The Rug Guide

Rugs lay the foundation of design, color, texture and warmth of a room while connecting the furniture together.
A rug can connect you to the way you feel and experience a room
They are a great way to show off your style
They can unify a room while additionally demarcating furniture groupings
Rugs absorb sound (improved acoustics) and quiet the sound of walking on floors.

- Kenner & Stark Decorating with Carpets

So that you can make an informed decision we suggest that you:

Have a sense of what size rug you need. How much of the room will you want covered by rug? Rugs can be purchased in the following sizes:
1. Stocked Size (typically 3x5, 5x8, 8x10, 9x12, 10x14)
2. Custom Cut
3. Wall to wall
Select material options based on function of space and your budget
Narrow down your design scheme and color palette.
Confirm that the furniture fits appropriately on rug. See our “Rugs by Rooms” suggestions.
Check our “Before you Buy a Rug” Tips to make sure you won’t have any surprises when you bring it home!

CHOOSING THE RIGHT RUG

CHOOSING BY MATERIAL:

CHOOSING BY FUNCTION:

High Traffic: Hallways, Stairs, Family Room, Kids Rooms, Kitchen or Eating Area

Low Traffic: Study, Living Room, Guest Bedroom

***Dining Rooms are specific to each case and family so please see our Dining Room Rug guide for specifics

(We have broken down sizes and materials by Room)

Things to know before you Buy

Measure for Rugs so that you can in advance check for stock availability and also discuss binding issues. You will need to know where wood floors or stairs meet wall to wall carrels and decide on those transitions. They will have to come back when baseboard is in to do final measure.
Where seams will be or how to avoid seams altogether (how wide is your space and what’s the maximum width the carpet is made)
How carpet height is consistent with the adjacent flooring
If the rug is in front of a door, make sure the rug pile is lower than the space between door and floor, so that you can open the door with ease.
We always recommend a rug pad.
Look at the rug content to make sure it fits your lifestyle needs. Some rugs should not be exposed to direct sunlight, can stain easily, show traffic patterns….
Make sure you get the care instructions specific to your rug.
Have your cleaning tools on hand for the first “oopsie,” absorbent white cloth, dry solvent (when recommended), rug cleaning company on speed dial, and vacuum with appropriate attachments.

Tips and tricks

Layering Rugs.
For areas with chairs (dining or office), consider a sturdy low pile rug so that chairs can glide easily over the rug.
We love a performance or indoor/outdoor rug in any space that will see a lot of traffic, especially pets and kids.

What you need to know on Performance & Indoor/Outdoor Rugs

We love them!!!
But they are not the end all and be all. Since they are made with______ fibers, they can still absorb stains and abrasions.
Ask questions about product warranties and what stains they are covered against.
Not all products that are labeled “performance” or “indoor/outdoor” are made the same.

Blot immediately, and always BLOT, never RUB a stain
The sooner you treat a stain, the greater chances you have on getting it out
Use a white absorbent cloth, dye from a colored cloth can bleed into the rug.
We recommend having rugs pretreated against stains. Pretreating means that a solution is applied to your rug that will make it less absorbent. This means that when you have a spill, the liquid will not get absorbed as quickly into the fibers of the rug. Many of these companies will do onsite visits to address stain prevention and stains. Check with their policies prior to signing a contract.
Have a rug cleaning company saved in your contacts just in case you need to bring out the big guns!
Do not use harsh solvents. Your rug will loose its color and the fibers can be broken down.
Get specific cleaning instructions for each rug. Since each case is different.
Many rug fibers can get broken down by the beater brush on your vacuum so use sparingly.