How to Decorate Using an Oriental Rug

Decorating Tips

How to Decorate Using an Oriental Rug

Do you want to add a special touch to your room? Maybe you just want to cover up the spots and spills on your carpet or add character to your hardwood floor. An Oriental rug may be the answer. In addition to being a great way to accent your decor, Oriental rugs have many practical benefits. They add warmth to a room, not only giving character to hard surface floors, but also creating a feeling of intimacy. Also, wool absorbs three to five times its weight in moisture, so it adds moisture to dry rooms and takes moisture from humid rooms. They can also reduce the noise level in a room.

Here are some frequently asked questions:

How do I choose a rug that will complement my décor?
With all the styles and colors available, choosing an Oriental rug that works with your décor isn't hard. However, there are a few factors to weigh before you buy your rug. Consider what you want the focal point of the room to be. If you want the rug to serve as a focal point, consider choosing one with a central medallion. However, if there is another obvious focal point of the room, such as fireplace, you may want to use a rug with a more repetitive pattern but no medallion. Take into account the patterns on the upholstery and walls in the room, so they don't compete with each other. If you have upholstery or wallpaper with an ornate pattern, choose a subtler pattern for the rug. If the walls and upholstery are fairly subdued, you can try a busier pattern to add more interest to the room. Notice how much traffic the area receives. In high traffic areas, selecting a rug with a detailed pattern may be more practical. The more pattern, the lower maintenance. Choose a rug with colors that coordinate with your décor. While all the colors in the rug don't have to match the colors in the room, at least one color should. Take swatches of wallpaper, paint, or upholstery fabric with you when you shop. Remember that lighter-colored rugs will make the room seem more spacious and darker colors in the rug will bring a cozy atmosphere to the room. Keep in mind that texture is an important element. Several different textures are available in a rug. There are Soumaks (embroidery) , Kilims and Dhurries (flat-woven), and Tabriz (full pile). Rugs that are flat woven add an interesting texture to smooth hardwood or tile floors.

Can I use different rugs within the same room? You can use rugs of different patterns within the same room as long as the color coordinates. Using two rugs of the same size may tend to divide the room in half. Select rugs of differing sizes to create more interest and contrast.

What size rug do I need? Under the coffee table: typically 4' x 6' or 6' x 9' rug will work well under most coffee tables. The size you should choose depends on the size of your coffee table and surrounding furnishings, such as sofa, love seat or recliner.The rug should be large enough to accommodate all four legs of the table, and should be approximately the same length and width of the furnishings in the space. To accent the furnishings most effectively, leave some flooring between the rug and the furniture exposed. Under a dining room table:
Most dining room tables will need an 8-foot wide rug. The chair legs shouldn't fall off the rug when people are seated at the table or pulling the chairs away from the table to seat themselves. To determine what size rug you need, measure the length and width of the table and add at least 4 feet to each measurement.
For an entire room:
Try to leave an equal amount of flooring exposed as a border on all sides. If that is not possible, try to ensure the borders on parallel sides of the rug are equal. For many rooms an 8' x 11' rug will work well. It's okay if the front legs of the furniture are on the rug and the back legs are off the rug, as long as the piece is stable and balanced. You may need to place furniture coasters under the back legs to raise them to the height of the rug.