meaning and can be more colourful than other oriental rugs.
Contemporary area rugs – more modern area rugs feature patterns with bright colors and unusual shapes. Some feature geometric shapes, blocks, stripes, squiggles and waves. Anything goes in terms of pattern and color and there is bound to be a rug to suit your decor.
Casual rugs – these rugs are more basic in design with more subdued colors and no pattern. They are often simply background colors with plain borders and are typically made of natural materials.
Transitional area rugs – these rugs are somewhere in between contemporary and traditional rugs. They may feature the ancient colors of browns and burgundies whilst incorporating a geometric pattern or bold colors with Persian styling. They can help homeowners who have more traditional style homes add a more modern design element. They are versatile and an ideal option to mix and match the varying styles found in many houses.
Flokati area rugs – these rugs are made purely of sheep’s wool and look like the shag area rugs popularised in the 70s. Originally they were only available in their natural color but are now dyed to suit many settings. They are popular as they are easy to wash in your washing machine.
Braided area rugs – these rugs became popular as they were easy to make and lasted well when covering rough and hard wooden floors. They are usually oval shaped and are reversible.
Southwestern area rugs – associated with the weaving of the Navajo Indians, these rugs are often striped or include simple geometric patterns. They are quite unique and rugged looking and make great wall hangings.
Novelty rugs – kids area rugs often have a novelty factor to their design, whether that is through images of animals or other characters that appeal to children or by them being unusual shapes such as hearts and stars. Other novelty rugs include those associated with sports, the countryside or the kitchen.
Outdoor area rugs – these rugs can be styled in any of the ways detailed above, but they are made of materials that allow them to withstand the weather and the insects. They allow you to expand your living space onto your patio by defining seating areas and by adding color and design to the garden.
Knot density
Knot density is a key way to classify area rugs and to compare rugs you look for the number of knots each has in a square inch. The higher number does not automatically mean that that is the best rug or that it will last the longest. It just relates to how sophisticated the design of the rug is. For handmade rugs it will indicate how long the rug took to weave and hence how much it is going to cost. Some expensive silk rugs can have knot densities of up to 1000 knots per square inch. When you realise that you can understand why they cost so much.
Rug pile
Pile is the material or fiber that is used to weave an area rug. Pile can be natural or scientifically developed synthetic.
When purchasing natural area rugs you will come across those made from the following materials that are either plant or animal based:
- Bamboo – is very eco friendly and durable although it not very soft to walk on and is difficult to color.
- Coir – is part of a coconut and makes very strong rugs that are waterproof.
- Cotton – is used with other natural fibers to make rugs stronger and softer.
- Hemp – another eco friendly material that is mixed with other fibers to make strong rugs.
- Jute – is heat and fire resistant and makes rugs that won’t stretch or shrink.
- Sisal – is strong, water resistant and is easy to dye. Sisal area rugs are popular for their appearance, texture and durability.
- Leather – unexpectedly leather can be cut into strips and incorporated into leather area rugs that are flexible, water resistant and give off a nice aroma. Leather borders are also used to accent wool area rugs. Suede leather is softer and weaker but can be combined with normal leather in an area rug.
- Silk – is expensive but makes beautiful and high quality area rugs. It is a strong fiber but does not take well to getting wet. It can be damaged by stretching, the sunlight and insects. The feel and sheen of a silk rug is like no other which is why the disadvantages of the material are put up with.
- Wool – now and in ancient times, wool has been the most common material used in area rugs. Being soft, strong, easy to dye and quite cheap makes it so popular as well as the fact that it is completely renewable and so eco friendly.
Synthetic piles are those manmade fibers that are used in rug making. They are chosen for their ability to make beautiful and durable area rugs. The synthetic fibers used today are:
- Acrylic – is light, soft and feels like wool. The fibers dye well and don’t lose their color or shape. Their disadvantages are that they can fuzz easily.
- Polypropylene – is effectively synthetic wool. It is long lasting, ideal to use with many different cleaners and recyclable – perfect for homes with pets and children.
- Nylon – can be thought of as a synthetic silk. Insects, mould and abrasions do not bother it and it is strong and lightweight.
- Polyester – makes a durable but stiff rug. It is normally blended with a natural fibre to soften it slightly.
- Rayon (also known as viscose) – makes a soft and smooth rug with a nice sheen. It is not as hard wearing as other manmade fibers so you should not get it wet and try not to stretch it.
Manufacturers
As if there are not already enough shapes, styles and materials to choose from when buying an area rug, you can also shop by brand. Top manufacturers include Shaw area rugs, Mohawk, Oriental Weavers, Couristan, Capel, Surya, Nourisan, Radici, and many more.
Cost
There are thousands of area rugs that cost under $100 and similar numbers for every hundred dollars the price increases thereafter. Due to the vast array of area rugs on sale, you are sure to find one within your budget.
