Rug 101 | Laying down the basics
When it comes to refreshing your space, updating your floor coverings can make an ENORMOUS difference. One area that we often find our clients love help with is ‘what rug’ would suit my space… what type, size, can we go bold, do we need to fill the space, can I go plush… the questions (and choices) are endless. So, I decided to create a little RUG: 101, to help you get started.
Enjoy.
What we will cover:
- Loop Pile vs Cut Pile vs Weave
- Different wool mixes
- What rug is best for what space
One fabulous thing to note is the choice is wonderfully endless. There are so many opulent and magnificent options available within reasonable budgets. Aesthetic, warmth and convenience, sustainability and wellness impact, acoustic insulation, endurance and simplicity of maintenance are all things that should be considered.
Almost all rugs/carpets fall into one of two categories: Machine-made and handcrafted. Machine-made is growing in popularity as new techniques continue to produce more luxe and push versions. The time and cost of production are generally minimised and synthetic threads are mostly more durable. We personally still love traditional techniques of handcrafting as nothing beats artisanal practices and how unique and stunning each piece is.
Breaking it down
1/ Loop pile: A carpet with a loop pile has loop fibers that are NOT CUT. This kind of carpet, which is made up of several loops of carpet fiber, is kept in its woven shape. When the loop fibres are at different heights, a patterned loop can also be created.
This is the one where vacuum lines and footprints are hardly visible and it is a little less soft/plush on the feet. Berber and sisal are two of the most well-liked varieties of loop pile carpets.
Source: Pinterest [Berber/Boucle rug]
Source: Pinterest [Sisal rug]
2/ Cut pile: The fiber loops are CUT to produce cut pile carpet. The ends of the carpet fiber are visible when the yarn loops are cut, creating an upright pile. Cut pile is often softer than loop pile and comes in a variety of lengths and thicknesses. The two most popular styles of cut pile are Saxony and Frieze.
Source: Pinterest [Saxony rug]
Source: Pinterest [Frieze rug]
3/ Weave: Woven carpets are a premium product that is mostly made of wool or a wool-based combination. Similar to the conventional method of making rugs, the rugs are created using a loom. The carpet strands are woven into the backing, creating a robust, long-lasting piece. Due to the durability of its structure, a woven carpet is said to last up to three times longer than a tufted carpet.
Source: nuLoom
For hundreds of years, wool carpets have been known for their high quality and resilience. They are still a very popular option for homes, as well as in the construction and hotel industries since they are so luxe. Wool is a strong fiber with fabulous aesthetic and retention qualities. When looked after properly, it is also highly durable, making it a great investment when it is time to upgrade your carpets
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Generally, there are two types: 100% wool carpets and 80/20 wool mix carpets. Depending on where and how the wool carpets are being used, both mixes can subsequently be created as area rugs or in broadloom style(wall to wall), offering configuration options.
Natural Wool Carpet Made of 100% Wool
100% wool carpet, often known as natural wool carpet or 100 wool carpet, New Zealand wool is much softer and whiter than British wool, which makes it the ideal fabric for neutral or lighter hue ranges. British wool is dense, robust, and has a distinctive feel. Merino wool from New Zealand is considered highly to be of greater quality. Natural wool carpets may be made from llamas, alpacas, goats, camels, and other animals with comparable hairy coats in addition to sheep wool.
80/20 Wool Carpet / Wool Mix Carpet
Wool carpet has inherent strength and doesn’t necessarily require the addition of another fiber to perform better, however in certain situations and for specific purposes, it is blended with other fibers, typically synthetic ones. 80/20 wool carpets, also known as wool mix carpets or wool blend carpets. For a variety of reasons, including to increase fiber flexibility, stain resistance, and durability, as well as to simplify dyeing and printing, manufacturers may opt to use synthetic components in the yarn. 80/20 wool options are becoming more and more well-liked since they enhance the qualities of wool.
Source: Best wool
New to the offering – Carpet tiles
Small carpet swatches made of broadloom carpet are known as carpet tiles, which can be laid and combined in a variety of artistic ways. Carpet tiles often referred to as “modular carpets” and “carpet squares,” are typically square and come in a variety of square sizes, including 48×48, 50×50, 60×60, and 96x96cm. They are also available in planks, which are long rectangular shapes. However, some producers also provide carpet tiles in a selection of unique forms.
In recent years, carpets have gained popularity and increasingly taken center stage in lavish and distinctive interior design. While we frequently associate style and modernism with hard surfaces and sleek tiles, carpets have the ability to add color, comfort, and warmth, offering designers a lot of creative freedom. Between the two possibilities are carpet tiles. Carpet tiles seem to combine the best of both worlds with its adaptability in terms of design and ease of installation.
Source: Flor
Breaking it down by space
For the living room
The heart of a house beats in the living room. The rug decision must include a variety of elements that both express your individuality, give the space some oomph and cater to the love that the floor receives.
Choosing as per design style of the room
Area rugs should be carefully picked since they have the power to completely change the look of a living space and set the tone for the furniture, artwork and objects. Also has a big impact on how formal you would like the room.
Colour and materials
Darker-coloured, tougher-fiber rugs, such wool rugs are recommended when there are house pets or young children roaming around. These rugs provide durability and protection. If comfort is a priority for you, soft fibers like luxuriant bamboo silk and the velvety richness of silk area rugs are the ideal pleasure for your feet. If you host parties frequently, consider how simple it will be to clean them so that you don’t feel stressed out.
