Image credit: Weaver Green

When it comes to how to choose the right rug for your home, don’t underestimate the power it has in transforming your space.

Firstly, there’s the practical element to consider, rugs provide insulation which helps retain the heat in a room, which in turn can help keep your energy bills lower.

Noise reduction is a major plus for choosing the right rug for your home, from large, country pads to Victorian terraces converted into flats, rugs can help dampen the sound of footsteps and echoes.

There’s of course added comfort with rug-laden floors, if you’re padding about your home barefoot, and the benefit of protecting your flooring from your furniture.

And they’re just the functional benefits, a rug can anchor a room and bring a whole decor look together.

From size, to material to shape to colour, Good Homes chats to Lena Gierasinska, Head of Product and Display at Barker and Stonehouse, and Tasha Green, Founder of Weaver Green to get their expert tips on how to choose the right rug for your home.

Go large

Lena says how, “Investing in a well chosen and oversized rug can be a savvy move when you’re trying to spruce up your home on a budget.

By opting for a larger design rug and positioning it under a sofa, you can instantly elevate a space and make it feel more luxurious.

A common mistake by many is buying a small rug which sits in front of a sofa and under a coffee table, but by making these small changes, it can instantly elevate a living room.

Particularly when paired with wooden flooring and a mix of floor lamps and low-level lighting. The resulting look is not only stylish but effortlessly timeless.”

Measure the proportions

“There are so many factors to consider when choosing a rug such as colour, texture, material, pattern and of course the size and shape,” explains Tasha Green, Founder of Weaver Green. These are her tips for choosing the right rug for a room:

“The rug you choose should be proportional to the room size – I recommend measuring the length and width of the room to understand the overall space. Also, consider the shape of the room.

For example, a narrow rug or runner works well in a long room such as a galley kitchen or hallway, while a wide rectangular or circular rug would suit a square space or a room with a central focal point such as a living room or dining room.”

Think about your furniture arrangement

Tasha also adds how you should “consider how your furniture is arranged. My guideline is to have clear space around the rug, particularly if the rug is highly patterned or textured. 

The rug size and type may vary depending on the room’s purpose (e.g. living room, bedroom, dining room). A rug that is too small can make the room feel disjointed, while an oversized rug can overwhelm the space. Aim for a balance that enhances the room.

“The amount of traffic in and out of a room is also an important consideration. High-traffic areas might need larger, more durable rugs such as kilim woven rugs which have a tighter, more durable weave.

“The rug should not obstruct pathways and should withstand the wear and tear of high-traffic areas.

“Also make sure there is adequate space around the rug for doors to open and close without obstruction. I recommend leaving at least 20cm of bare floor around the rug edges in larger rooms.”

Consider layering your rugs

Another idea is to layer your rugs. Tasha says if layering rugs her “general rule of thumb is to make sure the base rug should be larger, than the top rug.

The base rug should be plainer and the top rug can be used to add texture or colour. This can define areas within open-plan spaces.

n a dining room, for example, the rug should be large enough that chairs remain on the rug even when pulled out. In a bedroom, a large rug should encompass the bed and the bedside tables or a smaller rug used at the end or side of the bed.”

Know your rug types

• Natural fibre rugs – with biophilic design a mainstay in our interiors, we are embracing all things natural and the shops are packed full of natural fibre rugs. You’ll also find a fantastic selection on Facebook Marketplace. Look for jute, sisal, seagrass, hemp and coir (which is made from coconut husks).
• Flatweave – Rug Traders describe how a flatweave rug is created using a weaving technique which involves the weaving of wool (or the chosen material) around warp thread pairs. When finished, these fibres create the entirety of the rug’s surface. The backing is created by weaving threads on a loom, meaning the pattern is usually reversible on each side.
• Kilim – Kilim rugs are an excellent example of flat woven rugs, and they feature vibrant colours and geometric patterns. Rugknots explain that “Persian kilims are typically made with silk, wool and cotton fabrics, while Turkish kilims are often woven in wool or linen threads and are usually handmade”.
• Tufted rug – Tufted rugs are having a moment with some incredible companies to check out, like Sonya Winner, Studio Tuft and Teddy Hansen’s beautiful new collection for Studio Ham. A tufted rugs uses the unique technique of pulling loops of yarn through the rug’s backing material using a tufting gun. The loops are then sheared to create a smoothed out, cut-pile surface.

Don’t forget your outside spaces

Garden rooms and outdoor rooms are on the up, but thankfully there are some fantastic and durable outdoor rugs, so you can create the perfect al fresco living room.

At Weaver Green, there is a full selection of outdoor rugs to brighten up your garden. All of their rugs are made from recycled plastics, but the finished product is so soft, you would never know as they genuinely feel like wool.

Their step-by-step process (for both their indoor and outdoor rugs) is to “take disused PET plastic bottles and shred them to into very fine strips, then heat and back comb the strips until tiny fibres start to open, then they spin and stretch the fibres to create a beautiful, soft and resilient yarn.”

To create the colours, they then “use non-toxic dyes, to transform the new yarn into a rainbow of different colours.”

The recycled yarn is then hand-loomed using traditional weaving techniques, and results are beautiful. The rugs will also last for years, given that the colours are UV stable, and the fabric is machine-washable and won’t go mouldy.