How to Find the Perfect Rug

If you want area rug ideas for a living room; a good practical idea is to measure out the size of your potential rug, simply by using some masking tape or a couple of measuring tapes on the floor to roughly create its' shape. This will give you an idea of how much room the rug might take up and how it will impact other furniture in the room without committing to one design. A rug can look very different in the store; it might look huge in the shop, then you get it home and it looks a bit too small, and doesn’t have the impact you were expecting, or vice versa, so always check your measurements. A well thought out and well placed rug can really complete a space, transforming it from cold to warm, from mis-matched to coherent and harmonious. It’s often difficult to find the perfect rug – too big, too small, too patterned, not bold enough – but here are a few key points to keep in mind when rug shopping.

Think about how the room is used and how much wear and tear it is likely to get. A family living room might need a strong, durable rug in a hardwearing natural material like sisal or jute, whereas a guest bedroom might benefit from something more handmade with finer yarns. Flat weaves and low piles are easier to clean and better for living rooms, with children dashing in and out and pets dragging in dirt, whereas more luxurious deep piles and delicate vintage rugs take a bit more love and care.

If you want to know how to choose a rug color, pick out colors you already have in a room, it might pick up on a couple of cushions or an artwork on the wall. But equally, don’t feel you need to be too matchy matchy, otherwise it might look contrived and like something from a catalogue; it could be a chance to try out that color you were too afraid to add to the walls, or as a way to add some pattern and intrigue to a neutral room. At JAC we always think it’s better to go slightly bigger with rugs, the biggest blunder is having a rug too small for a room – it looks a bit like a lost ship at sea. You want to create a strong focal point but the rug should become part of the room, a whole seamless look, and a cosy space to be in. For example, in a living room, instead of having a gap between the edge of the rug and the sofa, be a bit more generous and let the rug run slightly under the sofa or chairs to create a warm, cohesive space. In a dining room, place a rug under the dining table that extends beyond the chairs (you should be able to pull out a chair and it still be on the rug), while in a bedroom let the rug pass under the bed to create a soft surface to put your feet on either side of the bed.