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Neutral, flat-weave rugs are great bases for a living room. (by Arent & Pyke)[/caption]
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When you think 'rug', your mind may jump immediately to the Persian-style carpet, beautiful, intricate creations that are more art than anything else, but that doesn't necessarily have to be true. Carpets in neutral or muted colors can be great bases for living rooms or bedrooms and, like the rugs in my dad's house, slide right under the radar. Simple, flat-weave rugs can be used to soften a hard floor or protect cold feet in winter, as well as unify a specific part of a large room. Note how the rug in the above photo has created an 'island'.
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Patterned rugs are eye-catching and fun. (by Gia Lee)[/caption]
Most of the time when you go about choosing a rug, though, you are obviously thinking about aesthetic. Patterned rugs, like the one in the photo above, can add a sense of creativity and harmony to a room, as well as inject some color and movement into an otherwise static set-up. Make sure to measure your space before you make your selection--you don't want a rug that takes up too much of the room, and at the same time you don't want it so small it gets totally covered up by your furniture.
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Pile rugs are classic and feel great between the toes! (by Elad Gonen)[/caption]
Another important angle to consider is the material of your rug. Flat-weave rugs are best for high-traffic areas, where there is a greater risk of spills or tracked dirt. Wool, cotton weave, and synthetic fibers are typically the most affordable and safest bets, although keep in mind that wool has a distinctive odor when it gets wet. High-pile rugs are softer and more luxurious, and are often best utilized in a bedroom or somewhere less extensively traveled. There are also rugs woven from silk and other luxury fibers, and those are definitely the sort you want to keep out of reach of children and pets.
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Area rugs by no means have to be simple or demure (by Julie Dasher Rugs)[/caption]
Many rugs are an investment--they are pricey and cumbersome, and therefore you want to think carefully before you purchase. On the other end, there are lots of smaller, low-cost rugs available that can be mixed, matched, and thrown around with abandon. Colors can compliment decor or, like in the picture above, be a fun, whimsical statement that pulls in the eye. With low cost synthetic fibers, it's easy to find inexpensive choices for the more dirt-happy parts of your home--bathrooms, kitchens, and front halls.
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Antiques or antique reproductions, patterned rugs add history and drama to a room (by Simply Home Decorating)[/caption]
Whether you go for a simple flat weave or a luxurious high-pile rug, keep in mind that it will need to be cleaned. A lot of rugs don't actually get the attention they need; dirt and other particles get ground into them, and sometimes not even vacuuming can do the trick. Flat weave rugs can be cleaned with a rug-cleaning machine (which are available to rent) or in a pinch just rug shampoo and a sponge. Pricier, higher-pile rugs or antique rugs, however, may need to be professionally cleaned.
Carpets are a great choice when you want a new look but don't want to paint walls or replace furniture. The right rug can change the whole tone of a room--dress it up, dress it down, or just freshen things up.
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A good rug can last weathering of a high-traffic room like the living room (By Montpelier Joinery Ltd.)[/caption]
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Solo has been making rugs for 40 years, and that amount of experience shows in the detail each rug can contain. They are all hand-knotted rugs which can take several months to make at their fastest, so they are all very unique and well-crafted. These aren't the kind of rugs you can buy at your local mega mart that are mass-produced and pill and shred in a year or so of use. There are multiple styles to choose from ranging from simple stripes to complicated, interlocking patterns. The Solo brand has a variety of sizing for their rugs as well, including traditionally shaped rectangular rugs to long and thin runner rugs.
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Hand Knotted Runner Rug, M1799-462 by Solo[/caption]
Rugs aren't just for the living room; they can be used in hallways, bedrooms, and even kitchens if you feel daring. A runner rug especially is good if you want to make your hallway a transitional space between styles, or just have a comfortable walk between rooms. Though fairly square and circular rugs are the norm, older houses especially don't have a cubic space for you to put them in. Runners and other types of rugs have more irregular shapes that allow you to partition reshape your space from the floor up if this is the case.
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Hand Knotted Rug in Ivory, M1780-48 by Solo[/caption]
I used to live in a house that had a rug in almost every room whether there was carpet or tile flooring. I moved in with different people, and now I live in a house that has hardwood floors and it feels so empty without area rugs anywhere. It's one of those things that you don't think about being there until it's not. Mopping is certainly easier with a vacant floor, but placing a rug underneath our coffee table is definitely part of this home's future to brighten it up.
