Area Rug Buyers Guide brought to you by NatureRugs.com provides some important practical considerations when purchasing & decorating with an oriental area rug.
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When you begin decorating your home there are some important factors to consider. Your floors will usually be the foundation for your design. An authentic hand made area rug can visually integrate or harmonize diverse elements in any decor or can reenergize a room. Below are various factors to consider for purchasing & decorating with an oriental rug :
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1. Size of the Rug – Area to be covered
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Size up the room and the area you want to cover.
The most common area rug sizes are 4-by-6 and 6-by-9 feet. They work well under a coffee table.
An 8-by-10-foot area rug or larger can cover an entire room.
Smaller area and scatter rugs can be ideal for adorning smaller spaces—a hearth, a bedside, the area in front of a kitchen sink—with a splash of color and warmth.
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2. In the Home
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Living Room
In a living room the area rug would most likely be placed in front of the sofa and under the coffee table
To place a room-sized area rug on a hardwood floor, choose an area rug which allows eight inches (twenty centimeters) of wood to be exposed around the rug’s perimeter.
Measure the open space up to the sofa and chairs making sure that the individual seated will have both feet on the area rug.
More than one area rug is acceptable.
Dining Room
There should be room to pull the chairs out from the table with the back legs of the chairs remaining on the area rug.
Stairs
Look for Busy & Dark patterns
Avoid Silk Rugs
Hallways & Entrances
Dense Patterns
Wool pile (Most durable) with cotton foundation (strong and does not loose shape) is ideal.
Silk Rugs are not suggested
Bedroom
Do not recommend a room size Persian/Oriental area rug for the bedroom. Most of the pattern will be hidden under the bed in the dark making the rug prone to moth damage.
Instead, use multiple area rugs. A rug at the foot of the bed and two on each side Or use several scatter rugs to fill areas around the bed as needed. It will actually cost less and compliment your furnishings better.
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3. FURNISHINGS
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Begin with the end in mind. Visualize the finished look of the room. Do you prefer the sparse, uncluttered look or you have a room rich with colors and textures?
Remember that a rug is the largest splash of color in any room. Select your rug first, and then the upholstery to blend with the rug. Furniture should enhance the rug design or colors found in the rug
Next comes window treatment and walls; neutral shades are recommended.
Elements of a rug design can be further incorporated into the overall design scheme. For example, if the rug is floral, add framed prints or flowers in similar colors.
Conversely, should your focal point be furniture, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. Patterns can be mixed if they are coordinated by color.
Don’t get discouraged if you are having problems finding an area rug to blend in with your decor. We suggest you surf NatureRugs.com for the vast variety of Rugs that will suit your situation. For some reason, Jaipur & Agra Rug designs and colors tend to work with many fabrics.
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4. Using Multiple Area Rugs
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Should you use one rug or two?
~One rug is the general rule as it coordinates Beni rugs the room together and helps select fabrics for furniture, curtains, etc.
~In a very large room, more than one rug can be used to separate the room. The designs of the rugs should be different enough to create spatial separation, but similar in color and quality to maintain the integrity of the room space.
Two or more rugs should complement each other
~ One needs to be dominant in size
~ They should be similar in at least design/color/size
~ Smaller rugs should not look like clones
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5. Color
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If redecorating an already furnished room, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns
Paint or paper the walls in colors found in the rug when color coordinating.
Look for a rug that has commonality with the existing color of the walls.
A rug with a bold, overall design can be the focal point of a room with a chair and sofa in solid or subdued patterns.
Light colored rugs make a room look more spacious, and deeper colors lend coziness to a room.
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6. Durability
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For floor rugs wool is usually a preferred choice as it resists daily wear better than synthetics. Wool has many wonderful qualities- deep, rich color tones, high durability and relative ease of care. For more information you can read article Advantages of Wool over Synthetic Fibers.
Silk rugs are better used for walls, throws etc. Living rooms are ideal to showcase silk rugs.
Chromium dyes are strong and deliver consistency and durability of color.
Vegetable dyes give the rug a patina of color, a casual look that is very attractive.
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7. Shape
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Let your decorating style determine your rug shape.
Don’t be limited to the idea of getting a rectangular rug.
A circular or octagonal-shaped floor covering can add flair and elegance.