Which rug to choose?

Chloe Hines Chloe Hines
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Choosing the appropriate rug for different areas of your home should be a fun process based on both functionality and style!  Whether you're choosing a rug to help with cold feet in the winter season, to add some comfort to your room, or for a new look we want to lay out all of your options and possibilities.

Rugs themselves defer in material, style and function – and should be carefully selected for each space that you're considering. There are some great Ideabooks on Homify that can help you choose a proper rug – whether you're considering style, or something more artistic – these selected Ideabooks have some great ideas.

Below, we have created an Ideabook that helps you consider all of the above mentioned – and for all areas of your home – we hope you enjoy! 

For the Right Room

As rugs can be a staple in almost any room in the house, it is important to consider which areas of your home you're looking to place a rug in.  As seen here, a plush, high-pile rug is used where it normally wouldn't be – in a shower room.  However, it adds coziness to a rather minimalist, stark space and goes to show that the possibilities are endless.

Where the function of a particular room should undoubtedly be considered – we want to show you that you're options are not limited.  When it comes to bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and any other rooms predominately used for utilitarian home activities, we do suggest that low-pile rugs be used as they are quite easier to clean. High-pile rugs can offer a sense of comfort, style and coziness to living rooms, bedrooms and especially break up the space in long corridors.

Color & Pattern

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Something fun to consider with rugs is the colour and/or pattern options available to you! This will be of particular importance in living rooms, bedrooms and especially, children's rooms. We have chosen a perfect example of how a rug can really pull a space together with matching colour techniques.  Imagine this example without this colourful, matching rug.  Would be rather bland, right? We agree. If you tend to stick with lighter colour palettes and solids – then considering a nicely patterned rug with different textures is the way to go.

This example also shows texturised patterns – look closely and you will notice that every other stripe is of a higher pile than the previous and this certainly adds something special to this space to really make it pop. There are a wide array of both colour and pattern options available to you – whether you decide on a family heirloom, a flea market find or a brand new rug from a carpeting store – take colour swatches with you so your rug will perfectly collaborate with your space.  It can really make all the difference!

For more great mixtures of interior design and fun rugs check out this designer!

Consider Size

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Size is an important decision regarding rugs because the wrong size can either ruin the look of a space or be cost ineffective.  This is also influenced by the size of your room, as well as the size of the furnishings. When thinking about placing a rug in your bedroom or living room make sure to measure one-foot outside of the end of all furnishings, so the rug will extend past the furniture and provide room for foot placement.  

This has been done in the example shown – the rug is placed within the foot space and extends to the sides of the chairs and loveseat to provide some extra breathing-room. With bedroom placement this is of particular importance seeing as how you would rather your feet hit the soft, high-pile carpet in the morning as your wake up rather than the hard floor.

When thinking about corridors and accent rugs, think about lengthy rugs, or ones of a more circular design to break up the visual atmosphere of the space!

Low-Pile & High-Pile

Low-pile and high-pile rugs seem to be one of those features that come down to personal preference.  A few decades ago, high-pile rugs and carpeting dominated the interior design world, and now, not so much! High-pile rugs are preferred in living rooms and bedrooms, where comfort and coziness are top priority – whereas in bathroom or kitchen spaces they can lend to seeming slightly unhygienic. This seems to be a rule of thumb when considering which type of piling is right for you.

Be careful with high-pile in living room spaces – depending on your tastes they can seem too funky for some.  Yet, in the example we've given you, a rather high-pile rug was chosen for this living room – and it works!  The light colours and various textures within the room delightfully play with the light colour palette and beautiful windows.  This particular rug was truly chosen as a mere stylistic element – yet it makes the space incredibly homey.

Style

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The style of rug that you choose can be a hard decision.  There are many considerations – type of room, furnishings, interior design of the space, architecture of the space and last but certainly not least – YOUR taste!  Here, we have a rather minimally decorated space with a light colour palette – yet this high-pile, over-sized rug absolutely pulls the look together (particularly with a low-sitting couch).  The low couch and floor-to-ceiling windows create a vast space and a light-grain wood floor would add a never-ending depth. This high-pile carpet really adds a sense of stability and solidity to the room!

If this is not your taste then think big! Think of grand tapestry-inspired rugs, Venetian-style rugs, or bohemian-chic handwoven rugs to add something special.  With all the shapes, sizes, colours and textures available now – you can really let your imagination fly.  Try the links mentioned above to two other ideabooks that have some great ideas and different styles of rugs!

Materials Matter

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Last, but certainly not least – consider your materials.  We have several ideabooks that refer to the importance of materials in interior design and rugs are no exception. 

Wool, sisal (or seagrass), animal-skin rugs and even recycled newspapers are all materials to choose from when thinking about rugs.  Some people base their decision on whether they want a rug with natural, or synthetic materials.  Sisal, hemp-based rugs or seagrass rugs are natural and often vegan options to think about.  If organic is not really a worry for you as a homeowner – think of animal-based rugs, or wool.

Materials not only effect the stylistic qualities of a rug – but also it's functionality.  Most homeowners choose sisal and hemp rugs in outdoor spaces or utilitarian spaces like kitchens, laundry rooms or even as doorway mats.  Most rugs with natural materials will be rather low-pile unless you're considering animal fur which is typically more high-pile.  Either way, materials effect the longevity and durability of the rugs you choose – so consider wisely!

Rugs are truly a beautiful accent feature to any home and both their function and stylistic qualities are proven in that you can find them in almost every home!  Break down the function of each room – then its style – once you have these listed, think about the type of rug that is right for you and give yourself a lot of options – as they are beautiful accessories that can last a lifetime, if chosen right!

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