subject: Decorating With Rugs 101 [print this page] Today homeowners and decorators use area rugs to enhance the look and the feel of their home. Rugs are so much more than something to keep the feet warm; it's an expression of what you like and how you want your home to feel like.
Rugs help to make a statement in a certain area in your home. Find a focal point or area that you want guests to notice. A rug can set one area apart from the rest without putting up walls or other means to divide it.
If your home is open inside without walls or minimal amount of walls then you can use area rugs to section off your home. You can have one placed down in your sitting area, your dining area, and so on. This will help guests to know which direction they want to go to.
The common materials used for rugs include wool, silk, nylon, polypropylene or olefin or a blend of any of these materials. Silk and wool rugs are costlier than the synthetic rugs, but they are beautiful, and perhaps a little effort will help you find a good deal on a soft silk or wool rug. If you care about the environment, you might want to go in for a rug made of natural fibres such as sea grass, mountain grass, sisal, bamboo, hemp and cotton.
The kind of rug you choose is down to your personal preferences and the shared tastes of your family. Make sure, though, that the size of the rug is appropriate to the space available - a too-large rug can make a room look crowded, while a rug that is too small gets lost. And as far as colors are concerned, you should see that the rug either matches or contrasts pleasingly with your other furnishings and general color scheme of the room.
When putting the rug down make sure that you take the time to eliminate all creases and wrinkles that may be there. You also want to avoid placing a rug edge near the walkway because it could trip someone who is walking through. When placing an area rug down in the dining room you want to make sure that the rug is four feet larger than your dining room table. The chairs should easily slide out and back in without getting off of the area rug.
Rugs are available in different colors, styles, sizes, and shapes. You can also find one to fit into any budget. Synthetic rugs will usually start at or below $300 and around the size of a 5'x8'. Rugs that are made from natural fibers is a little more expensive but they are well worth the added expense. They can withstand a lot of traffic.
