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Most rooms will benefit from the addition of a well-chosen rug! They add colour, texture, warmth and a sense of luxury, and really help to anchor the colour scheme of the room. They are also incredibly versatile; a large statement rug can add personality and style, whereas smaller ones can be used effectively to break up large floor spaces and differentiate “zones” – especially in open-plan homes. They’re also very practical, saving wear and tear on carpets and flooring.
Long and narrow rugs ideal for hallways, corridors and galley-style kitchens.
Can be placed under dining tables, sofas, or even beds to help "frame" the furniture.
Can work as effective centrepieces or in pairs or sets to help add balance to a room.
Work well as a focal point in the centre of a hallway, or under a circular table.
Decide on the area of floor you would like to cover with your rug. Then measure from the broadest points of this area and match up to the nearest standard size. You may find it helpful to lay down a sheet or newspapers exactly covering the dimensions you have chosen to get a feel of the size of rug you would need and whether it works in your room.
While rugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the chart below illustrates some of the more popular dimensions.
While often more expensive, a handmade rug can be a real investment. Considerable time and effort goes into the construction of a handmade rug, often with a whole team of skilled workers using intricate hand-knotting and hand-tufting techniques. Hand-made rugs are also very long-lasting because they don’t contain any chemicals or adhesives which gradually break down over time.
Machine made rugs are generally cheaper as they can be mass produced. Because they are made on large computerised looms, patterns and designs can be executed uniformly, and the quality is very consistent.
Tufted rugs are made on special multi-needle sewing machines. Several hundred needles stitch hundreds of rows of pile yarn tufts through a backing fabric called the primary backing. The needles push yarn through a primary backing fabric, where a loop holds the yarn in place to form a tuft as the needle is removed. The yarn is caught by loopers and held in place for a loop-pile or cut by blades for a cut-pile.
Carpet pile has to do with the density of the carpet fibres that are used to create the weave on rugs and carpets. Along with thickness, the length of the individual fibres used in the weave also determines the carpet pile. Pile varies from one carpet design to another, ranging from a flat pile all the way to a long shag pile.
Loop Pile - A simple loop pile has tufts of equal height to create a tight construction. Loop pile carpets can also have different lengths of loops. A high and low loop has tufts of different heights which creates a patterned or textured effect.
Cut Pile - Made from twisting the carpet yarn tightly together and then cutting the loop. There are different classifications of twist cut pile carpet based on the pile length, often referred to as short or medium twist cut pile.
- A non-natural fibre which is the result of complex chemical processes
- Mostly used in machine-woven rugs
- Very hard wearing; cheaper than wool - but can look similar; easy care
- An artificial fibre based on cellulose
- Excellent for highly decorative designs
- Less durable than other man-made fibres, so more suited to low traffic areas
- A spun synthetic yarn
- Not abrasion resistant so better suited to low-traffic areas
- Resistant to static, mildew, moisture and fading
- Sun resistant, so suitable for areas that have a lot of natural light
- Very durable and hardwearing, so good for high traffic areas
- Resists stains well
- Fades in sunlight
- An extremely lightweight material, with excellent stain-resistant properties
- Colourfast and fade-resistant
- Compresses easily so more suited to low-traffic areas
- The only animal fibre that can be used
- The best wool for rug manufacture comes from New Zealand
- Beautiful to touch; good quality, if more expensive
- Wears well and has a natural feel
- Attracts dust and dirt so not suitable for high-traffic areas
- Silk, coconut and even bamboo can be used!
| Characteristic | Polypropylene-Based Materials | Wool | Natural Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touch | *** | *** | ** |
| UV resistance | *** | * | * |
| Ease of maintenance | *** | * | * |
| Lifespan | *** | ** | * |
| Quality / price | *** | ** | *** |
- In most cases, vacuuming the rug at least once a week is sufficient
- Turn rugs 180 degrees every six months for more uniform wear
- Always follow the enclosed cleaning instructions for rugs made out of natural fibres
- Use of a rug grip is recommended on all floor surfaces
- Soak up liquids with absorbent cotton or paper towels, but do not rub
- Remove solid stains with a knife or spoon
- Professional cleaning is recommended
