Whether your floor is wood, tile or carpet, an area rug can be a fabulous addition to your interior design. Area rugs come in many shapes, sizes and patterns to enhance any home decor. Knowing a few facts will help you shop intelligently, so you can purchase good quality rugs that will meet your needs and look good for years, decades or even centuries to come.
Area rug buying tips
You have two choices, buy for decor or buy as an investment. Area rugs can be a great investment item; some centuries-old Oriental or Persian rugs are antiques valued at thousands of dollars. (Yes, it’s a very long term investment!) If you’re buying an antique wool rug to finance your retirement, you’ll want to take extra special care of it–the condition 30 years from now will be a major factor in its value. If you’re buying accent rugs, runners or area carpets to compliment your furniture or make the house look classier, buy something you enjoy looking at and walking on great.

The traditional designs, often called Persian or Oriental, sometimes called tribal, are frequently ornate floral patterns. Newer rug styles may be described as casual, contemporary, country or transitional; many are updates of traditional designs or inspired by those designs. Casual, modern or novelty rugs have no rules; they are whatever the artist envisions them to be, from bright geometric shapes to animal skin designs. Outdoor rugs are those designed to stand up to weather, sun and other rough treatment. There’s no right choice, except to choose the design you like, one that fits your decor scheme.
Be careful about rugs identified as Isfahan, Tabriz, Senna or other locales; these cities are centuries-old rug-making cities, but an unscrupulous or uneducated dealer could be talking about style, not actual place of origin. That said, good-quality, economical alternatives to real traditional rugs, in authentic styles and patterns, are being made in India and China.
Fit, of course, includes size. The basic rule of thumb is 18 to 24 inches of floor around the rug, meaning 9 to 12 inches or more between the rug and each wall. You should arrange the furniture before you choose the rug; you want furniture legs to be on or off the rug, not half-n-half. If placing a rug under a table or bed, get a rug that’s big enough: The rug should form a 12-inch border around a twin or full bed; 18-inch for a queen or king and 24-inch around tables. For tables, be sure the chairs will stay on the rug even when pulled out so you can sit down.
When you have the right rug, you may want a rug pad. Like padding under carpet, it makes the rug more comfortable to walk on, and it helps prevent movement on slick surfaces like polished wood or 1ff8 tile — a must-have safety feature!
Area rug fabrics
Silk is used in the highest-quality rugs; it is actually stronger than steel strand-for-strand and holds dyes like nothing else. Silk is frequently blended with wool for added luster and shine and a reduced price. Area rugs containing silk must be handled with special care–never clean it yourself. A lot of “synthetic silk” rugs are being sold; that’s double-talk for mercerized cotton or polyester, not silk.
Wool rugs have been popular for centuries because of their durability and luster — key elements in high-quality rugs. Wool lasts longer and looks better than anything except silk and wool is more affordable. Wool does come in different grades and, of course, the finer the wool, the better (and pricier) the area rug. Wool-synthetic blends are also available–good quality at a lower price.
Cotton is more barefoot-friendly and less costly than wool, but nowhere near as durable and does not have the same appearance. Wool-cotton blends are more affordable, but still look good.
Nylon or other synthetic fibers are very cost-effective, great for high traffic areas and may even be machine washable.
Area rug care
Most area rug cultures are also no-shoes-in-the-house cultures. Imagine walking barefoot over grass versus concrete. That’s how your rug feels about hard-soled shoes (especially high heels) versus socks.
The best rug cleaning plan is never to need it. Bare feet and socks track in less dirt, making life easier all around. (Besides, rugs feel better that way.) Don’t over clean floor rugs like carpets. High-traffic wool area rugs need an annual professional cleaning, plus the occasional thorough vacuuming. The rug less traveled may only need a good, professional scrub once or twice per decade.
Of course, accidents happen, especially with small children and pets. Urine is the worst–it doesn’t just look and smell bad, it can chemically damage your rug. With any spill, act fast. Blot up the liquid with towels, soak the spot in a water-vinegar mix or commercial spot remover (which you previously tested to be sure it won’t do more harm than good) and let it dry. Then clean it again with a mild rug shampoo and let it dry. If that doesn’t do it, call in a professional.
Speaking of professionals, if a rug is damaged, it can often be repaired, but this is not a do-it-yourself project. Go to a real rug maker for conservation and restoration.
Area rug terminology
Whole books can be written on area rugs, a practice which has a language all its own. For most consumers, just a few key terms are need-to-know:
Warp, Weft and Selvage
The rug design is made by weaving knotted threads onto a foundation (like the canvas on a painting): Warp are the threads forming the length and the end fringes. Weft are shorter threads forming the width and the selvage. Selvage is the side weave that gives strength to the rug.
Antique versus Contemporary
Antique rugs must be over 60 years old, though some dealers won’t sell anything short of 100 years old as antique. Contemporary rugs may feature traditional or modern designs, they are increasingly popular for modern decor; bright colors and unusual shapes give them a pop art feel.
Oriental or Persian rugs
Produced in Asia, these hand-knotted rugs have up to 1,000 knots per square inch. The terms are used synonymously by most people, though they may come from any part of the Middle East, India or even China.
Pile, nap or face
The visible surface of the rug; the material knotted onto the warp and weft to produce the pattern.
Shag
That deep pile, popular carpet of the 1970s is back, featuring better materials and long, thick fibers that provide excellent insulation and a high bare toes coziness index.
Area rug questions and answers
Can I get rugs in a set?
Yes, you can. Typical sets include large area rugs for use in the living or family room, smaller accent rugs for a conversation nook, and rug runners, usually placed along walls or in halls.
Are all area rugs rectangular?
In times past, yes, but modern rugs (or contemporary rugs) can be round, oval, square, even octagonal.
Can I put rugs in any room?
Just about; rugs come in sizes from very small to absolutely huge. Easy-care materials like cotton or nylon are wonderful for bathroom or kitchen rugs. Stepping out of the shower onto a luxurious, deep-pile shag rug can be a great antidote for mornings.
Will it match?
Spend once, save much. In other words, people needlessly stress over that great decorator’s question. If you buy it all at the same time, the answer is, “Absolutely!” Area rugs don’t have to match exactly, but they should be complimentary; get rugs with similar patterns, colors or proportions.
Choose it carefully, take good care of it and you will have a beautiful area rug that will enhance your home for decades.
Author: Phoenix Roberts
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