Guide: Decor Home with Designer Area Rugs

• 21 March 2022
• 7 Min Read
• By Jaipur Rugs

If you are thinking of revamping your home and want to add a creative and cozy touch to it, placing an area rug can be the easiest and the most innovative way of doing it.

What are area rugs? How are they different from regular carpets and dhurries?

Area Rugs can change the mood, vibe, look, and feel of a place and make it warm, comfortable, appealing, and inviting. But placing the area rugs and choosing the correct size is the trick to decorating your home to perfection. Our mini-guides will help you select the right rug that will fit just perfectly into your space and enhance its overall look.

In a nutshell, area rugs cover a part of the floor. They are extremely popular amongst those who like having rugs in their homes but are not keen on having a wall-to-wall look. They come in a number of different sizes, shapes, patterns, and materials and can easily enhance the look and mood of your space. Be it your living room or your bedroom, adding an area rug will not only add an appealing and decorative touch but also make your space cozy and comforting.

Many people confuse area rugs with dhurries (Indian flatweave rug) and carpets. While they solve the same purpose of adding warmth and style to a home, they are slightly different. While carpets and dhurries are mostly used for wall-to-wall floor coverings, area rugs are designed for a certain section or space.

Also, area rugs are mostly made of natural fibers like wool and cotton whereas carpets and dhurries are mostly made of nylon, polyester, or jute. While area rug designs involve different kinds of textural interplays, dhurries and carpets have more traditional designs.

Area Rugs: Types, shapes, and styling 

Area rugs come in a number of different shapes, materials, and patterns. Be it large area rugs, target area rugs, or washable area rugs, there are several types of area rugs available in the market that can be a boon to the decor of your living room, bedroom, kitchen, or outdoor space. 

Check out this mini guide to explore different Area Rugs.

Types of Area Rugs:

Hand Knotted Area Rugs: The best example of knotted area rugs are vintage or antique Persian rugs that are woven entirely by the hands of weavers and artisans. These area carpets have traditional designs, motifs, and symbols that make them unique from the regular rugs. Hand-knotted area rugs are very durable and give a luxurious and royal feel.

Hand Tufted Area Rugs: Unlike hand-knotted area rugs, hand-tufted area rugs are made by using both hands as well as the machine. They come in a number of designs and styles and are also budget-friendly.

Braided Area Rugs: Braided area rugs, extremely popular in America and Europe, are made by stitching long strips of material together. They are made of materials like wool and cotton and are very durable. Their unique patterns and designs can make your space look very vibrant.

Flat Weave Area Rugs: The best option for areas with heavy footfall, flat weave area rugs are reversible, durable, and stylish. They have a low pile and are also known as Indian blankets. They are a popular choice for rug lovers across the globe and have never been out of trend. Flat Weave Area Rugs can also be placed in spill-prone areas like the kitchen.

Shag Area Rugs: One of the best examples of Shag or fluffy rugs are Rya rugs which are traditional Scandinavian wool rugs that have long threads and an extremely soft cut pile. Shag rugs are best suitable for areas with low traffic and should be placed under the tables of the living room or in front of fireplaces or TV. If you are someone who likes moving around bare feet in your home, shag rugs can be a great choice. They are made of natural wool with a shag-like pile of 1–3 inches.

Kilim: Manufactured in countries like Turkey, Pakistan, and the Balkans, Kilim are pileless carpets that are made using a flat-weave technique and can only be used as a decorative element in the house. They are not suitable for areas with heavy traffic and can also be used for offering prayers.

Area Rug Shapes

Round Area Rug: These are a popular choice in contemporary homes and are best suitable for smaller spaces as they make the space look bigger and more vibrant. You can place the round rugs beneath the table of your living room or place them at the center of your bedroom.

Square Area Rug: An excellent choice for square rooms, square-shaped area rugs can be matched with similarly shaped furniture and is a great option for floor covering. They create a wall-to-wall rug impact by occupying the maximum space in square rooms. They also make doorways look more inviting and appealing. Square shaped rugs are also very popular in outdoor spaces.

Rectangle Area Rug: One of the most popular and widely used areas rug shape, rectangle area rugs can literally be placed in any room of your home and make it look more appealing and connected. It is also the most traditional shape of carpet that blends well with open floor spaces such as living areas, offices, and dining areas.

Oval Area Rug: Best used in spaces like kitchen and living rooms, oval-shaped rugs enhance the complete vibe of a place by adding style and warmth. Often made in braided style, they come in a number of styles, patterns and designs that can add glamor and boost the mood of your space. They are best suitable for country style homes. If it is a small oval-shaped rug, it can be placed in kitchens and entrances and a large rug can be placed in the living room.

How to place area rugs in your home

From your living room to your bedroom and even your kitchen, adding a vibrant, comfortable and durable area rug can redefine your space and add a refreshing look to it. But choosing an incorrect size or shape can make your room look smaller, congested, and dull. No matter if you are looking for large area rugs or washable area rugs, Follow our mini-guide and style your home to perfection with these area rugs styling tips:

How to place area rugs in different parts of your home:

Living room: When choosing an area rug for your living room, get an area rug that is neither too large nor too small. The size should be picked keeping in mind the rule of thumb for an area rug: There should always be around 4-6 inches of bare floor space around the area rug.

Bedroom: Square and rectangular area rugs are perfect for bedrooms. They should be placed under your bed while ensuring that it covers only the bottom third of the bed, leaving most of it on the bare floor. If you have a small bedroom, choose a large rug that fills up the entire space and there is only 2-5 inches of bare floor left between the rug and the walls. For a large-sized room, choose a rug that leaves 8-10 inches of space between the rug edges and the walls.

Kitchen: When placing a rug in the kitchen, go for flat weave area rugs as they are easier to clean. Place a Rectangular area rug in front of the kitchen that should not be larger than 3 feet. You can also place a flat weave area rug measuring 2-3 feet at the kitchen entrance.

Balcony: When choosing area rugs for balconies, go for indoor-outdoor area rugs as they are easy to clean and are stain and water-resistant. The most commonly used materials for balcony area rugs are Polyester and jute as they do not fade away due to the sun and repel stains.

Hallways: When it comes to placing an area rug in the hallway, always go for runner area rugs that are durable and add a decorative touch to your space. A variety of runner area rugs is available at overstock rugs and home depot rugs. In the United States, every other home has a runner area rug placed in the hallway to add a cozy vibe.

Kids Room: When choosing a rug for your kid’s room, go for low-pile rugs that are heavy and don’t forget to add a rug gripper so there are fewer chances of the kids slipping on them and getting hurt. Never choose high-pile area rugs for the kids room as it will increase the chances of a mishap.

What makes area rugs such a popular home décor choice?

Be it the Oriental Area Rugs that are used in Asia and the Middle East or the hand-tufted area rugs used across the United States, they have always been the first choice when decorating or redesigning a home space.

Area rugs have been a popular and trending piece across the globe for many years now. The fact that they come in so many different patterns, styles, shapes, materials, and ranges is what makes them a go-to choice for all rug lovers from across the globe.

When it comes to decorating and revamping your home, an area rug can do wonders. Apart from adding comfort and making your home look stylish, they also help in noise reduction and make the room feel more connected and well-defined.

When you place an area rug of the right shape and size in any of your rooms, it makes it more elegant, refreshing, balanced, and cozy. So next time you search for area rugs near me, make sure you make the right choice before you make the purchase.