Like any half decent Capetonian, I have spent the most part of the last few weeks complaining bitterly about the cold. So time to shake off that frost bite and find some serious inspiration in the textural deliciousness of rugs.
They not only bring warmth to a space (quite literally, warmth is ALL I can think about), but they add texture and visual interest, taking even the dullest of spaces to the next level.
Like with all things interior based, there is indeed a simple art to buying rugs and decorating with them. Follow some tips below to find your perfect match to transform your space to perfection.
- Size
This is the obvious part, right? Take measurements for your rug based on the space you wish to fill.
If wanting to add a rug to your seating area, the size of rug you choose should sit comfortably within the size of your seating area. It is not necessary to fill the entire floor space or room, although if you have the space it’s never regrettable to be as generous as possible.
Ideally, all furniture should be placed on the rug, even it’s just on the edge – front-legs-only is generally the rule of thumb here. The basic idea is when sitting on the armchair or couch, your feet are on a rug, not the floor.
Under a dining table you ideally want to stretch as wide as possible, so your chairs are all sitting on the rug when pulled out.
However, sometimes you find the most beautiful rug, but its not in the right shape or size, especially when it comes to vintage or antique rugs. When faced with these situations, consider layering your rugs. Choose a basic larger rug for underneath in a neutral weave like a jute, hemp or sisal and then place your patterned smaller rug on top.
- Colour and Pattern
This is of the most important aspects to get right, a real make or break decision. Chosen right, a rug brings a space to life. Chosen wrong, it’s quite simply the biggest eye sore (no pressure!).
Fail safe options and always a winner are neutral heavily textured natural fibre rugs. They always look great, are inexpensive and hard wearing.
Although a rug “reads” as your biggest piece of furniture in the space, don’t always play it safe. Choosing the right colour combinations and playful patterns, can really bring the space to the next level, especially if placed in a fairly neutral environment. Dhurries and kilims are known for their bright graphic prints and bright colours, and tend to work in just about any space.
If the space has a few colour combinations on the go already, then ensure you choose a rug that further enhances the main tones of the space, and acts as a thread tying them all together.
- Texture – making the material work for you
One generally tends to forget about this feature when choosing a rug, and yet it adds a different dimension to the space. Bringing texture to a space makes it feel dynamic and complete, and a rug is the easiest tool to achieve this with. Let existing finishes in the space be your guide for what’s needed in the rug, sleek leathers team well with a richer softer pile rug, whereas a rich luxurious sofa looks magnificent on a harder jute or hemp base.
As always, be practical with this purchase and think about cleaning. If you have pets and or kids or if it’s a high traffic area, go for the easy to clean, hard wearing, durable types and leave the beautiful and delicate rugs for the calm of your bedroom.
See full inspiration board on Pinterest.