How to Pick the Perfect Rug for Your Space

PHOTO CREDIT: Paula interiors

Autumn is the perfect time to ground your home with thick textures, warm colors, and lots of snug rugs. Rugs have the power to completely transform a room, bringing it together and making it a comfortable place to relax. However, they can be a big investment, and choosing the perfect one takes a bit of consideration. You’ll want a rug that not only looks beautiful in your space, but can also keep up with your lifestyle. As a leading Chicago interior design firm, we use several strategies when handpicking rugs for our clients' homes.

Consider Your Space

Before going rug shopping, look around your space. Whether you’re in the market for living room rugs or bedroom rugs, write down the qualities of the space. These will include how frequently the room is used, how big the space is for your rug, and key colors and textures. Based on this, you can start to get an idea of what type of rug you will need. For example, a playroom may require a durable and stain resistant rug, whereas you might like to have a plush, cozy rug in a bedroom. 

Photo credit: paula interiors

Keep in mind that you can also use your rug to outline separate areas in a large open-plan room. For example, we recently designed a combo living and dining room and used two rugs to delineate each space. As they are matching, the rugs provide cohesion while making each space feel more special and intimate.

Measure the Floor Space

Photo credit: painting for home

Precise measurements are key when you’re selecting a rug. Too big and your rug will actually make the room look smaller. Too small and it will be awkward and cheap looking. We recommend measuring the area where you intend to place the rug and even putting down masking tape to see how it looks. In a living room, like this recently designed one, it’s best to have all of your furniture at least part way on the rug. You coffee table should be completely on the rug while your sofa should have at least the front legs on the rug. If you can’t find a standard-sized rug that works for your space, remember that some furniture stores allow custom rug sizing, or you can have a rug cut down to suit your room.

Materials

PHOTO CREDIT: Posh pennies

Next, take some time to mull over the materiality of the rug. Do you need something strong and durable to serve as an area rug? Are you looking for a rug that dries quickly and can be used in the bathroom? Rug materials range from natural fibers like wool and jute to synthetic polyester and nylon blend performance rugs. We frequently opt for performance blend area rugs for clients with kids or pets as they are easier to clean and typically last longer.

Low Pile vs. High Pile

With a thick layer of fibers, high pile rugs are the plush, cozy, textural rugs of your dreams. However, they’re not always practical. More people opt for low pile rugs because they are easy to clean and durable. We tend to use low pile rugs in rooms that get a lot of foot traffic, like a living room. Then, we like to use high pile rugs to make a statement in a bedroom, office, or cozy library.

Choosing Rug Colors

More than anything, our Chicago interior designers love helping clients choose the colors and patterns of their rugs. Your rug can either have a grounding, neutral presence or it can add a splash of vibrancy to your space, like this blue and white geometric rug we used in a recent project. There are endless colors and patterns to choose from, so we recommend making a list of two possible hues for the room and choosing a selection of rugs that fit the bill before narrowing them down. You can even order samples from many rug companies to get a clear idea of the color, material, and pile.

Even if you already have rugs in your main rooms, it can be a fun and refreshing exercise to switch them out by season. Rugs can make a room feel cozy in the winter, or light and airy in the summer. Of course, you can also choose a forever rug that will set the foundation for many family memories. Whatever your goals are, we hope this guide has been helpful in steering you towards your perfect rug. Happy rug shopping!