So, you need a rug for your living room, bedroom or nursery, and you think, “okay, I’ll just hop online and pick something out.” Then two years and 2,872 potential rugs later you still haven’t bought one.
With all the rug options out there, finding the perfect one can cause most people a serious case of analysis paralysis. Which means you’re stuck in a never-ending loop of not being able to make a decision, having to walk on cold bare floors, and being angry at your husband because somehow it’s his fault.
Here’s a few tips to help you find the perfect rug for your space and avoid spending countless hours aimlessly scrolling through options when you could be drinking wine with your girlfriends, or hanging out with Bradley Cooper in a jacuzzi while he sings to you in that husky/twangy country voice no one knew he had until he seriously killed it in A Star Is Born…okay, I digress.
Here's Some Tips!
- Know the optimal rug sizes:
- Dining room – your rug should extend at least 18 inches beyond the edge of your table so when you push out a dining chair it’s still sitting on the rug
- Narrow walkway/hallway – allow for about 6 inches of floor to show on all sides of a runner
- Living room – if your furniture is arranged into a conversation area at least the front third of all furniture should be on the rug
- Bedroom – a rug should be placed at least one third of the way underneath the foot of your bed. Runners on each side of the bed work nicely as well
- Other rooms – Typically if you purchase a rug that is about two feet smaller than the shortest wall in that room you should be good
A general sizing rule: bigger is usually better.
- Measure first (don’t be lazy). Use masking tape and map out on your floor what the optimal rug size would be. This will give you the PERFECT visual representation of the size of the rug. The last thing you want is to get something too small.
- Consider yo’ pile pro-file baby! For high traffic areas like a hallway or living room you’re going to want to go with a low-pile wool or cotton, it’s easier to clean and maintain. For a bedroom or less trafficked area, you can use something with a higher pile like a shag rug, or anything fluffy and cozy!
- If you don’t have that great of a design sense then just go neutral, you cannot go wrong with something neutral (grey, beige, creamy, black, white).
- Add interest with TEXTURE! A big chunky, woven, or braided neutral rug can do wonders for a space and bring in some interest. You don’t have to get something loud and colorful to make a statement.
- Use filters when shopping online!! This is my biggest piece of advice, don’t go to Wayfair and then just start searching through the millions of rugs they have available. Set up your filters first. A lot of online sites have great filtering options so you’re only left looking at what you really want. You should always set your most basic filters: price, size, color, and style.
- Stick with natural materials and fibers like cotton or wool. The synthetic stuff just doesn’t hold up over time, think stains, wearing and color fading, none of the things you want in a rug. Also, natural materials and fibers just feel better under your bare feet!
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with a little rug-on-rug action. Hate your ugly beige carpet, put a rug on it! Have a large neutral rug but want more color, put a rug on it! Have an annoying in-law, put a rug….just kidding. If you find a rug that is too small you can always layer it with another rug and don’t be afraid to put a rug over carpet. You can define a space that way or distract from something you might not be able to change at the moment.
