Area Rugs- the foundation of a room

There are a lot of foundational clothing items on the market these days- Spanx, seamless panties, and a zillion choices for bras.  The pieces you choose directly affect how the rest of your clothes will look on you.  You must choose wisely in order to look your best.  You can apply the same principle to area rug selection.  Choose wisely or risk ruining the whole vibe of your space.

Area rugs can be tricky.  People often make the mistake of purchasing rugs that are far too small for their space.  A couple of factors go into this mistake-

1. lack of understanding for a rug’s purpose

2. the cost of buying a rug. 

Let’s start with talking about an area rug’s purpose. A rug is the foundation of a room.  It’s the first thing you should select when creating a space. Why?, you ask. A rug’s pattern and color scheme is the basis for every other decision you make in a space. The colors in the rug are used as a basis for choosing color for your walls and fabrics, and your pattern will dictate the design style of the whole space.

A rug acts as an anchor for your seat grouping.  In large spaces, there are often multiple seat groupings.  Area rugs help define those seat groupings. 

 Remember earlier when I mentioned that people buy rugs that are too small?  This is where that becomes a problem.  If you are trying to tie together a conversation group of furniture that includes two sofas facing each other with a pair of chairs flanking one sofa, but your rug floats out in the middle under the coffee table, it is going to feel lost and will not be serving its purpose. 

Area rugs also serve as an element of warmth and provide sound absorption.  If you’ve ever walked around barefoot in a room with hardwood floors you know it can be chilly.  Rugs provide softness underfoot and feel warmer than the hard surface flooring.  You’ll notice a big difference in noise when a room with hard flooring has a rug in it.  Without a rug, every little noise carries and can create an echo.  Adding a rug allows the sound to be absorbed therefore making multiple conversations and activities tolerable within the same space.

Onto the second factor for making a rug misstep… price. Price of area rugs can be subjective.  I can’t tell you how much money you should spend on a rug, only you know where you are comfortable budget-wise.  Research the construction of the rug you are interested in buying.  That will tell you all you need to know about why it is priced the way it is.

The purpose and the size of the rug go hand in hand.  You know that a rug anchors a seat grouping and you now know that floating a rug in the center of your furniture is not the way to go.  So how should a rug interact with the furniture? In an ideal world, all four legs of your upholstered furniture pieces sit atop your area rug.  In instances that this is not possible- whether it be an oddly shaped room, budget constraints, etc- you can cheat by just having the front two feet on the area rug.

In dining rooms, you should allow 2 feet from the edge of the table to the edge of the area rug so the dining chair can be pulled out from the table without getting caught on the rug's edge. You don't want your guests to be fighting the rug while trying to enjoy a meal at your table!

What a difference this little change makes!  Take a look at the rugs in your space plan- how do they measure up?  Could you tweak the placement to create a more refined look?  Do they anchor your seat grouping and follow the rule of thumb for leg placement? If not, go back in and adjust.  That’s the beauty of decorating, it’s fluid.

Winter Reno - How to Choose Flooring Based on your Lifestyle and Space

Hardwood

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Hardwood is a timeless and classic choice for flooring. With that being said, it is also pricey and not ideal for all lifestyles. One major downside to hardwood is that it is not water proof or water resistant, so you have to be careful on the areas in your home where you decide to put it (or keep it). Another downside is the upkeep it needs over time. Although hardwood can stand the test of time, it will need refinishing every so often that you may or may not be willing to deal with cost wise. On the other hand, it is a truly beautiful choice, and in the right space can be a fantastic option.

LVT

Polka Dots & Rosebuds

LVT or luxury vinyl tile (or plank) is a relative newcomer to the flooring scene. Gone are the days when you heard the word “vinyl” and thought “1970’s” or “cheap looking”. This has become one of the most popular types of flooring that can truly go anywhere in the home! LVT can either look like wood or tile depending on the space you are putting it in. One of its best qualities is its overall durability as well as its resistance to water. This makes this flooring a fabulous choice for any area that is going to get a lot of use, and even water like a bathroom or basement. 

Carpet

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Carpet is ideal for places like bedrooms or living rooms. It adds a softness and warmth to your space that is almost unmatched. However, people are getting away from having carpet throughout the house, especially how it used to show up in places like the bathroom or kitchen where you will never see it now a days in any new construction. If you are looking to get the softness of carpet but still love your hardwood or some other type of hard floor, an area rug can be a fantastic addition as well.

Tile

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Tile is a great choice for any space that is going to get a lot of use that includes water or messes of any kind, i.e. the kitchen, bathroom, basement, or foyer. These are ideal spaces for tile because it is by far the easiest flooring to clean as well as being extremely durable. The great thing about tile these days are all of the gorgeous styles and sizes it is available in, namely the “wood look” tile that has become so popular. One of tiles main downsides is how cold it can make a room feel. Adding in rugs on top of tile in places like your kitchen or foyer can help alleviate this issue.

Flooring: Carpet, Tile, Wood or Something Else? How to Decide

When deciding what types of flooring to choose for your home, there are a number of factors to consider. The main thing to think about is how the space will be used. Next you want to decide the look and feel you are going for in the space. 

Tile

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Tile is great for use in bathrooms and kitchens due to its great durability and water resistance. These are both high traffic areas in a home where water is present. Kitchens are also a place where spills are most likely to occur so you want to make sure your flooring is easily cleanable. Above is a photo of wood look tile which is a great way to get the best of both worlds!

Hardwood

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Hardwood is a beautiful choice for almost any area in your home. It is a tried and true material that can stand the test of time as well as creating a gorgeous look for your space. Hardwood does require refinishing after years and years of wear and tear which can be a down side for some people.

Carpet

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Carpet is a great, less expensive material to put in your home. Many homeowners like to have carpet in all of the bedrooms of their house to add to the warmth of the space as well as save money. Too much carpet in a home on the other hand can give a very dated feel to the space. 

Luxury Vinyl Tile

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Interiors

Luxury vinyl tile is a relatively newer option for flooring in your home. When people hear vinyl they can sometimes think cheap and dated, along with many other negative connotations. LVT is actually a fabulous product that has all of the strength and durability of vinyl with the luxurious look of hardwood or tile. This makes LVT a fantastic choice for those who want the look of hardwood or tile in their space but need a less expensive option. 

Magic Carpets

Area rugs are one of my favorite components in a room! Rugs add warmth to a space and look nice layered on any flooring type, even wall to wall carpeting.

A common mistake is to "float" a rug in the room, meaning the rug doesn't touch any furniture pieces it is just placed in the middle of the floor between all the furniture- see the first photo above. This typically happens because a rug is too small for the space, and as a result is improperly placed. The goal for an area rug is to have it placed among a furniture grouping to define the seating area. This is done best when ALL the furniture legs can rest upon the rug, or at the very least, the front legs should rest on the rug- see the second picture above. This ensures a cohesive look to the space, as the rug serves to pull all the pieces together (figuratively).

Keep in mind that area rugs really are appropriate over every type of flooring, including wall to wall carpeting. Layering with a rug adds a feeling of warmth and welcome to a space. Rugs can also serve as protection for flooring (for example, I have a rug beneath my dining room table to protect my light colored carpeting from the threat of food and drink that can stain). It is often more cost effective to replace a rug than it is to replace a section of the floor! Additionally, rugs allow an extra outlet for a person to express their personality or design style.

Enjoy your magic carpet ride!