There are many things to consider when buying a rug. A rug is often the thing that brings a room together or that makes a statement. Buying a handmade, ethical rug using real wool and delicate yarns will be a fairly significant investment so you want to make sure the one you buy is going to serve its purpose for years to come. These 5 considerations should help you make the right choice.
Size……
Our standard rug size is 170cm x 240cm. This is a large enough rug to fill most spaces and you can make a real impact with a rug this size by choosing a stunning pictorial rug or one rich with colour. Choosing a pictorial rug means that you will want to see the whole of the design so be mindful of where you will want to place furniture and maybe consider a glass coffee table.
Enchanted Wood
PLEASE NOTE these pictorial rugs also come in the larger size of 2m x 3m for those larger spaces. Go as large as you can to avoid the postage stamp look on your floor!
A larger rug can act more like a carpet and when used this way will work best in a pattern thus allowing furniture to be placed over the rug. Below is Govind, our hand-knotted rug from The Curated Collection.
Our Govind rug acting more like a carpet
Here the furniture sits on top of the rug making the space seem calmer and less cluttered than if it sat within the space.
Colour…..
Has the rug to fit into an existing scheme or are you starting with the rug? A neutral rug is sometimes easier to place or fit but will not necessarily enable you to optimise the statement you would like to make. Possibly a rug with a neutral base with little accents of colour is a way of playing it safe whilst adding a little interest, like Mandela Viscose for example.
Mandela Viscose
Mandela Viscose
Or our new Swallows Wisteria rug (coming soon)? This new addition to our range is comprised of wool & viscose in Soft Grey, Dull Gold and Indian Teal for the swallows.
Swallows Wisteria – Coming Soon
Another way to keep it neutral would be to choose a two tone rug combining different yarn types to create interest whilst keeping it fairy safe, like Sunburst for example.
Another option would be to go with a simple pattern in a simple colour combination, this way you are adding interest through colour and pattern, creating more texture in the room.
Infinity
Or maybe you want colour? You can be bold with colour and it’s really not that frightening. Look how well this gorgeous, white, minimal room looks with a flash of colour and pattern on the floor…
Our Crochet rug via instagram user @pimpmysemi
And here is Enchanted Wood, seen with an emerald green sofa, black kitchen, mid grey walls and orange accents in the chair and clock. It looks fabulous. Don’t you think? For colour inspiration follow the #styleitdark hashtag on instagram and these accounts: @around_houses @nicolabroughton38 @seasonsincolour @carnivalofcolour @pinkhouseliving @pimpmysemi
Enchanted Wood
Position…..
Where is the rug going? Is the rug to define an area? Will it take a lot of traffic? These points can determine the best yarn type for the rug and the construction method, perhaps for a hallway you would require something very hard wearing, and not necessarily too luxurious underfoot but with enough interest again to add texture/richness to the space……similarly if it is for a kitchen dining area ideally you would want something hardwearing and concealing of stains perhaps a dhurrie…..?
If you have kids and the rug is in a high traffic area then patterns and colours help disguise the odd stain. . Read why Emily Murray from the award winning Pink House blog thinks you shouldn’t skimp on style just because you have kids in her post about our rugs.
Composition……
Composition can be influenced very much by position, although silk may be very expensive it is also a very hard wearing yarn and fire resistant, it can also be spun very finely which allows for very fine ornate details, a great choice for hotels if the budget allows. Viscose is a good alternative to silk produced from wood pulp, it also offers the gentle lustre of silk at a fraction of the cost, however it does not cope too well with stains. Wool is a very good choice in terms of durability and stain resistance and offers a superior quality to man made fibres, it is also a good insulator so the perfect choice for draughty floorboards. It can be spun quite finely and good detail can be achieved at high density.
Our Raika rug from the Curated Collection – comprised of super soft wool & sari silk
Our Govind rug from The Curated Collection – oxidised wool leaves a beautiful pattern of vibrant silk
Viscose (here in our Peacock Tree rug) is a cheaper alternative to silk.
Wind and Water rug in 100% pure wool
Or, have you ever considered crewel stitch? Our new crewel stitch Mount Orient products are hand stitched in crewel wool with viscose to accentuate the design detail and give an opulent sheen. The rugs are extremely lightweight and can also be used as wall hangings bedspreads and for draping over the back of a sofa or an occasional table. These rugs are great in the bedroom or even bathroom. They can go in the wash, although slight shrinkage (about 3cm) does occur on the first wash. They’re not going to cut it with draughty floorboards however!
Crewel Stitch range
Cost…..
Budget….This is determined by all of the above. Would you like a rug that will last you a long time, perhaps an heirloom? Why not in this throwaway society? Good quality design along with good raw materials and quality manufacturing methods will create a rug that will last a very long time. Unfortunately there is a price to pay for good quality rugs and for inferior quality rugs undoubtedly someone else will be paying the price.
Would you like to be the first to know about our offers and new product designs before they are made public? How about being privy to what we get up to each month at Wendy Morrison Design? Well, why not subscribe to our emails? We don’t bombard you and we aim to give you value upon each open and click.
