04 Jul 09 Three things to think about when buying a rug

Rugs can serve several purposes, anything from wiping the dirt off your feet to adding decor to a room and even as room separators. They are highly versatile, movable and can be used on either hard surface floors like pergo laminate flooring or carpeting. For these reasons they make a great addition to any home in a multitude of forms.

One of the most common applications for cheap braided rugs is to put it in the middle of a room with a coffee table sitting on top of it. It defines the center of the speaker area for the room and keeps the floor from having this big empty space that no one knows what to do with.

But what kind of rug should you choose? Well, it depends on a variety of things.

1. Are you concerned about what it’s made of and the color scheme or design it has? If this matters then don’t forget about your budget. Decent rugs cost $100-$300 for a regular size floor rug, but something made out of silk, or fresh from the orient is going to cost a bunch more. Designs abound and literally anything you can think of can be done.

2. Does size matter? The answer is generally yes. You don’t want to overwhelm an area with too much rug and you don’t want to come up short if the rug has a specific purpose.

3. Will it get dirty? If the rug needs to be durable and stand up some serious abuse, like people wiping their feet before walking all over your kitchen floor then you’ll want something designed to take this torture. If the rug is really just a showpiece in a room that is practically never used then you don’t have to get something industrial strength.

Where should buy these and how do you shop for one? This is tougher because the options are so wide ranging. I recommend starting at flooring centers. Places that sell items like laminate flooring would also have some knowledge about rugs to put over it. You can also consult with home centers and home improvement stores to see their selection. Any place that doesn’t specialize in flooring is going to have the common mainstream styles. If you’re looking for something more unique then go to a specialty shop. Have your color palette in mind and then pick it based on the design that most catches your eye. Take a picture and hold it up to your room area. See how well it fits. If you have a match go buy that rug!