How to Choose the Right Carpet for Your Home

Here is a comprehensive guide to choosing rugs and carpets wisely

Rukmini Ray Kadam 15 February 2017

Houzz India Contributor, Home Decor Feature writer with Huffington post India, Decor stories at Deccan Herald, Realty section & Founder of Trumatter- a design and decor blog which won 3 prestigious awards panning 2014 to 2016. When not dabbling with decor I work with a few brilliant people in a leading Food Tech organization, nurture my enthusiasm for good photographs and sing for an alternative band.

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Carpets and rugs add colour, warmth and texture to any space. It’s a quick and effective upgrade: the transformation is immediate, so there’s the added bonus of instant gratification. But how do you pick the right rug or carpet for your space? Is it the right size for the place? What colour or texture suits your home style? From start to finish, here are all the answers you’ll ever need to roll out the right carpet!

Prachi Damle Photography

Rug or carpets?
It’s really up to you because essentially they are the same thing, doing the same job. But depending on which area you place it, you can decide whether to opt for a carpet or a rug.

The chief difference between a rug and a carpet is of size. Carpets are large (the sides measure more than 6 feet) and traditionally come in rectangles or squares while rugs are smaller and come in various patterns, shapes and sizes.

Carpets can look great in rooms to which you want to add some depth or drama. For example, your study or library or your bedroom. As these areas see less foot traffic, a carpet may be a practical choice. In addition, a thick mohair or wool carpet feels great underfoot, lending instant sophistication to your space. On the other hand, for the living room, kitchen, bathroom and the dining area, a rug (preferably a short pile, which means shorter fibres) might be more suitable as these areas see more traffic. It will be easier for you to move the rug around and wash it too!

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Fabien Charuau Photography

Shaggy or Persian?
Before you decide, here are a couple of questions you should ask yourself.

What do you want to feel underfoot? The answer to this will help you streamline your decision. Do you want a warm, fuzzy feel? Then it’s wool, fur or a shaggy rug for you. Do you want something that brings in the feel of natural fibre? In that case, opt for jute, cotton or coir. Once you have decided on the material, move on to the next question.

What purpose will your rug serve? Will it be near the bathroom or will it be in the children’s room? Is it going under your dining area or will it be used chiefly for aesthetic purposes? Think of your needs, then choose the material. For example, for the kitchen or the children’s room, look for material that is stain-resistant and easily washable. On the other hand, a plush Persian might be apt for your living or study.
What size? If you plan to add a carpet or a rug, make sure it’s not too small and it covers a considerable portion of your floor. Small rugs do nothing to your room other than throw the space out of proportion. Alternatively, if you have a large room, make sure your carpet is not too big or it’ll make your furniture seem small.

Tip: In addition to Persian carpets, Persian rugs are highly valued across the world and are the perfect alternative to a carpet if you live in smaller spaces.

Architecture BRIO

Where do I place a carpet?
Here are the top tips to work your carpet and rug like a pro:

Place your furniture on the borders of your carpet to create a cohesive look. Ideally all four legs of your furniture should be within the carpet area but if you cannot afford to do that, make sure the two front legs are in the carpeted area, at least.

If you are using a rug in your dining area, make sure there is enough carpet around the dining space even when the chairs are pulled out.

Graham Atkins-Hughes Photography

How to place them in bedrooms?

For the bedroom, if you are using a smaller rug, let half of the rug go under the bed. This brings symmetry to the space. I love how this rug with calligraphy sticks out just enough to offset this rather monochromatic room.
You could also use identical rugs on either side of the bed or choose a carpet that’s large enough to go under the bed and yet be visible.

Architecture BRIO

Alternatively take a look at this bedroom which uses a full-size carpet to run under the four-poster bed and along the entire stretch for maximum visual impact. Because everything overlaps the edges of the carpet, it gives the room a cohesive and pulled-together look.

Monica Khanna Designs

How to place them in living rooms?
Carpets can also be used to demarcate spaces in a living room. If you have a large space with multiple seating areas, you can use multiple, smaller rugs to separate them. In this space, the designer brings in a vibrant rug to segregate the three seating areas.

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Design Arc Interiors Bangalore

How to place them in dining rooms?
When placing a rug in your dining area, make sure it covers a considerable area even when your chairs are pulled out for use. Designers swear by a 24-inch perimeter of extra carpet around the dining space for maximum impact. This also prevents your chair-legs from getting caught on the edge of the carpet or rug.

Tip: Match the shape of the rug to your room or the shape of your table for playfulness. For example – round tables look best with round rugs and square tables offset square rugs. beautifully.

Ashleys

How to use them outdoors?
Got a pretty porch or a verandah you’d like to jazz up? A rug is an effective way to do so. When it’s the outdoors you are looking at, look for a rug that is easily washable and is of a darker shade so it doesn’t get soiled easily.

SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C.

What have patterns to do with scale?
Follow this a thumb rule while choosing patterns: the size of the pattern should match the scale of the room. For small rooms, opt for small patterns with smaller repeats. This will make your room look larger. If you have a mid-size room, opt for a rug with stripes. A wide-striped rug expands your room and makes it look larger. If you have a large room, opt for a carpet with big repeats. This will add cosiness.

Terracotta Design Build

Tip: No matter how you pair your rug or carpet, make sure you are tracking the tone of your rug with the rest of your room. If the tone of your rug is not in sync with the tone of your room it can end up looking out of place.

Margaret Donaldson Interiors

How to include them in an open plan layout?
Live in an open plan home? While a rug is a good idea to divide your room, make sure the patterns and colours harmonise with each other and it does not exercise too much individuality. Yes, in simpler words, no fighting for attention!

Tip: For open plans, begin with a patterned rug at the entrance to make a strong impression and follow with consequent rugs in the living room but in not more than two colours. For your dining area, opt for a transitional rug that will link the other areas of your room to that area. I quite fancy an octagonal rug as a transitional rug!

Read more:
Soft Furnishing Maintenance 101
How to Ace Open Plan Living in India

Tell us:
How do you work rugs in your home? Write in Comments below.