Searching for a rug can feel like a minor task in the grand scheme of things. If you look at your home as a large canvas, then a rug for any given room is a relatively small thing with little impact, right? Well, not exactly. In fact, it may not be something that you consciously consider daily, but the kinds of rugs that you keep within a given room can dramatically transform the ambiance, flow, and energy of the room.
To this end, many homeowners struggle to choose the right rug style due to size, color, material, and pattern options. The sheer plethora of options and the differences they can result in tend to cause analysis paralysis for many. Fortunately, there is a solution, with this unique step-by-step guide to finding the perfect rugs to match your space and personality.
Consider the Purpose of Your Rug
The ultimate question to consider when considering what kind of rug you are looking to purchase is: What is the point of this rug? In a utilitarian sense, the purpose of the rug and its role within your home can ultimately help to point you to a style that is most befitting to that purpose. For example, many rugs simply serve a functional role, offering warmth, comfort, and defining a space within the household.
Conversely, some play more decorative roles, adding color, style, or texture to a room that is otherwise lacking such features. Each of these different roles necessitates different stylistic and formal choices, all of which can help you to narrow down the options of what kind of rugs you’re looking for in any given space.
Another key factor to consider is the level of foot traffic that the rug will experience regularly. For example, if you’re looking for the perfect rug to place right inside your front door, where you, your family, and your guests will be entering and exiting frequently, you’ll want to choose a material that can better withstand such wear. Conversely, if you’re looking for a rug for a room that isn’t used as often, this may not be an important consideration.
Understanding Rug Styles
There are numerous different rug styles that you can utilize to help fill out your home.
- Traditional rugs: Often Persian or Oriental, these are classical rugs that fit the bill of what you generally think of as great, big, durable rugs.
- Modern and contemporary rugs: Far more geometric in shape and abstract in nature, these rugs embrace the harsher lines of more modern design work and elicit a very different feeling than traditional designs.
- Bohemian and eclectic styles: A more scatter-shot approach to design, emblematic of a more free-wheeling lifestyle. It’s critical to note just how much an eccentric choice such as this can spice up an otherwise traditional room, though, as these designs can bring an energetic vibrancy that recontextualizes the entire feeling of the room.
Color and Pattern Selection
You can think of a rug as the crayon that you are selecting to fill in the confines of a pre-established box in a coloring book. The rug will fill an empty space within your home, and its color, texture, and style will ultimately define the space it occupies. Studies have shown that rug colors have a profound influence on mood and space perception.
As a result, coordinating with existing furniture and décor is essential. If you want the entire room to maintain the same kind of flow but have an added element of warmth, then you’re going to want to choose a rug that has a similar color scheme so as not to stand out. Conversely, flying entirely antithetical to the established design of a room with your rug selection can yield fascinating results, and is not to be dismissed outright.
Final Thoughts
Rugs are far more important to the flow, energy, and feeling of a home than many people realize. While they may not be the kind of thing that you immediately walk through a home and evaluate, they are subconsciously coloring your perception of a room in profound ways. To this end, there are many factors to consider when it comes to rug selection, which is why rug shopping is a vital part of personalizing your living space.
Visit a local showroom, explore online rug collections, or try a rug visualizer tool today to see just how big a difference rugs can make!
FAQ
How do I decide on the best rug for my room?
By evaluating various factors and considering what you wish to accomplish with the rug.
Why are there so many different types of rugs?
Each type, color, texture, and style helps to serve a different purpose, and can add a vast amount to any given room.
Why do rugs matter so much?
Even though you may not be looking down at the rugs you are walking on as you enter a home, you are noticing them on a subconscious level. You see them in your periphery as you enter the room and you feel them beneath your feet, which speaks to how much they color your own perception of a home.
