Rugs

Welcome to Rugs HD!

Rugs may be an after-thought to many people when redecorating but, in actuality, rugs are a very important design element in any room. In fact, the rug can be the focal point of the room making the rest of the furnishings just the icing on the cake! The right rug can correct decorating mistakes by softening loud colors, or brightening a room that has too many dark colors. The right rug can be a good way to hide a worn floor and bring personality, vitality, elegance, and even a touch of light-hearted whimsy to a room. Rugs can even keep your rooms warmer and muffle noise.

Area Rug Shopping Tips

Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for the right rug for your home. Thirty percent of a room’s color is provided by the floor coverings. One excellent way to come up with a very professional looking color scheme is to start with a rug colors that really inspire you. Then choose two of those colors and use one as the main color, the other as the accent color and choose a neutral color—white or shades in the cream family.  If you already have a color scheme for your room you can tie your colors together with a rug that contains them. Or use the new rug to brighten your room, darken your room, inject a new color to your color scheme or even change your mood.

Design is the next most important element.   The design expresses who you are and is an extension of you.  Patterns can enhance the colors we choose. It’s important to not try to use too many patterns in a room. While it is possible to successfully mix patterns, like plaids and stripes with solids, it should be done very carefully.

The right texture is also important.  Texture adds interest and warmth to a room. The ‘’feel’’ of your room often has a lot to do with the feel of your rug and other textiles.  For instance, if you have a lot of shiny or smooth surfaces a wool rug will take the cold feeling away and add warmth.  One reason thick, furry rugs are so popular in bathrooms is because they temper, visually, the hard cold surfaces of the bath fixtures. The other reason is because they add warmth, both visual and actual. Everyone knows how feet friendly thick soft rugs are on cold days.  Texture feels as good as it looks.

Rug materials are either natural or man-made. The most often used for rugs is wool—for good reason. Wool has a very elegant texture, it’s very durable, it’s crush resistant, and it’s very easy to care for.  Other natural materials you will see often are silk, jute, cotton, and viscose. Silk is prized for its luster, but it’s very pricey. Cotton is popular and is usually washable. Jute has an interesting texture and is used often for casual rugs. Nylon and polypropylene are two of the most often used man-made materials.  They are said by some to lack the warmth of natural materials but they make up for it in price and ease of care.

Choosing your rugs is a big decision and if it’s an area rug, one you will live with for years.  So take your time and choose well!