Area Rugs

As the dark days of winter descend upon us, it is definitely time to add those cozy layers we’ve mentioned in articles past.

One of the warmest ways to accomplish this, is to add an area rug. Area rugs not only add warmth to a cold hardwood or tile floor, but they also contribute comfort, visual variety and define the spaces in question. But before you buy, you must size up your situation- this is one of those times where size and placement really does matter. The correct size rug is a common conundrum and because there seems to be so many “rules of thumb” and opposing opinions, I thought it would be a good idea to go over some of guidelines together.

A few tips to help in the hunt for a new area rug:

A minimum of 18” of bare floor should be showing, around the perimeter of the room. The maximum, on the other hand, does not seem to be as crucial as long as some of the other rules are considered.
Arrange your furniture first when you are using a smaller rug to define an area. “All legs on” or “all legs off” is general but works most of the time.
There should not be more than 2’ of rug protruding from beneath a piece of furniture. If this is unavoidable, add another piece of furniture. For example, if the rug jets out from under the back of a sofa 2’ or so, place a sofa table behind to keep the situation from looking strange.
In the dining room, the rug should extend past the edges of the table, preferably 24”. For perfect placement, all of the chairs’ legs should still be on the rug when completely pulled away from the table.
In the bedroom, if the rug is being placed under the bed, it should extend past the edges a minimum of 18” for a king or queen and 12” for a double or twin. You could also try two small rugs on each side of the bed.
In a traffic pathway situation, you want to avoid half the rug or a corner of the rug from protruding into this traffic zone.
In a super small room such as a foyer, you can break the rules and get away with less than the 18” minimum of bare floor.
Sometimes you have to be a little more flexible with the rules when it comes to standard size rugs, as the rug sizes are standard but the room sizes are not. The big benefit to a standard size, is the great savings in cost.
If you can go custom, not only can you achieve the correct size but the texture, patterns and materials available give endless possibilities. Natural wools, silks and sisals will do wonders when bound with luxe leathers, sumptuous suedes or any tough upholstery fabric. Bindings in 31/2” –5“ have been hot in design circles for years as they add yet another way to pull fabrics together and define spaces.

Redefining your room with a new rug is a terrific way to add texture, comfort and to help keep your toes toasty this winter. Keep Cozy!