There are 2 popular ways to get your hands on custom area rugs in Singapore: looking for a ready-made piece online or at the mall, or by engaging a rug designer to conceptualise one from scratch.
Either way, custom rugs are expensive investments that have a massive effect on how your space looks and feels. The right area rug will breathe life into your home for decades, while the wrong one will serve as a constant reminder of your mistake.
Getting a bespoke rug can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. To help you avoid this costly mistake, here are our tips on how to find the best custom rug for your home in Singapore.
1. Get one (or more)
There’s no steadfast rule that there should only be a single rug in your home. Truth be told, interior designers often recommend using multiple rugs in bigger rooms to define the areas.
However, how do you know what’s enough for a room?
A single large rug would be apt for studio apartments or small spaces with enclosed walls and doorways. It creates the illusion that the room is wider and more airy than it actually is.
Designing your own bespoke rug is actually a particularly good way to make smaller spaces look bigger. This makes custom area rugs especially useful for most people in an HDB or condominium.
Here are some ideas that can help you with that:
- Use white or light-coloured rugs. These allow the room to appear spacious. They can also reflect light and brighten up spaces for a more airy feel.
- Try rectangular rugs when uncertain of shape. Rectangular rugs are the default for a reason – they fit almost every space. They can also help you elongate a space that needs an improved sense of flow and continuity. For example, a rectangular rug can help add cohesion to a narrow layout by guiding the eye down the length of it.
- Choose round rugs for a softer, more organic touch. Round rugs are great for tight corners and spaces because they soften angles. This can bring a sense of balance to a room that you think may feel too boxed-in or sharp.
- Consider multiple rugs for sprawling, massive spaces. The rugs can be used to demarcate different areas instead of walls.
2. Know your style
It makes sense to have a bespoke rug made according to your personal preferences.
Before deciding on the rug style, take the time to know about the different area rug styles and think about the vibe that you want your space to have.
Area rugs are no longer limited to classic European styles and traditional Oriental rugs. Now, there are rugs with more modern and experimental prints, which would be great for a contemporary home.
Keep in mind that area rugs don’t have to blend well with everything in the room, but they should complement the tones and textures of existing furnishings. That’s why some people choose soft and plush rugs for a room that’s otherwise all smooth and flat surfaces – for balance.
This is why getting a custom made rug in Singapore may be advisable. You can get exactly what you need to achieve the look you want, whether it’s a sense of homogeneity or balance.
And when it comes to bespoke rugs and carpets, you call the shots. You get full creative control to design something that reflects your personality while enhancing your home’s unique style.
You can even have multiple rugs made – one for each area in your home. You could get a bespoke rug for your dining room, for instance, as well as your living space.
The best part of doing this is that, with bespoke designs, you can still create individual designs for each space while weaving an element of cohesion into each of them.
So, for example, you can incorporate a specific motif into your dining room rug that you will also add to your living room rug designs. Or you can have them in different colours yet have all rooms’ rugs be of the same rug type.
That lets you curate unique spaces while tying the different parts of your home together!
Not sure where to start with your custom designs? You can start with 2025 rug trends for fresh inspiration. For example:
- Try earthy shades and warm neutrals. These versatile, sophisticated colours (like Mocha Mousse) are coming back. These shades can fit right into a minimalist setup as well as a lush one, giving you myriad options for how to use them.
- Consider Scandinavian style for a contemporary touch. This look is very popular in Singaporean homes today. If you’re interested in it, check out our guide to Scandi design.
3. Know your measurements
We can’t stress how important it is to work around the arrangement of your room before getting an area rug. Fortunately, it’s easier to deal with size when you’re getting a bespoke rug.
As with any furnishing, it’s always good to start with the practical aspect before stressing over the aesthetics. Take note of details such as whether there are doorways and door swings to consider.
Failing to consider the obstructions inside your home may mean ending up with an expensive custom rug that’s of the wrong size.
