Complement your living space with the right rug

We all like living comfortably, and one of the best ways to make our homes cosy and warm is by complementing them with the right rug. Carpets have their appeal, but area rugs are a better choice if you want your space to change and evolve with you. So here are some pieces of advice on how to choose the best area rug.

SIZE

There are several guidelines to follow when choosing a rug of the right size. For dining area, make sure the chairs sit on the rug completely. For hallways, allow at least six inches free on each side of the rug. For a sitting area in a living room, make sure to have your feet on the rug when sitting on a sofa. If the room is a bigger one, two rugs are also fine, just make sure they match in style and colour. For a home office in a corner of the room, both the chair and the desk should sit on the rug. For a bedroom, fit the rug at least 2/3 below the bed and allow some free space on each side of the bed for the bedside table.

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MATERIAL

When deciding on the material, it would be wise to think about the rest of the room. Look at the endings of the existing furniture and choose its contrast. With a soft, fluffy sofa, such as wool or velvet, go for sleek and hard materials, like sisal. But, with wooden or leather seating area, wool rug may be a better choice. Keep in mind some practicalities about the rug, such as accessibility of the room to its users, if there are young children or elderly people, or those with limited mobility. Cleaning plays a role as well, so consider this as well.

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TRAFFIC

Keep in mind that the traffic in a room determines the sort of rug as well. Dhurries and kilims, made of natural wool and cotton, are durable, easy to clean and fit just any space, so if you are not sure what to choose, going for the most obvious is always a good option. Natural rugs are good for high-traffic areas in a home, as they are usually made of plant fibres, including sisal, jute, seagrass and hemp. They are durable, affordable, and they suit the majority of rooms due to their neutral colour palette. Tufted rugs are a better choice for lower traffic rooms. Over-dyed and distressed rugs are a better option for low traffic areas, such as bedrooms, because they are made in a cycle of dyeing, washing or distressing to achieve a unique finish.

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 COLOUR

Depending on the effect you want to achieve with the furniture you own, the colour of the rug plays a significant role here too. So, if you want to simply complement your room with a rug and not to overwhelm it, match the rug colour with the rest of the room. But, if the room is in rather neutral tones, make the rug the central piece of the room by choosing it in a bright or a contrasting colour.

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SHAPE

They say that similar shapes complement one another, so if the furniture is round, go for the rug that is also round, and vice-versa. Squares and circles also match, so this allows you some freedom so as to soften the edges of clear-cut chairs and dinner tables. Yet, in rectangular rooms, it may be better to go for the rectangular rug as well, so as to keep balance with the rest of the room.

source by Dan Taylor

BUDGET

And last but not least, the rule of thumb is to decide on your budget based on the price of the sofa (or the similar furniture) and then add 10%, so that you get the proper budget range on the amount you can spend on the rug.

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On the whole, the rules are there just to be guidelines, not to limit the creativity of the final user. The overall impression of the space where you spend most of your time should reflect your personality and style. Always consider several possibilities, ask around, think about your needs and your budget, and make your home what you want it to be – the perfect oasis of peace and comfort.