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Hand Knotted Area Rug, M1783-165 by Solo[/caption]
Here's a quick tip: if you're not up for ripping out ugly flooring and replacing it with some that's much better—though Home Thangs does have plenty of nice flooring options—a quality rug is a quick way to distract eyes from the floor pattern as a whole and also cover stains from previous tenants or homeowners. You can change your mind later and simply roll up the rug to remodel your floors, making it a low-commitment house fix.
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A simplistic area rug pattern can complement existing flooring of a similar nature (By Cameron Custom Builder)[/caption]
Area rugs add visual intrigue to your floors and a sense of familiarity and comfort to your living space. Why settle for rugs made cheaply and quickly when you have the perfect opportunity to lay art on your floor? Solo provides hand-made rugs to fit any style or aesthetic within varying sizes. You don't see this kind of craftsmanship as often as you used to, and it's a great honor to be able to share some of these rugs with you.
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Wheat Bermuda 8 X 10 Rug, 71019-8 by Uttermost[/caption]
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Chances are, you keep a neutral set of colors for your base furniture like couches, tables, and chairs. Instead of matching your area rug to one of these, consider finding a similar pattern and color to your throw pillows, decorative vases, or other accent pieces. This way, you can have prominently bright and fun colors in your area rug without going overboard or having to replace your favorite furniture to match the rug. However, if that is what you'd like to do, you can also have your pieces reupholstered with a new fabric in order to better fit the colors of your room.
Dark Lava Danube 5 X 8 Rug, 73017-5 by Uttermost[/caption]
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Where you place an area rug matters just as much as the kind of rug you choose. In the center of the room or the center of your furniture grouping is traditional, but those aren't your only options. Growing up, we had a gorgeous rug that spanned the entire length of the dining table. A glass top would further accentuate this and allow you to see it during meals with minimal risk of it getting dirty.
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Marcus Ivory 9 X 12 Rug, 73085-9 by Uttermost[/caption]
Shop The Most Luxurious One of A Kind Area Rugs by Solo Rugs:
That said, you don't want to place an area rug entirely underneath large furniture that you can't see under, like a couch. Not only will it hide the accentuation you're trying to achieve, it also runs the risk of damaging the rug itself. Heavy furniture, depending on how the weight is distributed, can bore permanent marks and flatten sections of your area rugs over time. This is unavoidable, but the real disadvantage comes if you decide to move it somewhere else at a later date and then have couch support marks embedded in the fabric.
Denim Cascadia 5 X 8 Denim Rug, 71048-5 by Uttermost[/caption]
Patterning and texture can go under the same category because the materials used to create an area rug can lead to naturally occurring patterns from the texture or differing dye lots that composed the fabric. Rugs can also be made of unique materials like denim, which give them a variety of feelings under your feet, which will draw the attention of both you and your guests to the floor. Patterned rugs are a great way to show off your hardwood floors or plush carpet without you having to say a word.
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Campo Ivory 8 X 10 Rug, 73064-8 by Uttermost[/caption]
The most important factor when getting an area rug to accent your room of choice is to make sure it's one you like with or without the other furniture around. The point is to complement your existing furniture and decorative style, not change it all to match your new rug. Accenting with an area rug is about bringing balance and drawing out colors already present and making art out of your room.
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This one is a bit of a gimmie - obviously you don't want a rug that's bigger than the space you have for it, but equally important, you don't want one that's too small, either - a little round rug like this Ivory Floral Print Rug couldn't hold its own in a large living room.
[caption id="attachment_3986" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Continental Rug Company Silk Oriental Rug"]
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Part of the question of size, too, comes down to whether you want the rug to be a focal point or an accent piece - a larger rug like this Silk Oriental Rug is one that could certainly set the tone of the whole room, and add a nice touch of class while doing it, but that much silk could easily overwhelm a room, whereas a smaller round silk rug placed under a small antique table would add a much more subtle flair.
