The In’s and Out’s of Area Rugs
If you don’t have carpeting in your home, an area rug can be a good alternative. They are easy to clean and change out when you want to redecorate. However, before you run out and buy an area rug for your living room or den, you may want to read these rug decorating strategies.
Area Rugs Should Extend Underneath the Furniture
When you are choosing the size of the area rug, you want to make sure that it is large enough to go underneath the main pieces of furniture in your room. For example, all of your living room furniture, like the couch and chairs, should have at least their front legs placed on top of the rug.
If you are putting an area rug in your dining room, it should be large enough for your whole table and all of your chairs. Those chairs should be able to be pulled out and sat in while still remaining on the rug.
You also want to make sure that the natural walking paths in your home are either covered or not covered. If your high-traffic area in your living room leads people to walk half on and half off the rug, it will be uncomfortable and awkward.
Make Sure Things Are Equal
When placing the area rug in your room, you want to leave an equal amount of floor space on all sides of the rug. The most common amount of perimeter space is roughly 18 inches on all sides, but if you have a smaller room, even just 8 inches will suffice.
The same equality should extend to the perimeter of the bed if you are putting a rug in the master bedroom. You want to choose an area rug that will be large enough to extend beyond the boundaries of the bed frame. In a room with a king or queen-sized bed, the rug should extend a full 18-inches beyond the bed. 12-inches should be enough for a twin or a full bed.
Play With Colors and Patterns
An area rug is a more inexpensive (and less permanent) way to play with colors and patterns. It can be a great accent piece to your decor. Don’t be afraid to go bold and trendy when choosing your area rug because it can easily be switched out for something new in a few years time when the trend has passed.
No matter what colors or patterns you choose, however, you need to make sure that you know how to care for the rug to keep it vibrant. Some natural fibers can’t be cleaned. It is best to know the cleaning methods when choosing the rug for your room. High traffic areas or rooms where a spill is likely may not be a good idea for a rug that cannot be cleaned.
Ottawa Diamond Flooring is your place to find all your flooring needs, whether you are looking for a new area rug or you are ready for a whole house install of hardwood flooring. In the flooring business since 1995, Ottawa Diamond Flooring are the professionals you need to inject new life into your home.
