An interior designer’s guide on selecting the right rug.

L-R: Night Bird by Catherine Martin (Designer Rugs) | Glasswings by Alexander McQueen (The Green Room) |Envolee Pink by Cristina Celestino (Loom)

A beautiful floor rug has the ability to truly transform a space but buying a rug can be an expensive purchase so it’s important to get right. This simple guide will give you 5 things to think about when choosing a rug and help you avoid one of the most common interior decorating mistakes.

Decorating a space through layering will usually involve selecting a rug for your space. Today many of us have floor boards in our key living areas and although rugs can be well placed over carpet, they do their best work on hard flooring. There are many benefits to having a well placed, suitable rug. A rug can help to define an open space, add warmth, texture and soften hard flooring, whilst acting as an effective sound and thermal insulator. If you want your rug to enhance the aesthetic of your space and continue to perform and remain durable over time, keep these five factors in mind when purchasing a new rug.

1. The space

Think about how you use the space you’re thinking of placing your rug. Is the space a high traffic zone like a casual living area or is the space only used for more formal occasions? Rug manufacturers generally classify a rug’s suitability based on materials and its durability. So, to avoid having to replace your rug on a regular basis, take note of the rug’s suitability and ensure your space is compatible.

2. The materials

Rugs are made in a range of materials which impact their appearance, durability, maintenance and there are pros and cons to each. They types of materials used will also impact the price of the rug greatly, so consider whether you’re selecting a rug as an investment, heirloom, or statement piece or do you simply want a rug to do it’s job over the shorter term.

If you’re looking for a piece of art on your floor, you can’t go past a silk rug.

If you’re looking for a piece of art on your floor, you can’t go past a silk rug. Soft and luxurious under the foot, silk rugs can make a statement with their beautiful sheen and depth of colour. However, they are more suited to lower traffic areas, like bedrooms or formal living spaces. Silk rugs tend to be a higher end, more expensive choice and be aware that they will require professional cleaning.

For durability, I lean towards wool or wool blend rugs which tend to be best for high traffic areas.

For durability, I lean towards wool or wool blend rugs which tend to be best for high traffic areas. Wool is a sustainable choice and the natural lanolin in wool means the rug will have a strong stain and water repellency and can easily be spot cleaned. Like wool carpet, they can shed for a period of time, so keep this in mind.

Other natural materials such as sisal offer a very durable and renewable option. Sisal rugs are made from strong, rough plant fibres which give that sought after natural texture. Sisal represents an on-trend option that is low cost, eco-friendly and looks great in a space that takes style inspiration from the coast or nature. Be aware though, Sisal is not at all soft on the feet and when it does start to wear, is difficult to clean. It’s not a great choice if you have pets who like to scratch or babies/toddlers in the crawling phase. If you’re looking for a slightly softer option, Jute is another natural fibre with slightly less durability but does offer a similar aesthetic.

Synthetic rugs made from fibres such as viscose, nylon and polypropylene are cost effective options that can generally be used in high traffic areas and a good choice when you have small children or pets.

Viscose is my choice and a popular option as its look and feel imitates a silk rug but with a much cheaper price tag. While some synthetics are easy to clean, viscose generally isn’t and doesn’t like spills or spot cleaning, so more suited to low traffic areas or a shorter term option if you’re happy to replace in a few years.

3. The size

As an interior designer, a scaled floor plan is a must to ensuring all pieces fit and function as they should. One of the most common decorating mistakes interior designers see is the wrong rug size. Too small, too big, we’ve seen it all!

One of the most common decorating mistakes interior designers see is the wrong rug size.

It’s an easy thing to get right with a little planning. Most reputable rug retailers will offer custom sizes however, with plenty of standard sizes available, it’s now easy enough to have a standard rug cut down to size if you need to.

Put simply:

Bedroom Rugs - Make sure your feet step onto the rug when you get out of bed and allow for at least 1mt on all 3 sides. It’s fine to let the rug sit in front of your bedside tables.

Dining Rugs - Make sure all chairs around the dining table are all sitting on your rug, when you are seated at the table. You can do this by allowing for at least 50-60cm on all sides.

Living Room Rugs - As a general rule to rug size, the bigger the better. Ideally your entire sofa should sit on the rug. If this is not possible, allow for at least the front legs of a sofa or chair to sit on the rug. If you have occasional chairs, make sure when seated, your feet can easily be placed on the rug, without having to stretch your legs.

When considering the size of your rug, one of the key things you want to avoid is a tripping hazard. Make sure the rug doesn’t obstruct a walk way and ask your retailer if the rug needs an underlay to keep it in place.

4. The shape

The shape of a rug is an important consideration particularly in a dining space. As a general rule, the rug should mimic the shape of your dining table. Square table, square rug, round table, round rug.

Curves can be a great way to soften a space and reduce the formality.

For other areas in your home, consider architectural features and other design elements or shapes in the space. Curves can be a great way to soften a space and reduce the formality. Curvature can influence the conversing in a space and a round rug can be a nice nod to other round or curved features in the room such as a mirror or window. Consider how the shape of or the pattern in your rug speaks to other elements in the space.

L-R: Mindscape by Mae Engelgeer (CC-Tapis) | Double Slinkie by Patricia Urquoila (CC-Tapis) | Bliss by Mae Engelgeer (CC-Tapis)

5. The design

When decorating a space, I tend to select the rug first or last, along with artwork. It’s about balance in the space and providing a focal point. If you’re selecting a rug with intricate detail and bold colour then it’s going to be the statement piece in the space and I will select other pieces around that which don’t compete for attention but still feel cohesive. If I’m working with another focal point ie art, then I’ll select a rug style that is more subtle and supportive of its surrounds.

Think about your home’s style and the mood you’re looking to create in your space.

Think about your home’s style and the mood you’re looking to create in your space. Consider other design elements in the space such as shape, colour, texture, scale, pattern, symmetry and contrast and think about how your rug can connect in the space.

From bold and bright geometrics to softer, pastel florals, a rug can be like a piece of art on your floor but take some time to plan your purchase and your rug will give both your eyes and feet years of pleasure.

If you need help decorating your space, let’s have a chat.