5 Tips For Buying the Perfect Area Rug

The first pro tip that Kara has is to make sure you select an area rug that has the correct dimensions for your room, paying specific attention to how it will flow with your furniture. She said that the area rug needs to be "large enough for all of your furniture to fit on, at least the front legs, if not both the front and back."

Kara also noted that it is ideal for your rug selection to "fill the entire room, leaving a 12- to 18-inch border of flooring around the perimeter."

While some of us gravitate toward bright colors and crazy patterns, Kara reminds us that sometimes less is more when it comes to an area rug. She said, "Natural-fiber rugs can be a great neutral base for simple, casual design styles. They are inexpensive and easy to work into any room."

Kara noted, though, that this type of material does have some downsides. She explained, "they won't be soft to the touch, though, for little kids' feet, and once they are stained, they are difficult to clean."

If a natural-fiber rug doesn't sound like the right choice for you, Kara suggests checking out area rugs made from wool. She shared, "Wool rugs have the longest wearability, as they are easily cleaned and are naturally stain-resistant to foot traffic. [Furthermore], polyester and nylon rugs are less expensive and stain-resistant but don’t clean as easily."

Kara further explained that man-made fibers, including viscose, faux silk, and banana silk, are also prone to staining and harder to clean, but they too are often less of an expense.

During your rug search, especially if you're browsing online, you might possibly skip over items marked "indoor/outdoor" altogether. But by doing this, you are eliminating a whole amazing category of options! Kara said, "Indoor/outdoor rugs have come a long way in recent years. They are usually woven from polypropylene fibers and now come in a great variety of colors, patterns, and sizes."

Kara specifically mentioned Dash and Albert outdoor rugs as one of her favorite brands to use since "they are great for kitchens, bathrooms, and [other] high-traffic areas."

Sometimes an area rug can be hard to pick out just simply because of the shape of your room. If your room is not a typical square or rectangle space, no worries! Kara said, "For odd-sized rooms, use a bound carpet that can be made larger by seaming two pieces together. [It can also be] cut to fit odd-angled walls or fireplace cutouts."

She also reminded us that carpet stores are often more than happy to make a home visit to measure a template for a custom rug if needed. "Stanton Carpet makes great geometric patterns that can be used as bound area rugs [too]!"