Some Rug Buying Pointers

December 14, 2012
Cypress-Point-13

We were delighted to return the favor and do a guest post for Fine Rugs of Charleston.  Check them both out as some of the images are different!!

We thought it might be fun to touch on some of the more intimidating parts of desiging your home.  Some of those purchases that make you lose sleep.  You’ve bought a new house.  Or perhaps you are sprucing up one that you’ve had for a while.  What are you going to do with those floors?  This very question has been plaguing homeowners for ages.  Today, we are happy to provide you with the perfect solution: call your interior designer and head on down to a local rug shop.  (For us, Fine Rugs of Charleston is literally a stone’s throw away!)  I know what you’re thinking….’Of course you would say that.  You’re biased.’  Well, yes, perhaps we are but it works!  Rugs are no small thing and they carry a lot of weight in the design of your home.  Few things can kill a design more than the wrong rug.

We came up with a little Q&A to get you thinking.  (Note: This is not an actual client but more a blend of 25 years of MDI clients.  Now that’s a lot of experience at your disposal.)

Client: I just invested in these beautiful hardwood floors.  Do I have to put rugs down?

MDI: Yes!  For so very many reasons!

1. Houses echo.  Getting some rugs down will help cut down on the echo in your       house and especially those second floor stompers.

2. Delineating areas.  Particularly with the open nature of many floorplans these days, rugs are one of the most effective means of grounding the various areas of a house.

3. Rugs are beautiful.  Rugs are a critical element of an MDI interior.  You can add color and life…..

Silk Ikat Rug
Silk Ikat Rug
Flat Weave Carpet
Yellow and White Flat Weave

 

Oushak Rug
Oushak Area Rug

or they can quietly add texture and warmth like a seagrass….

Seagrass Rug
Bound Seagrass Area Rugs

4. Rugs will actually show of your hardwood floors.  We promise!

5. You wouldn’t go to dinner without shoes on….rugs are like the footwear layer of your house.

Client: How do I know what kind of rug to get?

MDI: We will answer that with some questions.  Once we’ve worked with a client on the overall design of a space, these questions will help us guide you to the right rug.

1. What kind of traffic will the room receive?

2. Do you have pets or kids?  Just trying to get a feel for your lifestyle.

3. Do you have an idea of your budget?

Client: My room is huge and I’m afraid I can’t find a rug that large.  Or in the case of the image below, the client fell in love with a rug that wasn’t the right size.

MDI: Take it in phases.  Maybe start with a lower layer like a seagrass (or a seagrass like wool blend if you don’t like the feel of seagrass) and then top it with a decorative layer.

 

Layering Rugs
Layering Rugs

Client: Furniture on or off?

 MDI: There is no universal, hard and fast rule.  However, we do tend to have some generalities that we consider first.

Bedroom: Rug should stop just short of the bedside tables.

Cypress Point Bedroom

Living Room: Rugs should encompass the furniture.  All four legs of that chair on the rug, please.  There are CERTAINLY exceptions.  Even some on our website.  But this is the general rule.

Cassique Living Room
Cassique Living Room

Client: My room is a funny shape

MDI: This is the perfect time to collaborate with someone like Fine Rugs and have them custom bind a rug for you.  Goods that come in rolls are a wonderful solution for this dilemma.  Usually, we have Fine Rugs meet us onsite and we measure off the wall perhaps 6-12″ and have the rug cut to fit the room.  There are so many little nuances to each space which is my this custom solution is such a polished look.

Window Seat
Notice the rug popping into the niche….

So there you have it…some insider tips to help you start thinking about rugs.  Three cheers for rugs!