There’s nothing worse than having to walk around the perimeter of your area rug. The key is to choose a size that either entirely covers the walkway or leaves enough of the floors exposed when people pass by.
A common way to choose a rug size is to ensure that all four feet of the furniture are covered.
For average-sized rooms, the rule is to have at least 30-50 centimeters of bare floor between the walls of the room and the edges of the rug.
When it comes to open-concept spaces, layer rugs could work. Use a large plain rug on the bottom to cover most of the floor and a smaller decorative rug on top of it.
Generally, the best way to fit your rug is to consult with a professional. Our team can size rugs for specific spaces, for instance. If you’d like to learn more about that on your own, you can also check out our guide to choosing rug sizes.
4. Check the materials
Area rugs aren’t only made of wool, cotton, or linen. They come in various materials, including silk, mohair, sisal, jute, allo, and even synthetic ones like nylon.
In fact, there are also non-woven rugs constructed from patched-up materials like cowhide. Each material offers a different look and vibe, which can make finding the right rug more difficult.
In terms of affordability, area rugs made from plant-based materials tend to lean on the cheaper side. It’s worth noting that cotton and linen age fairly quickly though, which means you might have to replace the rug sooner than you think.
Cotton and synthetic-fibre rugs (like nylon and polyester) rugs are perhaps best for casual spaces or kids’ rooms. They also work particularly well in humid climates.
This is because they’re both budget-friendly and resistant to mould and mildew. This makes them easy to maintain.
Wool is another of the more popular materials and is quite flexible when it comes to design. It’s more durable than rugs made from plant-based materials.
It’s great for bedrooms and living rooms since it repels dirt and is flame-resistant. The downside is that it can trap moisture, so make sure your space is well-ventilated or air-conditioned if choosing a wool rug!
Another material to consider suitable for our climate is viscose or bamboo silk. It offers a silky sheen and elegant look, but is also more delicate than materials like wool and cotton. It’s best used in low-traffic areas or for decorative purposes.
The materials we’d recommend that you avoid are the ones that fare poorly in Singaporean homes. High-pile or shaggy rugs in non-air-conditioned areas are examples. They trap heat and dust.
Avoid 100% silk rugs in humid conditions as well. The material is extremely sensitive to moisture and your investment in it will only be ruined if you don’t keep it in a living space with controlled conditions.
If you want more advice on this or on points like moisture-resistant rug backing (because that can trap moisture too!) or anti-slip features, reach out to us. Our team has consulted with a lot of clients on what they can use for tiled or marble floors like those commonly used in HDBs or apartments.
5. Think about maintenance
When getting a custom-made rug, consider your lifestyle, gauge yourself about how much work you’re willing to put in to maintain it.
Almost all area rugs need to be rotated and vacuumed regularly, so check in with yourself if you’re game to do these.
Custom rugs are an investment, and like any piece of furniture, they need regular care to stay looking their best. Different rugs also need different types of care.
Flat-weave rugs are easy to vacuum, but you can try the old-fashioned way of taking them outside and beating them. Meanwhile, high-pile rugs are more complicated to clean, so you might want to ask for help from professional area rug cleaners.
If you have kids and pets running around at home, then you might want to settle for an area rug that’s easier to clean. Chances are, you’re probably going to be cleaning it more often.
We’ve already provided a guide to cleaning rugs. Note that you always have to match the care you provide with the type of rug you’re dealing with, though.
Furthermore, you may want to consider a rug pad. A good rug pad can protect your floor and even add comfort by providing cushioning. What’s more, it can extend the life of your rug by protecting it from friction against the floor.
Just ensure your chosen rug pad is compatible with both your rug material and flooring type. Most Singaporean homes use tile, marble, or laminate.
Decorating with area rugs
Area rugs can add a splash of character to any space, but finding the right one is easier said than done.
It’s more than just having personal preferences, it’s also about knowing the structure of your room and which material would provide the vibe you’re going for.
If you’re interested in having an area in your home, feel free to get in touch! We can design and make your own custom rug for your home… and even give you more decor tips along the way!
