1. Take a photo of the room you're decorating to the rug store. It's easy to get distracted or excited and buy the wrong rug. Using an image as reference will keep you on track.
2. The back of a rug will tell you if it's machine or handmade. Stiff fibres running straight up and down probably mean it's a machine rug. If the rug 'packages' (crumples easily) this means it's most likely handmade.
3. If you have trouble visualizing what a rug will look like in a room, use tape. You can even use a sheet to help you decide what size rug to buy.
4. Padding under the rug will improve the wear and absorb sound, great for hallways and areas with lots of foot traffic. It will also stop the rug from moving.
5. Be careful the pattern of the rug doesn't clash with the curtains.
6. If the room is already decorated, use the rug to help pick out one key hue. If you're painting or re-papering a room, a colour found in an existing rug can give you inspiration and help bring the room together. Light coloured rugs make a room feel bigger. Dark colours create cosiness.
7. With more than one rug in a room, follow these general guidelines: One rug needs to be dominant in size. All rugs should be similar in at least design/colour. Don't clone with the smaller rug.
8. Rug corners can be a tripping hazard. You can use a triangle of strong double sided tape to stop them curling up.
9. Rotate your rugs on a yearly basis to equalize wear.
10. If you want to add a rug to a wooden floor, make sure you have an eight inch gap around the rug's perimeter.
About The Author
Drew Davies co-writes www.arugfantastic.blogspot.com, a resource about rugs. He is based in London.
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