When filling a living space one needs furniture, decor, and textiles. Arguably one of the most essential elements in any room is the flooring material, especially if using carpets or rugs. Choosing the right rug is a weighty decision as rugs must withstand being trod upon day in and day out.
“I think a rug is an intricate part of the room. It grounds the space. It can bring texture, color, and cohesiveness to the overall design,” says Charlann Joyner of Oasis Rugs, who walks through three essential things to consider when choosing a rug for your home.
Size of a Space
“Choosing the right size rug for the space is key,” says Joyner. “You want to have the rug under at least the front legs of the furniture so the space appears to be grounded. When the space is large, you can get much more bang for your buck when you layer. For example, use a large natural fiber rug and layer it with a cow hide or two. It’s not uncommon to see a natural fiber rugs with a smaller Oushak or Persian layered on top. This trend is another opportunity to introduce different textures and color into the space.”
While steering clear of rugs that are too small for a space one also needs to be mindful of rugs that are too big as well. “You don’t want a rug within a foot of the edge of a room. Have it define the space, but you still want to see the flooring. The floors have a lot of impact on why you chose the rug in the first place. They’re going to complement each other.”
Traffic Patterns
Take into consideration the residents of a home—dogs, kids, someone who comes home in dirty work boots—and where they most often frequent.
“As a rule, you can’t go wrong with 100 percent wool, as it is cleanable and very durable. An all-wool rug just needs to be vacuumed regularly and can be spot cleaned with Dawn dish soap and water.” Every three or four years, a deep cleaning will keep a rug looking its best. And consider getting it treated with a repellent before it even goes down, suggests Joyner.
“Any kind of treatment is not going to be the end-all be-all, it’s just going to help. It acts sort of like Rain X. Liquid falls on it and beads up, it doesn’t absorb into it. And the treatment is meant to last even after a professional cleaning. We recommend it because life happens,” she says.
Don’t think a wool rug can hold up to all the kids and the pets? Joyner suggests considering an indoor/outdoor rug, as the durable material can withstand even the elements outdoors. “There are many options that are so good looking, that you wouldn’t even know could go outside.”
Design Concept & Style
“I think style and color are very subjective. You have to go with what you really like and feels good to you in the space,” says Joyner. With rugs, it often boils down to trendy or timeless—both of which have their pros and cons.
“If you’re going to go trendy, put that in a space you plan on changing in the next three to five years, somewhere that gets a lot of wear and is going to be replaced eventually anyway.”
Timeless pieces are more transitional. “They can lend themselves to many different decors, they can be used in modern settings, in traditional settings. It’s the things you put on top that bring character to it.”