Size and functionality
A smaller carpet will get lost amid the other aesthetic elements, while a larger one would overwhelm the area and make it feel cramped. The table and the furniture serve as superb decision-making tools. Or, just let the carpet end a few inches before the sofa if you have a larger rug that all of your furniture fits on. A rug that is the ideal size and colour will make a fantastic focus point and discussion starter.
Textures
Although you may adore the thick, silky velvet carpet or the silvery shaggy rug, they are more suitable for floors with lower wear and tear and do require a lot more attention. We love but we do not love looking after it twice a day. Now also consider the role of lighting. Viscose is one type of material that reflects light more than others. As a result, the appearance of the rug will change depending on the sunlight that enters as well as internal lighting with sheen changing according to how much light is bouncing off of it.
Source: Nordic knots
Rugs for dining room
A lot of houses are open plan and lack a separate dining room. A rug is the perfect way to delineate this space.
The right dining room rug will protect the flooring, anchor the space and produce the type of aesthetic you desire, formal, relaxed or statement and fun. Go bold as think of the usability of the space and pale-hued rugs are not our friends with spillage prone spaces.
Size of the rug and room dimensions
The dining room, unlike other rooms in your house, has a statement piece of furniture in its centre—the dining table, this is why measuring the table is so important before purchasing your rug.
In order to create a solid, balanced visual impact, it is also important to leave an equal amount of space on each side, at least 65-70 cm bigger than the dining table. Choose to go larger if your dining area is spacious and there is a lot of room between the furniture and the walls. Every furniture leg preferably should rest on the rug. Also, selecting a rug that mimics the shape of your dining table also adds a nice aesthetic if it is round, oval, or rectangle.
Materials
It should come as no surprise that the material for dining room rugs has to be strong and resilient given that they support the weight of large furniture pieces, people sitting on them, and chairs moving in and out at least two times a day. Wool rugs are great, resilient natural fibers. Although it may be more expensive to get a good, durable rug, think of it as a one-time investment to last you a long long time.
Source: RA’N interior design Source: The house of silver lining
Rug for Bedroom
Always start with a bedroom rug while looking for furniture because the appropriate bedroom rug needs to set the tone for your entire home. A rug is the first thing you touch when you get out of bed in the morning, you should appreciate the experience. Choosing the appropriate-sized rug for the space and discussing the ideal bedroom rug placements for creating the most attractive room yet is very vital.
Make sure you measure correctly.
Measuring your bed is the first step in choosing the appropriate size rug. To access your dresser or other bedroom furniture, you should have around two feet of space on either side of the rug.
According to interior designer Kristen Nix, when measuring for an area rug, you should also consider the size of the bedroom. To accommodate all the furniture, she says, “I usually prefer to have the rug come approximately 25 cm off each wall.” The room will appear larger as a result of this.
If required, go large.
Whenever in question about whether to size up or down when choosing a bedroom area rug, it is always preferable to go larger rather than smaller. A large rug will make your space seem snug, therefore it’s always preferable to have one that’s too big rather than too tiny.
Don’t forget to consider the room’s functionality.
You must consider more than simply the bed’s size while choosing the right carpeting for a bedroom. With comparison to an adult’s bedroom, a child’s bedroom will probably need a greater surface area covered in a plush and soft rug. Consider your current flooring as well: Are you using the rug to cover up a carpet or wood stain that you don’t like? If so, use a size that covers more ground if possible.
Find the ideal rug placement in the bedroom.
In order to have a rug to walk on, an area rug should be placed in your bedroom perpendicular to the bed. Don’t cover the entire space with your bed; it should feel like it frames your bedroom furniture.
Be sure to account for wooden floors.
If your bedroom has lovely hardwood floors, you might only need a small area rug to add coziness and provide something soft underfoot as you climb in and out of bed.
Source: Pinterest
Placement of rug
Living room: Placing a rug in the living room is a little difficult, but it still relies on the size of the room and how you want to arrange your furniture. You will actually want a bigger rug that fits all furniture in order to unify the space in smaller living rooms where it can float in the space between the furniture but under the coffee table or if you’re attempting to make your space feel bigger. Get a larger rug to frame your space in larger spaces. Use various rugs to distinguish each space in the room if you’re trying to break it up into sections.
Dining Room: The experience of dining at the table is really the only factor to consider when choosing a rug for the dining room. Make sure the rug is large enough to fit all of the chairs under your dining table after centering it there. When the chairs are pulled out and away from the table so someone may sit in them, the important thing is to make sure they still fit snugly on the rug. When a rug is pulled out, you don’t want chairs partially on and partially off of it. Pull away the chairs from around your table and measure the area if you’re unsure of the size to ensure your rug will fit exactly below.
Bedroom: The size of your bed is the primary factor to consider when it comes to the bedroom. There are several alternatives for where to put the rug, but the recommended option is to partially tuck it under the bed. In this instance, you should lay the rug parallel to the bed and then drag it under, stopping just before the nightstands so that it is roughly halfway under the bed, with the bed centered on top. What should you bear in mind when placing a rug in any room? Consider using the visual illusion that some rugs can produce to your advantage.
Source: Fengshui by Bridget
Few items in a home have the decorative ability to unify a space like a rug. A rug may provide an unmatched element of interest, mystery and fun, whether it serves as the design inspiration for the room, a finishing touch or helps zone the space.
When finding the ideal rug, always think about how it will be used, how much usage will it have, the ideal size, what’s the right material and whether is it worth investing a bit more for longevity and stain resistance. We hope the above has helped a little. Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog where we talk about rugs for other spaces and their maintenance.
Enjoy your rug journey.
Big love,
Aisha xox
Source: Good house keeping
