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Rugs

Do you love the ambience of carpet but are looking for a different, cheaper way to achieve this effect?  Look no further than rugs.  Rugs come in a huge range of styles, shapes and sizes, can be used anywhere and, best of all, they are easy to change if you want to change your overall décor.

How to Choose a Rug

The key to choosing the correct rug for your room is to work from the floor up and to keep the overall feel of the room in mind.  What kind of look are you hoping for – natural, casual, beachy, formal, luxurious, traditional, modern, etc? Using the floor as the basis of the room, it makes sense to choose the rug before you choose the other elements of the room such as the paint colour, wallpaper patterns, furniture, soft furnishings and so forth.  Use the colours in your rug to inspire the rest of your room.  It is also important to decide if you want the rug to be the focal point of the room or if you want it to subtly blend into the background.  This will greatly influence your choice of colour and pattern.  For example, bold colours will draw attention to the rug while softer colours can be used in the rug to tie the room together.

It is a good idea to keep the function of the room in mind when selecting your rug.  For example, in your home office, a thin, flat rug will be easier to maneouvre an office chair over than a thick, plush rug.  If your room will see a lot of foot traffic, a rug with a pattern or made of a sturdier material may be more suitable.  In a child’s room, you will want a soft rug to absorb any falls.

Also, it may sound obvious, but when choosing a rug, it is vital that you choose one that will actually fit your space.  Measure the space in which the rug will be placed, and keep an eye on the overall symmetry of the room.  Keep in mind any feature elements such as fireplaces etc, as well as details such as any floor vents or highly trafficked areas.  In the dining room, ensure that the rug is large enough to accommodate the chairs when they are pulled out without the chairs falling off the edge.  In your living areas, try and choose a rug that is at least the same length as your sofa.

Materials used in making Rugs

There are several materials that can be used in the manufacture of rugs.  These include:

Synthetic Fibres

• Acrylic – this fibre is very resistant to sunlight, stains and mildew.
  
• Polypropylene/olefin – this is the most stain resistant synthetic fibre available.  It repels water and is impervious to most stains.
  
• Nylon – this is durable, versatile, easy to clean, and can withstand high amounts of foot traffic.

Natural Fibres

• Wool – wool is thought of as the superior fibre because of its ability to be dyed, its durability, its softness, and also its ability to be cleaned.  It is the standard by which all other fibres are measured.
  
• Cotton – is softer than wool but it is less durable.
  
• Jute – this is the softest of all the natural fibres, and it may darken or lighten when exposed to sunlight.  The fibre will disintegrate if it is in prolonged contact with water.
  
• Sisal – is stronger and more durable than any natural rug fibre, and is also static-free and colourfast.
  
• Silk – is used to add accent colours to high end wool rugs, and has a very soft and luxurious feel.  While it can be used in a whole rug, it will be very expensive.

Blends are when two ore more different fibres have been used within the one rug.

Machine Made Versus Handmade Rugs

Machine made rugs are made in large quantities, using power tufting machines and looms with just about any type of fibre.  The rugs are able to be made in differing textures, styles, and sizes, quickly and easily and are therefore cheaper than a handmade rug.  Rugs may be tufted or woven.  A tufted rug is where the pile is inserted into the backing material using needles.  A woven rug is where the pile face is woven along with the backing, making them strong and hardwearing.

Handmade rugs vary in how much a person is involved with their construction.  Some handmade rugs simply have a person using a tool to tuft the rug by hand.  Other handmade rugs will have the person spinning the yarn and then knotting each rug one yarn at a time.  In the latter case, rugs can take months to make.  The extra attention that goes into these rugs is why they cost extra.  However, a beautiful handmade rug can make a great family heirloom.

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