From classic Persian to striking contemporary designs, nothing enhances the beauty and individuality of a home like hand-woven area rugs. These ever-popular floor coverings come in a wide array of styles, sizes, and prices to fit virtually every décor and every budget.
Here are some terrific tips that will help you incorporate hand-woven area rugs into your decorating plans courtesy of the Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA) and CEPC, a non-profit association of India’s leading area rug manufacturers. One of the prime sources of high quality handcrafted area rugs is India.
Start from the rug up
Rugs are often the last things people buy for their rooms. However, area rugs should really be the “foundation” of your design plan because they often become the focal point of the space. Selecting the rugs first will also help you to plan the overall colour scheme and create a mood for the room.Size matters
The actual room size and your specific decorating scheme are important considerations when deciding on the size of the rug. For example, a dining room rug should be large enough to cover the table area and the chairs when pulled back. A bedroom looks best with one large area rug that extends from the sides and front of the bed, or two smaller rugs, one on each side of the bed. If you have a small room, leave as much of a border of flooring around the rug as possible to make the room appear larger.Two’s company and three’s not a crowd
Area rugs should really be the “foundation” of your design plan because they often become the focal point of the space.
You can make an extra large living room and/or family room more inviting and intimate by using two or more area rugs to create separate “conversation” and TV areas, a “music” area, or a hobby area, etc.
On the surface of things
Area rugs look terrific on finished wood flooring, ceramic and other types of natural tile, and many other surfaces. However, if you are renting a furnished home or apartment whose main rooms are covered with broadloom, there’s no rule against placing area rugs over the carpeting, provided that the rug colours and patterns work well with those of the carpet.Mix it up
There’s no decorating rule that says you shouldn’t mix area rug styles within a home or even within the same room. If space permits, don’t worry about placing a transitional or contemporary design rug in a room with the traditional Persian carpet you inherited. Go ahead and mix ‘em up. The best designs are those that appeal to you.Order in the house
There is no such thing as a problem space. Thanks to innovations in rug weaving techniques, hand-knotted area rugs can be made-to-order in any size, shape, design and colour combination. So, if you have an unusual or oversized space, or other special decorating requirement, a local floor-covering retailer can order a rug custom-made for your particular needs.Download a free brochure, “A Shopper's Guide to Hand-Woven Rugs from India,” at www.rugsofindia.org.
