From Choosing to Placing: Rug Mistakes to Never Make

From Choosing to Placing: Rug Mistakes to Never Make

While choosing where to place your rug is probably never going to be equivalent to life and death decision. Aesthetically, it is pretty significant. A beautiful rug can bring a room together, making it cohesive and captivating. It can accent and inspire, and add comfort, warmth and style to any space. Therefore, pay close attention from when choosing to placing a rug – here are rug mistakes to never make.

So you shouldn’t just toss it down in any old place.  There is certainly an art to choosing and placing a rug that hinges largely on where the rug is intended to go. A small bamboo runner intended for placement in front of the washing machine and dryer have different stylistic demands than a large area rug meant to grace the floor of a formal living room.

However, there are several rug-rules that stay consistent across the board, and these can help you choose and perfectly place your floor accent.

Rug Mistake #1: You didn’t measure.

Not all of us are spatially aware enough to know the exact dimensions of any given room – even if it is a room in our own home. Before you eyeball your measurements, break out the tape measure. The rug should not butt up against the walls. In fact, most design experts agree there should be 12” to 18” of bare floor between the rug and the wall. And while there is certainly some wiggle room here, you don’t want your rug to have to be forced into any space. The ideal rug will look like it was meant to be there.

Rug Mistake #2: You didn’t consider your decor.

Just like it’s easy to lust after someone you know is just no good for you, it’s easy to fall for a rug that won’t gel with your existing decor. If you have furniture and accoutrements you love, then find a rug that will compliment them. It doesn’t have to match them, but again, it has to look like it belongs.

Consider this: a classic art deco rug can certainly jive with minimalist or modern design, or luxe style or even a romantic vibe – really it can do just about anything as long as there is a few art deco inspired pieces hanging around to tie the entire look together. Colour will also help tie opposing styles together, so that super ornate blue and silver Persian rug can indeed slip into an uber clean-line contemporary space if you accent that area with a silver samovar and a beautiful mother of pearl vase with delicate blue highlights.

Of course, if you are starting from scratch, then you can, by all means, pick your rug before your furniture, but for most of us, we need to use our furniture as a jumping off point.

Rug Mistake #3: You didn’t pad it.

In addition to keeping your rug from slipping around the floor (and keeping you or someone else from slipping with it), rug pads also prevent damage to your floor, which is caused dirt build up. Additionally, your rug pad will prevent dye transference between carpet and floor in the likely advent of a spill. (And spills happen!)

Rug Mistake #4: You don’t trust your eye.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is ignoring your innate sense of style. While standard design wisdom holds you should always have the front two legs of your chairs and couches on the rug and the back two off, there are times when this simply won’t look right. Play around with your furniture and focus on balance, visual interest, and the more practical matter of the flow of movement in the room. Don’t get stymied by the ‘rules’.

After all, rules are made to be broken – but you have to know them before you can do this. There has to be a method to your madness, or it’s just plain madness. And while quirky, and even entertaining, pure madness doesn’t make for smart shopping or good style. Avoid these rug mistakes by selecting the right rug for your space, and placing it wisely.