How to buy the best rugs for your home

Now that you’ve decided to change your flooring from wall-to-wall carpeting to hard flooring, you may need a 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 cozy to fabulous.

With so many options for 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 must first decide on the size of the rug you need. If you want it to cover most of the room, the 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 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 the runners are usually 30 inches wide and various lengths. Always measure the space before you go shopping for a rug to make sure it will fit the room.

Another important factor when choosing a rug is thickness. If the rug is too thick, you may not be able to open a room or closet door. Measure the space between the floor and the bottom of the door before you go shopping. If you are using a pad under your rugs, consider the thickness of the pad and rug together when near a door.

The next step is to decide what type of rug will work best for each room in your home. Wool is always the best option, but there are also different types of wool rugs to choose from. When you have kids and pets, you’ll need one that can take a lot of wear and tear and spills. Synthetic materials such as olefin, polypropylene, and nylon carpet work best and clean up very well.

Any area rug where you can see the same pattern on the front and back is always better. Not all of them are made to withstand daily wear, spills, and pet accidents. Please note which room you will be in. A rug that works in the bedroom may not be able to handle the daily grind 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 it is not set in stone but from the cleaners point of view of what I see every day.

Synthetics Made with olefin, polypropylene fibers. These rugs stand up to heavy use, are easy to clean and can be used in any room in the house.

Hand Knotted Wool rugs are good for bedrooms, in front of wood burning fireplaces, living/family rooms, and entryways. When used in an entryway, make sure the stains are stable, that you vacuum the front and back at least once a week, and have it professionally cleaned a minimum of twice a year, as they take all the dirt away and foreign waste. Wool rugs can be used in a kitchen, but they can easily get stained by food and drink spills, however, having a multicolored pattern hides many spills.

carpet scraps Rugs turned into rugs can be used in any room, but you’ll need to have a pad to keep them from scratching the floor and keep it in place. Synthetic rug remnants work great for playrooms and basements. It’s easy to turn leftover rugs into scattered rugs for entryways and mud rooms.

flat weave (Dhurries and kilim), braided and rag rugs can work in a bedroom, kitchen (can be easily stained), sunrooms, and home offices. Flat woven rugs tend to like to turn gray when they get too dirty. These add a nice country/rustic feel to any room.

wool felt fluff They’re great for adding texture to a room, but they don’t hold up to much use as the fibers multiply and form balls. They are difficult to vacuum and difficult to get all the loose dirt and debris out of the bottom of the fibers. Good for a bedroom.

Viscose, Rayon, Art Silk and Cotton They are great for low-use areas like bedrooms. These can easily fade and absorb spills and stains easily. They can also be made into wall hangings.

hand knit/designer they work best in low-use areas. These types of rugs are known to shed, can smell like latex glue, stain easily, and are not environmentally friendly.

fluff They are very fashionable and nostalgic. They are ideal for bedrooms and pets love them too, especially for an indoor bathroom. Lint needs to be vacuumed and cleaned more often and traps a lot of dirt and debris in the fibers. It can be difficult to keep them fresh and clean.

Silks They are a great luxury to have in a bedroom or home office and are perfect as wall hangings. Silk rugs are famous for their impeccable workmanship and beauty. It is not recommended for use as an entrance rug or in a dining room.

Knowing what type of rug works best for each room in your home saves you money and headaches. If you have questions about which mat works best, call your professional carpet cleaners and a few trusted carpet galleries to get their opinions.

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