3 Things To Consider Before Buying A Rug Online

When it comes to rugs, the possibilities are almost infinite. Rugs set the tone of a room and, therefore, great attention should be put into making sure you choose the perfect piece to avoid any costly mistakes.

Whether it's a shaggy, short pile, deep pile or an intricate design you need, these are three things to consider before buying your next rug online.

Material

When choosing a rug, selecting the perfect material is paramount. Wool, viscose, and silk are popular materials that are often used to produce some of the world's most luxurious rugs, however, each material has its own unique properties which change the durability, ease of cleaning, and cost.

• Wool rugs are typically the most expensive rugs you will find. The fibres are resilient and quickly recover from crushing and indenting caused by footsteps and furniture. A downside to wool rugs is that they are prone to shedding, especially when they’re new.
• Viscose rugs, often referred to as Bamboo Silk rugs, are a popular alternative to silk. Viscose rugs are soft to touch and offer a crushed velvet look with a luxurious shine, making them a popular addition to high-end interiors. However, Viscose is a fragile material and is often best suited for places where the rug is less likely to encounter spills and heavy foot traffic.
• Silk rugs, like their Wool counterparts, are some of the most expensive rugs you will find. 100% Silk rugs require more care than other rug materials due to their natural delicate fibres, however, the unbeatable sophisticated shimmer and elegant softness that Silk rugs offer is hard to replicate, offering a unique luxe shimmer to achieve a stylish designer look.

Before purchasing a rug, take a moment to research the material composition and check if the fibres are suitable for where the rug will be placed. Ask yourself if the rug is likely to encounter spills and heavy foot traffic, if texture, shine or durability is most important, and how much you're looking to spend.

Size

Every room is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to follow when deciding what size rug you require, however, there is some pointers to keep in-mind to avoid making any mistakes when purchasing your next rug online.

Before making a purchase, make sure you properly measure your floorspace and the size of your furniture. Free online calculators such as this (click here) from Omni Calculator will help you obtain suitable rug measurements for your room based on the shape of the rug you are intending to buy.

• Living Room Rugs can be any desired shape. If you intend to have all sofas and surrounding chairs sitting on the rug, it is best to have the rug extended at least six inches past each piece of furniture. In smaller rooms or areas where the back of the sofa is against a wall, it is recommended to have only the front legs of the furniture sitting on the rug, with the back legs on the surrounding floor. You want to avoid the edges of the rug touching the surrounding walls.
• Dining Room Rugs should always mirror the shape of the dining table, whether it’s square, round, or rectangular. You want to ensure that all chairs sit comfortably on the rug when they are pulled out, keeping in mind that you don't want guests being caught on the edges of the rug.
• Bedroom Rugs can either span the length of one nightstand to another, have two-thirds of the bed on the rug, or go for runners on each side of the bed. For the most luxurious look, a full-length rug from one nightstand to another is best, keeping in mind that you want to avoid the edges of the rug touching the surrounding walls.

A common mistake often made when buying a rug is choosing a size too small for the space. A useful tip is to put masking tape on the area you intend to place your rug, allowing you to see how much area the rug will take up before making your purchase.

Colour

Rugs play an important role in bringing character to a room. Careful consideration should be put into the colours and textures you choose when purchasing a new rug. 

As specialists in bespoke, made-to-order furniture, lighting and home accessories, clients of Touched Interiors have the unique opportunity to customise the vast majority of our rugs where budget allows, offering true autonomy to create the perfect piece to compliment your interior ambiance.

As a general rule of thumb, in small rooms, you can create the illusion of more space by using a light coloured rug. Colours such as cream and beige will visually expand the space, offering greater light reflectance to further grow the illusion of space.

Dark coloured rugs are perfect for places where the rug is likely to encounter heavy foot traffic. Dark rugs help create an intimate, cozy space where relaxation is of key importance, with natural hues further expanding the intimate feel.

A pop of colour in your rug will set the tone for the entire room. Consider if a coloured rug will work with other pieces of furniture in the room. If you already have a lot of colour and patterns in the space, you may want to choose a more neutral tone or a single colour to avoid making the room too busy or thrown off balance.

With this in mind, we hope you feel inspired and comfortable purchasing your next rug online. Discover our full designer collection and transform your interior with our luxury rugs.

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