How to Choose a Rug for Your Living Room
Our living rooms are one of the most used areas in the house, along with your kitchen and bedrooms. You want to make sure your everyday rooms are comfortable, cosy and pleasant to spend time in. What is more, wall-to-wall carpets are becoming less popular. Nowadays, people prefer to get area rugs for their day rooms. Why? Because they are much easier to maintain than your regular carpet. You can lift them up and shake them out, or even give them a spin in the washing machine if the fabric allows. However, choosing floor coverings can be stressful. There is a lot more to think about than just the colour, design and size that will suit the room. You also need to consider materials and maintenance. That is why our team has put together this guide on how to choose a rug for your living room to take away some of that stress.
Check out also: How to Choose Carpets for Your New Home.
How to Choose a Rug for Your Living Room by Textile
First off, let us look at how to choose a rug for your living room by material. The textile you choose can depend on what you are looking for. Keep in mind that if you have pets or children, you will want something more durable and stain-resistant.
1. Viscose Tencel:
If you are looking to design your home interior in a luxurious style, you could opt for viscose Tencel, also known as art silk. Viscose is a versatile fibre that provides the same comfort properties as natural fibres. It is considered semi-synthetic as it also uses natural cellulose. You will find that art silk is breathable, cool to the touch, and takes colour very easily.
2. Polypropylene:
Having children and pets doesn’t really allow for the luxurious materials in the living room. Your best option in this case is a nice polypropylene rug. They are cheap to buy and have a long lifespan (10-15 years if well cared for). From a carpet cleaner’s perspective, this is the best choice as it is natural, durable and easy to clean and maintain.
3. Wool:
Wool rugs are another optimal choice for your living room. Due to the lanolin in wool, this type of textile is naturally stain-resistant and much easier to clean than synthetic rugs. With a good, short pile wool rug, you won’t have any issues with spillages. If you get there in time, they are easy to blot up. Also, regular vacuuming helps keep them in tip-top condition. You can expect a lifespan of 15-20 years if you care for your wool rug properly. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that some wool rugs with strong colours can rub transfer their colour. If your rug is going over a wall-to-wall fitted carpet, this colour transfer is impossible to remove.
Of course, these are just our guidelines for the best choice. Our selections are made from a professional cleaner’s point of view. This means that these are your best options regarding maintenance and cleaning. Another quick pointer, we would also recommend getting a short-pile or loop-pile rug. They are more stain-resistant and easier to clean than a long-pile one.
How to Choose a Rug for Your Living Room by Size
Another thing you will want to consider when choosing your rug is the size you will be getting. This will depend on many things, such as the size of the room or the placement of your furniture.
A common mistake that people make is buying a floor covering that is far too small. Your standard, in-store sizes tend to be 6 x 9 feet, 8 x 10 feet or 9 x 12 feet. However, if this doesn’t suit your room type, you could always have a custom rug made. Generally, having a custom one made won’t end up being all that more expensive than buying the in-store sizes.
One thing to keep in mind if you are going for 1 big rug to cover your floor, you should keep about 4 to 8 inches of bare floor around all sides. You also have the option of sectioning your room using more than one rug. This is a good idea if you have a larger, oblong living room. You can define the sections of the space or even try layering rugs on top of the other. This would add a nice touch to the interior and work well as seasonal decorating.
How to Choose a Rug for Your Living Room by Colour and Pattern
Now, for the final factor when decorating – how to choose a rug for your living room by colour and pattern. Of course, everyone should customize according to their own taste and style. However, here are some pointers to get a stylish, good-looking rug for your room type.
If you have bright, colourful furniture and want to have a colourful rug, you should go with patterns that compliment your soft furnishings. As for the colours, you should either go for complementing or contrasting colours. You don’t want anything that looks out of place or too in your face.
For a modern, stylish look, a single-colour rug will achieve this perfectly. You could also try a contrasting colour with patterns that match the lower colour. For example, if your lower layer is dark, try a contrasting single-colour rug or a bright colour with ornaments matching the dark shade of your floor.
You should also consider the room’s lighting before making a commitment. Cold tones suit well-lit rooms perfectly, while warm tones will complement a darker room nicely.
