Choosing an Interior Throw Rug

How do I choose a rug that will complement my decor?

With all the styles and colors available, choosing an area rug that integrates with your decor isn't hard. However, there are a few factors to weigh before you buy your rug.

• Consider what you want the focal point of the room to be. If you want the rug to serve as a focal point, consider choosing one with a central medallion. However, if there is another obvious focal point of the room, such as fireplace, you may want to use a rug with a more repetitive pattern but no medallion.


• Take into account the patterns on the upholstery and walls in the room, so they don't compete with each other. If you have upholstery or wallpaper with an ornate pattern, choose a subtler pattern for the area rug. If the walls and upholstery are fairly subdued, you can try a busier pattern to add more interest to the room.


• Notice how much traffic the area receives. In high traffic areas, selecting a rug with a detailed pattern may be more practical. The more pattern, the lower maintenance.


• Choose a rug with colors that coordinate with your decor. While all the colors in the rug don't have to match the colors in the room, at least one color should. Take swatches of wallpaper, paint, or upholstery fabric with you when you shop.


• Remember that lighter-colored rugs will make the room seem more spacious and darker colors in the rug will bring a cozy atmosphere to the room.


• Keep in mind that texture is an important element in your decor also. Several different fibers within a rug or carved areas can add more pizazz to an area rug's texture. Rugs made of sisal or jute add an interesting texture to smooth hardwood or tile floors.


• Don't feel limited to rectangles. Octagonal or circular rugs add a unique touch to a room.

Can I use different rugs within the same room?

• You can use rugs of different patterns within the same room as long as the color coordinates.


• Using two rugs of the same size may tend to divide the room in half. Select rugs of differing sizes to create more interest and contrast.


• To make your decision easier, many rug manufacturers make rugs in different sizes that are designed to coordinate with each other.

What size rug do I need?

Under a coffee table:

• Typically 4' x 6' or 6' x 9' area rugs will work well under coffee tables. The size you should choose depends on the size of your coffee table and surrounding furnishings.


• The area rug should be large enough to accommodate all four legs of the table.


• The area rug should be approximately the same length and width of the furnishings in the space.


• To accent the furnishings most effectively, leave some flooring between the area rug and the furniture exposed.

Under a dining room table:

• Most dining room tables will need an 8-foot wide area rug.


• The chair legs shouldn't fall off the rug when people are seated at the table or pulling the chairs away from the table to seat themselves.


• To determine what size rug you need, measure the length and width of the table and add at least 4 feet to each measurement.

For an entire room:

• Try to leave an equal amount of flooring exposed as a border on all sides. If that is not possible, try to ensure the borders on parallel sides of the rug are equal.


• For many rooms an 8' x 11' rug will work well.


• It's okay if the front legs of the furniture are on the rug and the back legs are off the rug, as long as the piece is stable and balanced. You may need to place furniture coasters under the back legs to raise them to the height of the rug.

Why do I need a rug pad?

Many people realize that rug pads keep the rug properly positioned, preventing it from sliding and wrinkling. But did you know rug pads also:

• Reduce wear and tear on the rug.


• Help to absorb the impact of feet and noise.


• Make vacuuming easier.


• Protect smooth-surface flooring, like hardwood or laminate, from being scratched by back of the rug.

For rugs placed over carpet, choose a pad of thin polyester fabric coated with adhesive. This type of pad will prevent a dark rug color from bleeding through on a light carpet. A pad made from slightly heavier polyester scrim coated with PVC will hold a rug firmly on wood or other smooth-surfaced floors.

Source: Lowe's How-To Library