Area rugs tend to be an overlooked room component, but designers and rug purveyors alike recommend that an area rug is the perfect starting point for a design scheme.

“If you’re absolutely lost and you have no idea what to start with, go look for area rugs,” says interior decorator, PJ Shields, of Shields Interiors. “Sometimes it’s hard to match up the rest of your room to an area rug, so it’s a really good jumping off spot.”

A rug might seem like the simplest addition to a room, with not much to think about. However, there are some definite considerations to be made and faux pas to avoid, in order to ensure the best look and feeling for your room.

Area rugs work in nearly any room, though high-traffic areas and spaces with hard floors are prime candidates. An area rug is the perfect vehicle for a softer texture or warmer feeling in a room.

If starting with a blank, empty room, first you will decide on size. “The worst thing a person can do is buy a rug that is too small for the room,” says Jamie Yamchuk of the Rug Shop Ltd.

A rug should not be so small it “floats” in the centre of the room with only a table on it. This creates, indeed, an island, making the room appear small and the furnishings out of proportion. Instead, an area rug must at least extend under the front legs of the perimeter furnishings. In dining rooms, the rug must be large enough that chairs remain on the rug after being pulled out from the table.

It is also fine for the rug to extend beyond the back of furnishings. In fact, to expand a small space, the trick is to buy a rug 18 to 24 inches smaller than the room on each side to create a border effect.

Yamchuk highly recommends buyers shop with a reasonable budget in mind, ideally allowing $5,000 to $6,000 for their purchase, to avoid downsizing on account of price.

In open plans with a number of living spaces within one open room, area rugs may be used to delineate separate areas. Simply use either complementary colours or complementary textures throughout. Some furniture arrangements may sit with no rug, just be sure not to place a secondary arrangement partially on a rug. For safety’s sake, be careful not to have the corner of an area rug extending into a foot path—this is both a hazard and a visual distraction.

If you already have a room full of furniture with painted walls, be sure to take all fabric swatches and paint chips with you when rug shopping, or experts agree that you will be running home to get them in the end.

For buyers who can only afford to buy one rug for now, first think about the patterns of use in your home. Which rooms are the busiest? Which rooms could use more warmth? Shields recommends saving bits of your budget from other furniture pieces in order to scrape up more cash for the rug; it really is a necessity.

Shopping for an area rug can be overwhelming. There are many different types of traditional, transitional and contemporary rugs that are either hand-knotted, hand-tufted or machine woven. This means a plethora of choices, but as with anything else, it pays to be educated when investing in a rug.

The first main choice in price and quality is between hand-made and machine-made. Machine-made rugs may be made from nylon, polyester or wool and may be bound with nylon or leather, or serged in nylon, wool, cotton or silk, offering a very chic look.

Hand-made, especially hand-knotted rugs are more durable and last for generations, making them more of an investment. They are priced accordingly. Though hand-made rugs tend to be more traditional in appearance, there are also transitional and contemporary, as well as custom rugs available.

Hand-made rugs may be hand-knotted or hand-tufted. Hand-knotted means the rug was made on a loom with criss-crossing fibres called warb and weft (usually cotton, but sometimes wool or silk); the rug-maker ties a knot or knots at each intersection. Hand-tufted rugs are made on an already-constructed woven backing, using a needle gun to create the tufts. A backing is then sewn on to cover the tufts that are also created on the back of the piece.

Hand-knotted rugs are much higher quality, as well as higher in price than hand-tufted rugs. The difference can be seen by even an undiscerning eye; like higher-thread count sheets, hand-knotted rugs offer a more refined piece with a clearer, more detailed image and smoother feeling.

Originally made in Iran beginning 5,000 years ago and traded along the Great Tea Road that stretches from China to Russia, traditional hand-made rugs now hail from Nepal, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and China. From India come the traditional pure silk rugs, Persian and antique finish Persian rugs, Indian-made Dhurrie rugs (traditionally and still made in Mexico as well as the U.S.) and Abusson (originating in France and also made in China). Afghanistan has its transitional Afghani as well as traditional Afghani tribal rugs, while the geometrically-patterned Bukhara rugs are made in Pakistan. Nepal specializes in contemporary pieces.

When shopping for an area rug, don’t forget fabric swatches if you’re working with an already furnished room. Come with dimensions and prepare yourself for the price—if you experience sticker shock, it would be best to save up more money rather than cheaping out on a smaller piece.

Also, be sure to shop around. You may fall in love with the first piece you see, but it is always wise to look at at least a couple more shops before making up your mind. Once you’ve chosen a rug, take it home for a trial run to see if it works in your space—reputable shops offer this service.

Highly-recommended rug shops include Indo-Designer Rugs & Furniture, Maguires 5th Avenue Floors, The Rug Shop, The House of Persian Rugs and Sojourn. For a bargain, try IKEA (“Good prices for what they are,” says Shields), Home Sense or Pottery Barn, or check out bargain sections specialty stores offer, for a deal on a high-quality piece.

Tufting it out

Caring For Your carpets
 
• The first crucial step in maintaining an area rug is positioning it over an appropriate underpad, which will filter and catch dirt and debris and allow your rug to breathe. This will also protect your hardwood floors if your rug has a rough backing. “Never place a plant pot on an area rug,” stresses Rana Mehrotra, owner of Indo-Designer Rugs & Furniture, citing that this can cause irreversible staining.

• Protect your rug from sun damage by using window treatments and rotating the piece every six months. Mehrotra suggests positioning the rug so the sun hits against the pile when days are longer, and so the sun falls with the pile when days are shorter.

• For general maintenance, vacuum width-wise when needed as to not disturb the nap.

• Because wool remains living and produces lanolin, it is self-cleaning and only needs a professional cleaning every ten years or so. Maintain your wool rugs’ self-cleaning properties by never allowing heat or chemical cleaning, either of which will kill the wool.

• For stains, use vinegar and water for a spot treatment or, if you’re unsure, always play it safe and call your rug dealer immediately for advice. Most rug shops also offer repair, restoration and cleaning services in-house.