How To Pick The Perfect Rug For Your Room

Finding the perfect rug can be a daunting job. There are plenty of things to consider that can come into the decision making process like, the size, colour and material of the rug. In order to make the best decision we have to consider how each of these elements will impact your room. Our aim is to help guide you through this process so that your new rug will perfectly suit your home.

Choosing The Right Rug For Your Living Room

A stylish, well chosen living room rug can really bring the room together. Finding out how to choose a rug for a living room takes a bit of practise, but luckily we're here to give you a hand. When it comes to choosing the perfect living room rug, you have to make sure that your rug isn’t too large to overpower the room, whilst also making sure that it is big enough to fill the space. Including a rug in your living room, especially when you have hardwood or tile flooring, can help to bring a cosy atmosphere and become the new focal point of your room. Therefore it is important to match your colour palette and match your style. Always Keep in mind that rugs are designed to bring warmth and comfort to your space. With this guide we will help you determine which rug is big enough, which rug materials are the ideal choices for you.

What material to choose?

Majority of the time that we spend refueling at home is in the living room. Therefore it is extremely important to make this space as comfortable and inviting as possible. If you have cold tiles in your living room, a warm wool rug is the perfect choice for the winter months to give some extra comfort for your cold feet.

If you are looking for more budget friendly solution, consider searching for a polypropylene or polyester rug with a high pile height. The benefit of these synthetic materials is that they are extremely easy to clean and are perfect for high traffic living rooms or if you have pets.

If you’re looking for the most soft, luxurious rug, then go for a shag pile rug. The super high pile height combined with soft material creates a new space to sit or lay down while watching tv or chatting with family and friends. Shag rugs aren’t an ideal material if you have long hair, pets or your children, as they can be quite difficult to clean.

How to place a rug in a living room?

Rugs help to define the space within your living room. How big a living room rug should be depends on the size of your room, you may need to consider choosing two smaller rugs rather than 1 large rug that covers the entire space. As a general rule, it’s best to place your furniture on top of the rug, so make sure that the rug is large enough to cover your dining table or at least the front two legs of your couch.

If you feel that your living room is a touch bland, then go for a rug that has a strong pattern on bold colours, and place in a central location of the living room. When combined with matching accent cushions, wall art or other home decor elements, you’ll be amazed at how quickly and affordably you can transform your living room.

The final piece to consider when it comes to choosing the right rug for your living room is the orientation of your room. If your room is a rectangle shape, then choose a rectangle rug, while square rooms tend to look better with square or round rugs.

Choosing The Right Rug For Your Bedroom

What material to choose?

Keep your feet warm during the freezing winter mornings with a luxurious rug placed underneath your bed. Your bedroom is where you are most likely to be barefoot, so choose a bedroom rug that has a decent pile height & that is a soft material. most rugs materials will be acceptable here, but avoid natural fibres like Jute. A cotton / wool blend or polypropylene rug will be a perfect solution.

Where to place your rug?

You have a couple of options here, but for the most dramatic impact make sure the rug covers your entire bed & bedside tables. Use the table below as a guide for what sized rug you’ll need based on the size of your bed.

Generally when choosing a rug for your bedroom it’s safest to go with the size that is slightly larger than you anticipate. There is nothing that throws off the style more than a rug that barely fits under your bed, or where furniture sits half on half off.

Bedrooms generally are smaller than some other rooms in your home, so there are a few areas that you will need to check.

1. Is there enough room for your bedroom door to open & close without rubbing against the rug
2. Will the rug be pushed up against any other furniture that you have in the room, such as dressers, tallboys, etc. You should avoid this if possible
3. Ideally you should leave at least a 15 cm gap between the edge of the rug and any furniture or walls. If you can’t maintain this gap, then consider a larger rug so that the entire piece of furniture can sit easily on the rug.

Choosing The Right Rug For Your Kitchen

What material to choose?

Kitchen rugs are becoming extremely popular recently. This has been due to home designs focusing on open plan living, combined with the new materials that rugs are being designed with that are more stain resistant and easier to clean. The kitchen is the heart of the home, so why wouldn’t you want to create a welcoming environment.

Natural fibre rugs are perfect options for your kitchen, a small cotton rug can easily fit & be cleaned in your washing machine, while a jute runner rug can be spot cleaned. Alternatively if you are extremely concerned about spills and stains, go for an indoor outdoor rug, the material is designed to handle outdoor weather conditions, so it will be a very safe option.

One of the great benefits of having a rug in your kitchen is the extra safety it provides. When cooking, it can be quite easy for oil or water to spray on the ground, making tiles quite slippery. Low pile rugs are the perfect solution for your kitchen. They can provide different colour and texture to an otherwise sterile kitchen. Not only are low pile rugs super easy to clean, but they are also extremely durable and work perfectly in high traffic areas.

Where to place your rug?

With the trend of open planning living & kitchen islands becoming the norm, the best options are to buy a custom length runner to match your kitchen perfectly or a one of our great kitchen runner rugs. 

Place your rug in between the cabinets and kitchen island. Generally you would go for a length that is equal to the length of your kitchen island or smaller. Because this is an area that you need to be careful, we strongly recommend the addition of a Rug Pad Grip for Hard Floors to make sure that your rug doesn't slip underneath your feet.

Still having issues with finding the perfect rug for your home? Get in touch for free advice from out interior design professionals.