4 Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Rugs

Purchasing a rug for your home isn’t something you do every day. So, you probably don’t know where to start or are even confused by the entire process of picking a rug! 

Mistakes are bound to happen when you’re buying an area rug for the first time. But knowing what to avoid can save you from wasting your time and money! 

Since area rugs are a huge investment, you certainly don’t want to end up with a rug that doesn’t suit your lifestyle, or one that doesn’t match your room’s vibe. The right rug can pull all your existing home decor together – the wrong rug can ruin the overall vibe of your space. 

To help you avoid the latter, we’ve put together a list of the mistakes to avoid when getting bespoke rugs for your home!
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1. Picking the wrong rug size

One of the most common mistakes that people make is fetching the wrong rug size. 

The mistake here often lies when people simply guess the rug size that they need rather than measuring their room. That said, there’s more to it than getting the actual dimensions of your room and measuring your chosen rug. 

You don’t want a rug that’s either too big or too small for your home. The right rug for your room shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb!

A rug that’s too small can make any space feel incomplete and look awkward. Even the most beautiful patterned rug can turn a dream home into a nightmare if it’s the wrong one.

How to size your rug right

The rule is that the rug needs to ground the entire seating area, acting as the room’s focal point. If you want the rule of thumb: make it big enough to be noticed by your visitors and act as a conversation starter. 

But don’t go too big! Even living rooms can suffer from that. A rug that’s too big will look as if it’s floating and will make the room feel smaller and more crowded. 

Want to learn exactly how to size it? We have a separate article on picking the right rug size for your home
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2. Failing to consider your family’s lifestyle

Remember that a rug’s beauty shouldn’t overshadow its function.

A rug is a practical household item, not just a decorative object. Your family’s lifestyle and the environment of your household should play a role in your choice of rug. 

For example, if you live with pets, you may want to consider area rugs with stain-resistant features. This can help you deal with the possibility of things like pet urine or pet food getting on them. 

Good stain-resistant rugs repel a fair bit of moisture. This gives you a chance to clean a spill before it turns into a permanent stain. 

And don’t forget about colours! Picking a rug that resembles the colour of your pet can help you camouflage fur they’ve shed and hide dirt more successfully. That’s so important in rugs that tend to “attract” other fibres, like wool rugs.

Additionally, a large household with children can expect high foot traffic and a higher possibility of spillage (of food and drinks, for example). In such cases, you’d benefit from picking a rug that can endure high-foot traffic and is heavily resistant to stains.

Our recommendations for rug materials

We usually recommend low-pile rugs for people with children or large households. They’re easy to clean and easy to move. High-pile rugs tend to be heavier and trap more dirt in their fibres.

When it comes to rug materials, wool is also considered the most resilient. Wool rugs are not only soft but resistant to stains and water as well. 

That being said, a rug made from man-made materials such as nylon can also be great for high-traffic areas. That’s why you’ll hear a lot of people doing home renovations considering nylon rugs (usually when on a budget).

If you want more guidance on which rug material can match both your home interior and lifestyle, reach out to us. We can offer advice on that and even recommend or craft a bespoke rug in the material you like!
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3. Keeping the rug selection for last

Another common misconception is that you have to choose all your furnishings before deciding on a rug. The problem with this is that you end up choosing a rug based on your existing interior decor… when it should ideally be the other way around.  

Of course, if you start with a rug, it will dictate your other home design ideas for that room. You have to match all the other elements of your room such as furnishings and decorations.

So why do we recommend starting with it? No, it’s not because we’re in the business of premium and bespoke rugs! It’s because it’s easier to start with the rug.

Generally, it’s more difficult to find a rug that will fit into every existing interior decor. That’s why you’re better off choosing the rug first and then going from there to make all the elements of your room come together in harmony. 

How to choose a rug for a room

Choose with this in mind: the rug should serve as a focal point that guides the rest of the decor. So, if you can’t imagine the rest of the room fitting the rug, something’s wrong. 

The rug should basically tie together all of your planned furnishings, color schemes, and accessories. You can choose those later – the rug’s just the nucleus or foundation for your selections.

This is basically what happens if you choose a statement rug first. You get the luxury of building the room around it.

Think about using the rug to define spaces as well, especially in open-concept rooms. And if you want to learn how to choose your furnishings for a cohesive look, check out our guide to that!
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4. Not using a rug pad for thinner or lighter rugs

This may come as a surprise, but not all rugs can stay in the right place on their own! Some rugs are thin, light, or non-grippy enough that they can slide around all the time. 

This isn’t a problem you’ll ever have to face with The Rug Maker’s pieces. Our premium rugs have enough density and heft to stay in place and never let you lose your footing. 

But lighter rugs can be dangerous if not secured with an anti-slip rug pad or any underlay! The solution? Get a rug pad.

Rug pads can hold your area rugs secure and add to your floors’ protection when using thin rugs. This is especially useful if you have kids running around all the time!

Furniture isn’t enough for many thinner rugs, by the way. Even if your furniture’s legs hold the rug in place, the rug is still susceptible to shifting without an underlay. This could lead to ripples and create tripping hazards.

Our recommendations for rug pads

There are different types of rug pads, usually based on material. Some are made of rubber, others of foam.

Our advice? Choose the one that best suits your flooring and needs. Below is a quick guide to them. Or just skip all of this trouble and choose one of our high-quality rugs instead!

Rug Pad MaterialSuitable FlooringPerksDrawbacks
RubberHardwood, laminate, tileGood grip, available in both synthetic and natural options, good scratch protection for flooringNatural options are expensive while synthetics aren’t eco-friendly, even if they’re cheaper
FeltHardwood, carpetGood cushioning, good sound absorptionWorse grip than rubber options
CombinationHardwood, carpet, tile, laminateGood cushioning, good gripOften noticeably thicker than rubber or felt pads and harder to hide, typically expensive if of good-quality
Memory FoamHardwood, tile, laminateGood cushioning, superior support if you’re prone to sitting or lying on your rugRarer and worse grip than rubber options

 

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Getting the right rug for your home

Getting an area rug for the first time is easier said than done, but knowing what to look for and what to avoid will surely make things more convenient and save you from a lot of stress. 

We hope you’ll find our tips helpful when you’re finally scouting area rugs for your home!

If you’re interested in adding a bespoke to any part of your home or still need tips on how to choose an area rug, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We can design one for you and give you tips on how to decorate your room while we’re at it!