LIVING ROOMS Archives

5 tips on how to choose a rug for your lifestyle

Every time I shake a small rug I think of Mrs. Ingalls beating her rugs with a broom on the prairie. We can thank the Hoover family for carpet sweepers- the precursor to the vacuum. Years ago, after my first real estate closing, I treated myself to this vacuum.

That probably says all you need to know about me. #snarcasm

With our hardwood floors scheduled to be refinished, I am thinking about my rug situation for the main level and the basement.

My motivation was simple; I wanted to step up my rug game. I had a few wins and too many cringes with other rugs. Here are a few tips on how to choose a rug.

5 TIPS ON HOW TO CHOOSE A RUG

For some of the tips, you may think, “duh.” But, hopefully, a few of these tips will help when buying a rug.

1.LIFESTYLE

Are you an outdoor enthusiast who wears the same shoes to run to the grocery store and run a few miles on a dirt road? Or, do you sometimes leave the house with your slippers on your feet? My husband wears his shoes inside and it drives me nuts. He will fall asleep on the couch with his work shoes.

2.PETS

If you follow me on Instagram you know that Elliott has a favorite rug. It’s also a wool rug that probably holds more dirt and dog hair than I care to imagine.

We are a big dog, full-on fur Berners type of family. Our marriage vows should include in dog hair and muddy paws.

3. MATERIAL

I love a wool rug, but it takes some work to clean. Elliott loves a wool rug which impacts the wool rug’s lifespan. Here is a great article on how to clean wool rugs.

Cotton rugs are easier to wash and dry but they never lay completely flat once you wash them. Do you have any tips on how to lay cotton rugs flat?

How do you feel about fringe?

For our family, which always includes Bernese Mountain dogs, the fringe is a fancy word for dust catchers.

This is my favorite rug right now.

4. CARPET PAD

I never thought we needed a carpet pad until a friend said it is the floors beneath the rug that will thank you later. Carpet pads are like undergarments for rugs. They give a little extra padding where you need it and they smooth out the lumps and bumps when a rug starts to shift. I found this MADE in the USA carpet pad.

I will let you know when it arrives, but it looks so much better than the waffle, plastic-ish rug pads.

5. HIGH-LOW TRAFFIC

Some rooms get more traffic than others. I found this round rug for under the kitchen table. I love it. It has held up well to two dogs who love to lay on the rug and stare at their dog food bowls.