Area rugs are great for many reasons. They keep your feet warm, protect your floor, bring the room together, and they have other advantages. Finding the perfect area rug is difficult with all of the options available. There are so many to choose from in terms of size, material, color, and accessories.
Many homeowners and designers choose the wrong area rug. It can result in spaces that are mismatched and worn out.
Here are some of the most common mistakes made when buying a rug and how you can fix them.
The Wrong Size Rug
When it comes to buying an area rug, the most common mistake is to buy the wrong size. Homeowners “guess” the size of the carpet they need rather than measuring the dimensions. The result is a lot of space or too many coverings that are difficult to decorate around.
What can you do? It is easiest to measure the exact dimensions you require. If you have the precise measurements, you can buy an area rug that will fit perfectly. For a truly customized solution, we can create rugs of any size or shape. You can use this to ensure you have the right carpet for your fireplace or along angled walls. If a custom-made rug seems too complicated, you can opt for the nearest standard size.
You Forgot to Buy a Rug Pad
While area rugs are beautiful and durable, they also provide comfort to your feet and lower back; without a rug pad, that comfort could be missing. Rug pads offer additional padding and support under rugs to prevent slipping and extend the life of area rugs. Rug pads are necessary to prevent your carpet from sliding around, moving, or bunching up.
How can you fix this? It’s easy to set — get a Rug Pad. It not only provides cushioning for your feet but also keeps your rug from shifting around, causing it to wear out faster.
The Wrong MaterialIt is important to choose the right material for your area rug. Wool, sisal, and jute are good fibers for family rooms and living rooms. Other fibers, such as jute and seagrass, are better suited for kitchen area rugs. Kitchen area rugs are best made from seagrass or polypropylene.
The pile of a rug can also affect how it performs. Thin pile rugs can be easier to clean, while thick pile rugs provide more comfort. It’s important to consider how you want your carpet to perform before making a decision.
What can you do to fix it? If you want a rug that is durable and easy to maintain, then polypropylene is the best choice. Polypropylene carpets look like sisal and are perfect for high-traffic areas, kitchens, outdoor spaces, and other places. The rugs can be cleaned with a hose when they become dirty and are very durable.
Ignoring cleaning instructions
Do not assume that you can wash every rug using soap and water. Most homeowners don’t know that natural fiber area rugs are susceptible to damage from water. Pay attention to the rug’s instructions for care before purchasing.
What can you do? Never use water to clean your natural fiber area rug. Use a host dry carpet cleaning kit instead or a vacuum cleaner with a soft bristle brush to handle the heavy lifting. You can also check out our rug cleaning and care guides to learn more about what you should and shouldn’t do to your natural fiber rugs.
The Wrong Color or Binding
A picture can be worth a thousand written words. When the image is used for online shopping, it can be difficult to determine if it is accurate. What looks great on your computer screen may not translate to real life. Many homeowners and designers make the mistake of choosing the wrong color or binding for their area rug. The rug material and the binding will clash, creating a mismatched appearance.
What can you do? Attention to the binding combinations recommended for the area rug that you desire. On our website, for example, we suggest different critical colors based on your chosen pattern, color, and material. You will always get a matching binding to your rug.
Choose Price over Quality
You get what you paid for, as the old saying goes. You get a rug that is inferior if you pay less.
That’s largely true. Prior to price, consider the quality of the rug’s manufacturing. Please pay attention to the other attributes of the carpet, such as its durability compared to your needs. The same goes for additional features, such as softness, easy cleaning, and resistance to mold or flames, among others.
It can be the opposite: The most expensive rug is not always the best rug for the task. Spending a lot on a luxurious, high-quality wool rug is possible. If you are buying a carpet for a high-traffic area, it’s probably best to spend less money on sisal or seagrass.
Start with the qualities that you are looking for. Then, Look at the price.
Please place it in direct sunlight.
You have a new, beautiful rug that you want everyone to see. In most cases, placing your rug directly in the sun will cause it to be damaged by the sun.
Sometimes, what one person considers to be damage can actually be a person’s rustic, weathered charm. Due to their natural colors, sisal, seagrass, and jute rugs fade over time. However, the fading creates a worn-in look rather than damage. Sun bleaching your carpet is a great way to get rid of two-toned rugs. Just make sure to expose it evenly to the sun.
Consider an indoor/outdoor rug made of polypropylene if you can’t resist putting your carpet in the spotlight. These rugs have synthetic fibers that can withstand the sun and stay vibrant for many summers.
The One-Layer System
One rug is enough? Technically, this is an error you can learn to live with. Why would you do that?
It’s like painting a room and then leaving it bare. No clock, no artwork, no decorative hanging rugs. It’s doing the job, but it’s not doing much more. Rug layering offers a wide range of cosmetic options. Take a look now at our tips on rug layering if you are still living with just one rug.