Part 1 of 3: Tips on How to Select a Rug
RUGS…you can live with them…or you can live without them. We DEFINITELY prefer to live with them. We would collect rugs if we had enough floor space for them. A little weird, right?
Rugs do so many things the moment you put them in place: they designate a space visually, they make a space cozier, they add color to a space, they add depth and texture to a space, they ground all of your furniture in close proximity, and they dampen sound.
We understand that rugs are one of the hardest home purchases to make because they’re available in so many sizes, styles, and materials. Some clients feel that with all of these positives, selecting a rug is still just too complicated.
Well, we are here to help.
SIZING:
When it comes to size, always sway towards the larger one. I know…I know, these cost more. Just hear me out. Nothing is worse than walking into a beautiful space and seeing a postage stamp trying to be an anchor in the room. On the other hand, a rug that goes wall to wall isn’t attractive either. One or two more feet of floor coverage can mean the difference between a room that feels haphazardly put together and a space that feels thoughtfully designed and tailored to the layout.
When in doubt buy a roll of painter’s tape and lay out the size you THINK you need on the floor. Live with it for a bit, and then adjust if you are not loving it.
DINING ROOM: You will want a rug that is 36” longer and wider than your table if at all possible.
If your table is unique and is round, then keep with the same rule of thumb and go 36” minimum past its edges. Sometimes the shape and proportion of the room may not allow for this but that should be your goal. A Dining Room Rug will most likely be 8 x 10’ or larger.
LIVING ROOM: When you lay it out you can go a few different directions.
-One is laying out a large enough rug so that all of your seating in the conversation area falls onto the rug with all four legs.
-Or select a size where the two front legs of your seating units are on the rug. By the time you add felt pads to the pair of legs on the hard floor, it will level out the furniture.
-Just be consistent with ALL of the seating.
Typically a living room rug is 5 x 7’, 8 x 10’, or 9 x 12’
BEDROOM : This rug needs to be sized a little differently. When you exit the bed, no one wants to step onto a cold floor. So make sure when you are measuring for the correct size, take these tips into consideration.
-Make sure the rug reaches 18-24” past each side of the bed.
-With nightstands on either side of your bed, measure the distance from the outer edge to outer edge of both nightstands and use that width as a guide.
