Tips On Buying The Perfect Living Room Rug
A space for fun and recreation, the living room is the
hub of your household. This is where you strengthen the family bonds and a
place where the entire family can unwind. The living room is also a place where
you and your guests can lounge pre and post dinner. It would be appropriate to
call it the heart of the home. With so much happening in this room, the decor
of the room must reflect your personality and style. A piece that can transform
a room from the ordinary to elegant is a rug. A carefully chosen rug can set
the tone for the decor and make the room feel warm and inviting. Before you go
and buy yourself a carpet for your living room, there are a few things that you
need to know.
Functional
or Formal
This is probably the most crucial decision to take
before you invest in the carpet. Is the living room going to be a functional
place or a formal sitting area or a mix of the two? If you have small children
or pets that have the run of the house, you may want to invest in a durable
carpet such as those of Wool or Flat Weave rugs in
dark colors. If you want a more comfortable and rich feel, carpets with soft
fibers such as those made from bamboo silk are perfect. One factor that needs
to be considered is the ease of cleaning the rug from accidental spills or
stains.
Size
Matters
Once you have decided on the functional or formal
question, you need to work out the size of the carpet. Getting the size right
is important, as too small a carpet will hardly show and too large will
overwhelm the rest of the decorative accents in the room. A good reference
point to decide the size is the furniture in the room. You could either get a
carpet which stops just short of the sofa/chairs; or one that is large enough
to place the furniture on.
Color
and Tone
A beautiful house features
a blend of textures, colors, and dimensions. While you can let your imagination
run wild with most spaces in the house, allowing solid bright colors and busy
motifs to share space with a neutral palette; the living room has to be more
subtle and matched. If this is the room where you display your family heirlooms
and other precious artifacts; choose decorative rugs with soft pastel
colors and earthy tones to bring warmth without overpowering the other elements
of the room. You also need to take into account the other fabrics and materials
used in that room. Generally, the carpet leads the rest of the décor in the
room. The curtains, furniture fabric color, and the walls need to blend
cohesively with the rug.
Effect
of Light
Lighting plays a very important role in selecting
the carpet and is one factor that is
overlooked by most people. The carpet will reflect sunlight and artificial
lighting differently. Different types of light reflecting off the fibers of the
carpet can cause its sheen to ebb and wane.
The
Bottom Line
A good quality carpet is a legacy investment that will occupy
the central part of your living room for years. It adds dimension to the room
and reflects the owner’s personality and style.