Choosing the right rug
Cold-weather changes don’t have to be limited to your wardrobe; add some warmth to your home with a new area rug.
A rug can be a big investment, so take tips from the experts.
Start the search with color and style. “Some people want to lighten up a dark floor, so the background color of their rug is lighter. Some people don’t want to draw attention to the rug, so they choose a color that blends with the flooring,” says Mindy Miles Greenberg, owner of Encore Décor LTD in New York and a designer on call for Karastan Rugs and Carpets.
Next, size up the rug. Do you want one that sits under the furniture or one that lays in front of the coffee table?
“The biggest reason we see for returns is that customers decide the rug is too small,” says Kim Barta, brand manager for Shaw Living, the area rug division of international flooring company Shaw Floors. “Typically, they think they really want the 5x8 [size rug] but get it home and want the 8x10 instead.”
Size is largely personal preference, but there is one hard-and-fast rule. If you are putting a rug in a dining room, make sure it overhangs the table by at least two feet. Otherwise, you risk chairs toppling over because of the uneven surface, Barta says.
Fiber is important, too. Synthetic fibers like nylons and olefin are color-rich, fade-resistant and affordable, Barta says. Wool, although more expensive, is natural, renewable, fire-resistant and tends not to crush under the weight of furniture.
“You have to consider how a rug fits your lifestyle,” Miles Greenberg says. “How does it feel barefoot? Do you have children and pets?”
Once you’ve selected a rug, don’t forget a pad. “A rug will crawl across the floor without one,” Barta says.
© CTW Features
