This week, Sofa Mart is rocking the area rug. Looking for the perfect solution for adding that just-right touch of color and character to your room? With a few simple considerations, area rugs can help you create your own show-stopping space.
Area rugs provide color, comfort, warmth and an easy way to update a room. A bold rug can serve as a dramatic focal point in a neutrally decorated room. And, it can bring together your furniture and décor, creating a more coordinated space. Rugs also offer protection for your wood floors and carpet, especially those in high-traffic areas of your home.
Rugs can complement any room and lifestyle, but there are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for your next one.
Size Matters: Don’t try to cover every square inch of the floor with your new rug. Amy Foster, home accessory buyer for Furniture Row, says a good rule of thumb for dining rooms is to choose a rug that’s four feet larger than the overall length and width of your dining table. “For example, a 3′ x 6′ table should have a 7′ x 9′ rug or larger underneath to ensure chairs can move freely from the table without dropping off the back of the rug.” For living rooms, if your sofa or furniture backs up to a wall, the rug should be large enough to fit under the front legs of all pieces in the room. If your furniture floats in the middle of a large room, the rug should fit entirely under all pieces of furniture. “This creates a border to the space and gives the furniture grouping a defined location in the room,” Foster says.
Choose Lifestyle-Friendly Fibers: When choosing a rug, keep in mind your lifestyle and the amount of traffic the space receives. Common choices for fibers include synthetic, natural and wool. Synthetic fibers are durable for high-traffic areas, and because they can easily be produced by machine, they are often a more affordable option, according to Foster. Natural fibers such as sisal, bamboo and jute are produced from plants and are quite durable, making them ideal for high-traffic areas. However, they are also quite absorbent, and water and cleaning liquids cannot be used on them. Wool rugs will last the longest and are naturally stain-resistant, which makes wool a good choice for homes with children and pets.
Area rugs provide color, comfort, warmth and an easy way to update a room. A bold rug can serve as a dramatic focal point in a neutrally decorated room. And, it can bring together your furniture and décor, creating a more coordinated space. Rugs also offer protection for your wood floors and carpet, especially those in high-traffic areas of your home.
Rugs can complement any room and lifestyle, but there are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for your next one.
Looking for the perfect solution for adding that just-right touch of color and character to your room? With a few simple considerations, area rugs can help you create your own show-stopping space.
Two Might Be Better Than One: If you have a large room in your home, choose two rugs that complement each other to add cohesion and definition to the space. Also, you can use rugs to create natural boundaries, dividing a larger space, such as an open dining or living room, into two smaller sections by selecting different rugs and décor for the two areas of the room. Rugs can also help define the zones of a room based on tasks, such as a conversation area and a family room.
Pick the Right Pattern: When choosing a pattern for your rug, think about your style, room and whether you want the rug to blend in or be a focal point. Rugs with neutral patterns offer a subtle foundation for the room and allow you to layer color and pattern in the accessories around it. Like the walls of a gallery, a neutral-patterned rug allows everything else in the room to become the focal point. However, a playful or bold rug pattern works well if the furniture in your room is solid or neutral. “A masterful way to coordinate colors is to pull out a secondary color from the rug onto furniture or wall color,” says Foster. “This gives instant coordination.” Conversely, Foster says a solid-color rug will complement and ground a room with a lot of pattern present in the furniture already. “Again, pull a secondary color from the existing patterns in the room for your rug selection,” says Foster.
Shop for Shapes: Rugs come in many different shapes, and the size and shape of your room should direct you in your rug choice. Try matching the rug with a key piece of furniture or the outline of the room. For example, if your dining room table is rectangular, choose a rectangle-shaped rug. This will keep the room looking cohesive and allow for a natural flow.
Pad Protection: It’s the big moment. You’ve done the research, made the decision, purchased the rug, brought it home — and now you realize you forgot a crucial item: the rug pad. A rug pad not only protects your floors and adds an extra layer of cushioning, it also helps your rug lie flat, saving you from slipping and making vacuuming much easier. It might seem like an extra step (and expense), but this one’s well worth it!
Featured Product List:
1. Madeira Cool Rug, 8′ x 11′
2. Mon Amour Rug, 5′ x 8′
3. Floral Pods Rug, 5′ x 8′
4. Multi-Colored Folk Tile Rug, 5′ x 8′
5. Warm Genevieve Floral Rug, 5′ x 8′
6. Terra Cotta Georgia Rug, 5′ x 8′
7. Dual Grip Reversible Rug Pad, 5′ x 8′
For more products visit Sofa Mart.
