Hello there! Thanks so much for visiting today. If you are new here, we are a military family living overseas. I love sharing sharing rental friendly decorating ideas and DIYs and living in small spaces. If you are a regular reader, welcome back friend! I so appreciate you being here. Let’s get to chatting about rugs.
I absolutely love all the rug choices we have available, especially online, but after you spot a pretty rug and then what? Do you know if it will last? Is it the right size? Today, I’m sharing all about rug placement, size, and material to help guide you through your next rug purchase.
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Rug Material Guide
Types: There are many types of rugs, I will touch on the ones most commonly used.
Wool rugs are the most traditional and practical. They have high durability and are easily cleaned. Wool rugs may be more expensive but stores like Home Goods, Tuesday Morning, Overstock, RugsUSA, and Wayfair carries them at affordable prices.
Silk rugs are the most expensive and difficult to care for. They are considered pieces of art and are usually hand painted.
Synthetic rugs are the cheapest option and often resemble wool, are fairly easy to clean, and can be more practical for high traffic areas. West Elm, IKEA, and Lowe’s are other places to look for affordable rugs. Also a rug with a blend of synthetic and other materials are great for families with children and/or pets.
There are other things to consider, for instance, the pile (thickness) of the rug and whether it is machine-made or handmade. These choices are more cosmetic as they affect the appearance of the rug.
If you have pets with sharp nails, you may want to stay away from hand looped or braided rugs to avoid snags. Other types of carpet include shag, natural fibers, and even machine washable.
Rug Placement and Size
Size and Placement: You can easily find sizing guides where rugs are available. It’s best to measure your space before you start shopping.
Here are some visual examples of how rugs can be used in different spaces with various sizes.
Bedroom Options: Rugs under the bed should at least have 18 inches exposed on the size, larger if the room is larger.
Bed front legs on a faux fur rug and with a large vinyl floor, it made sense to layer with a second wool rug.
Half way under the bed and half way out and layered on top of carpet. (Great way for renters to cover ugly carpet.)
Living room options – If you are unsure of what size to use for a larger living space, you can start by measuring the distance from wall to wall and then take away 3 to 4 feet resulting in 18 to 24 inches of exposed flooring around the rug.
Other options– couch legs on, occasional chair legs off, couch and chair front legs on and back legs off, and so on…
If you have a beautiful rug that isn’t quite large enough, layer it on top of a natural fiber rug like my friend Steph did in this pretty example below. (This even works on carpet.)
Color and Patterns: Just a few quick tips….If there are lots of existing colors and patterns in the room, try a neutral rug with or with out texture to help balance out the space.
There are so many options for rugs, if you are completely overwhelmed these tips will help you get started but they are just guidelines. Feel free to experiment, anything goes! If you have any questions or want to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!
*Updated from the original post written May, 2013.
Amazing! Great! Awesome! The best tips i ever read about anything in home decor. So clear and instructive. I am not afraid to buy my rug anymore! Thank you very much!!!
Thanks for sharing the best posts they very nice and very useful to us. Well, great explanation about this topic. I got such a good information it very help us. I am very satisfied with your site and your posts they amazing.
I liked how you mentioned that fur or hide rugs can be used in any space because they are shaped organically. My wife and I are wanting to upgrade our kitchen and we were wondering what rug we should use for the area. I’ll be sure to tell her that we could use fur or hide rugs for the kitchen.
Very good tips on rug placement and styles
Thank you! There are so many options out there, just touching on the basics.
Amazing! Great! Awesome!
The best tips i ever read about anything in home decor.
So clear and instructive. I am not afraid to buy my rug anymore!
Thank you very much!!!
Wonderful Andrea! Happy to hear it!!
Great tips Kathy! Thanks for including my living room too. It was a surprise. 🙂 Meanwhile, loving that silk rug in your bedroom!!!
Your photos are so gorgeous Steph! I was thrilled to include one. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the best posts they very nice and very useful to us. Well, great explanation about this topic. I got such a good information it very help us. I am very satisfied with your site and your posts they amazing.
such great tips and examples! and gosh west elm always nails it with their rugs!
thanks Cassie!! I love west elm. 🙂
I liked how you mentioned that fur or hide rugs can be used in any space because they are shaped organically. My wife and I are wanting to upgrade our kitchen and we were wondering what rug we should use for the area. I’ll be sure to tell her that we could use fur or hide rugs for the kitchen.