Rugs are popular firstly because they add elegance to the room, pulling the look together and making a statement. They are great décor pieces as you can take them with you, along with the furniture, when you move house. They can be bespoke to fit the space exactly, tying into your décor scheme with a wide range of colours and weaves. If you’ve decided to invest in a rug for your home, the team at Shuttleworth Weaving recommends you ask yourself the following:
What size do you need?
When choosing the size of your rug, consider its purpose as well at the design of the room.
- Is it going to be the primary floor covering? Large rugs can fill a room giving the appearance of a wall-to-wall carpet while still being able to move with you and become a family heirloom.
- Or perhaps it’s a statement piece in the centre of the room, in which case you are looking to fill the space without crowding the furniture. Usually, you need to leave a border between the wall and the rug to create that polished look.
- If you’re placing a rug beneath a dining suite, all the chairs should remain on the rug when people are seated so measure around your suite accordingly.
- In a lounge, the rug should meet the furniture around it so measure the space between your key pieces.
- In a bedroom, the rug should run beneath your bed with, on average, a 0.5m border on either side and at the end of the bed.
- Small rugs, under 1m in length and narrow, are ideal for adding a luxurious underfoot feel as you step out of bed or stop you sliding across the bathroom floor!
- Runners for passages and kitchens are popular for high-traffic areas to protect the floor and add a finishing touch to these spaces.
Where are you planning to place it?
Categorise the area you are planning to place your rug into one of the following three. This will help you choose the correct fibre and ensure your rug lasts you for years, looks beautiful in the space and doesn’t add a huge amount to your housework.
- Low-traffic areas in a home are places where there isn’t a lot of foot traffic and are often spaces you walk barefoot, such as bedrooms. Here you can invest in luxurious fibres such as mohair and enjoy the soft cushioning beneath your feet.
- Medium-traffic areas are spaces such as lounges and children’s play areas. They need something a little more hard-wearing while still feeling comfortable underfoot and looking good. For example wool rugs are warm and soft and ideal for children’s bedrooms.
- High-traffic areas are rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms, passageways and outdoor spaces. Here we’d recommend a hard-wearing and waterproof material such as a polypropylene rug. Polypropylene is hugely in fashion as we spill out into our outdoor living areas and look for practical solutions to bring the look together as well as keep it warm and cosy in winter. They are easy to wash (with a hosepipe and a bit of soap) making them great for muddy and wet areas.
Want to know more?
Shuttleworth Weaving creates unique, handwoven standard and bespoke products in mohair, wool and polypropylene. Its range includes handcrafted rugs, throws and wearables. This team of skilled crafters takes pride in creating items that become family heirlooms.
Visit www.shuttleworthweaving.com
Leave a Comment