[caption id="attachment_3984" align="aligncenter" width="182" caption="2 ft 6 in x 8 ft Runner Rug in Black"]
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A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your rug is either entirely under all the pieces of furniture touching it, or isn't under any of them. Having a few legs of your sofa or end table hanging off the edge of a rug can make everything look just a little lopsided, and having all but one piece of furniture on top of the rug can make it look off balance. A long Runner like this one, for example, would look great in a long hall, but would be harder to arrange your furniture around.
2. Color
[caption id="attachment_3989" align="aligncenter" width="350" caption="Meadow Flower Rug"]
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Color is a big one, which, if you've done any amount of serious decorating, I'm sure you already know. Trying to mesh the color in all your furniture, your curtains, walls, floor, and accent pieces can be really hard. A very dark rug like this Meadow Flower Rug (with a fantastic texture!) for example can make a bold statement, but depending on your room, might be overwhelming, distracting, or too modern for your decor.
[caption id="attachment_3990" align="aligncenter" width="403" caption="Mesa Hand Tufted Wool Rug"]
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The basic rule of thumb for picking a color or set of colors for a decorative rug follows the same logic you would when choosing your window dressings: If you have a very neutral room, a single piece with bright colors can bring it to life, but if you have a very colorful room, a rug in more neutral colors will be much less likely to clash. Especially if you change your room in minor but drastic ways on a regular basis (say, your throw pillows) you're better off going neutral so the rug can stay when the other accents go. Finally, rug colors that are analogous or complimentary (ones that are next to each other on the color wheel, or opposite each other, respectively) to main colors in your room can give a great sense of color and harmony. Rugs with lots of colors can seem a little busy, but can work if you keep them within the same shade or base color, like this Mesa Wool Rug.
3. Pattern
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For me, this is the hardest one. You really want to make sure the pattern you pick matches the vibe of the room you're in. An oriental patterned rug in a modern-styled room, for example, would probably look horribly out of place - as much as a wild geometric pattern or cutsey fish design like this Mountain Trout Rug would stand out (in a bad way) in a room full of antiques.
[caption id="attachment_3987" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="Delhi Rectangular Modern Rug in Beige"]
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Basically, the pattern of your rug can help set the tone for the rest of the room - classy, funky, kitschy, homey, modern, or otherwise - so when you're shopping for a rug, try to think about the personality of the pattern as well as the colors. Whether you get something simple and neutral like this Delhi Modern Rug, really abstract, or a themed pattern, make sure it's something that will work with your whole room.
[caption id="attachment_3983" align="aligncenter" width="414" caption="Tahoe Hand Tufted Wool Rug with Border"]
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Case in point? Even if you love this Animal Print Rug on the rack, that doesn't mean you'll be able to pull it off in your room. Of course, if you do love it (or that bold Southwestern print one) and have to have it, you can definitely build a room around it, but just know that without a little extra effort, your beloved rug might look a little off.
4. Material
[caption id="attachment_3985" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Anji Mountain Bamboo Rug"]
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Material is probably the most crucial factor to consider when buying a rug, because it influences a lot of other factors. First (and maybe most importantly) you want to choose a material that's appropriate for the amount of traffic your rug is going to be seeing. If you have young children, pets, or the area you're looking to cover is near a door or in a major walkway, you want a material that's going to be durable and relatively stain-proof (or stain hiding!), like wool, nylon, bamboo, sisal, jute, hemp, or the slightly more lightweight cotton. Anything made of strong, durable plant fibers, like this Bamboo Rug, should work well.
[caption id="attachment_3993" align="aligncenter" width="288" caption="Square Albers Orange Rug"]
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Additionally, the material your rug is made of is almost as important as the color and pattern in terms of the personality of the rug. While silk rugs are beautiful and can add a touch of class, shag rugs like this Albers Orange Rug, especially in bold colors, can add some great retro funk.
[caption id="attachment_3992" align="aligncenter" width="346" caption="Rhody Rug Pilgrim Indoor Outdoor Braided Area Rug Teal"]
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A braided rug like Rhody Rug can give your room a nice, country feel, too, that you won't get with any other material.
More or less, when you're shopping for a rug, you just want to make sure the rug you pick is going to fit in the room you put it in - size wise, with your color scheme, and with the overall theme and energy of your room.
Why are you in the market for a rug? Looking for a simple way to change the look of your room, or just sick of freezing your feet first thing in the morning? Let me know in the comments!...
