The rug guide
HOW TO SELECT THE PERFECT RUG FOR A BALANCED SPACE

As one of the most important elements of any space, selecting the perfect rug is essential for a balanced room. A rug brings warmth, character, and helps ground the look of your space, whether it’s making a statement with color and design or providing a subtle accent to complement the room. Today, we are going to talk about how to select the perfect rug for a balanced space in your home.

Since rugs are a major investment, you want to carefully consider your next purchase. Luckily, you have nothing to fear because we’re here to help you out with a few tips, pointers, and rug rules that designers live by.

Choose a rug material

To start, we suggest narrowing down your rug search based on the material. You will need to consider things like durability, foot traffic, color retention, and more. Will the rug be in a high traffic area of your home? Will kids or pets be playing on it regularly? Is there a possibility that it will be subjected to spills? Think through these types of questions and then check out our overview of rug materials below so that you can select a rug that will serve up a healthy dose of both beauty and function.

Wool

 Wool rugs tend to repel water and stains and they are a great insulator when cold weather strikes. They also feel great underfoot but they’re also known to shed.

Sisal, jute, and seagrass

Natural fiber rugs are fantastic for high traffic areas. They are durable and look great layered under smaller, more costly rug options. Although we adore natural fiber rugs, there can be a few cons—depending on the weave, these rugs can be difficult to clean and depending on the exact materials used, they aren’t always the most comfortable underfoot.

Silk

Silk rugs are very soft which makes your feet happy and they are somewhat resistant to wear and tear, making them a solid selection for a comfy, cozy family area! They do tend to be on the pricier side, but you can easily find rugs that feature a silk blend, offering you many of the benefits of silk at a more comfortable price point.

Cotton

Breezy and lightweight, yet strong and sturdy! Cotton rugs are natural and fairly inexpensive, but they’re known for being a bit of a dirt magnet. Luckily, this isn’t a huge issue because they’re also very easy to clean.

Chenille

Soft and cozy, this is a material that we generally reserve for nurseries and playrooms.

Hides

Our hide rugs are handcrafted to create an elegant, organic and contemporary look with natural texture, and they’re available as complete hides, paneled rugs, or woven strips of tanned leather. Each hide rug is authentic, unique, and adds an eye-catching element to the home. We especially love the look of hide rugs layered on top of a larger floor rug!

Define your space

A rug doesn’t look great by itself. It relies on gorgeous furniture and proper placement for a truly stunning and dynamic room. Every room is different and rug placement can be difficult. While a rug doesn’t have to be a certain size for specific types of rooms, there are some good rules of thumb to follow.

Bedroom

Think about whether you want to frame the bed or have a soft place for your feet when you wake up. For a larger rug that will surround the bed, the rug should extend about 36″ from each side and the foot of the bed or 36″ from each side of the bed with the rug ending at the footing. If you’re placing a rug in your bedroom, the standard sizes are 8’x10′ (queen) or 9’x12′ (king). Traditionally, the lengthier side of the rug should run centered on the bed from bedside table to bedside table with the shorter width of the rug starting in front of the bedside tables and running about 36″ off the end the bed.

Expert tip

 For an inviting, curated feel, try layering two rugs on top of one another. You can get a custom cut natural fiber rug at The Quiet Moose and have one cut to the perfect size for your bedroom. Then, layer a smaller, more interesting rug on top that frames your bed to create added depth and dimension. 

Living spaces

For defining a living space, your rug should be large enough to encompass most of the floor space. We believe that the rug should serve as an anchor in the room, so we suggest making sure that all of your furniture can easily fit on top. This means that you’re going to be looking at some fairly large pieces—think 10′ x 12′ and 11′ x 14′ depending on the size of your space. For smaller living spaces, you can opt for a smaller rug and, in this case, our only suggestion is that you ensure the front legs of each furniture piece remains grounded on the rug. As a rule of thumb, there should be at least a 12” border of bare floor around the rug and 6” on either side of the sofa.

Expert tip

Are you finding the size you need but not falling in love with any of the colors, patterns or textures? The Quiet Moose is a premier rug source with many vendors that specialize in custom rug designs. Our team of professionals will collaborate with you on a custom design, allowing you to personally determine the size of your rug and the materials used, as well as the rug’s pattern and color palette.

Dining room

Regardless of whether you entertain formally a few times a year or have daily meals in your dining area, the same rules apply. Measure the length and width of your table and add 2’ on all sides (don’t forget the leaf, if your table has one). This will allow chairs to be pulled out without falling off the rug. Note: It’s best if the other furniture in the room—china cabinets, buffets—stays off the rug.

Pick a color and pattern 

Whether it’s a vibrant kilim or a plush, neutral rug, we offer a range of designs to match your style. Choose rug colors and patterns that make you smile and don’t overly stress the details. If you’re looking for a more timeless design, consider neutral tones and smaller-scale patterns. For a bold, colorful look, consider large graphic designs or traditional patterns with modern hues.

Choose the perfect style and texture

Aside from bringing color and pattern to your space, rugs also add texture and character to any room. For added warmth and interest, consider a rug with a prominent weave or construction style, like basketweave or braided abaca, hand spun jute, or hand knotted wool; these styles look timeless in neutral, nature-inspired hues.

Our interior designers are on hand to help you find the right rug for your space. Stop by our furniture showroom to shop our selection of new rugs and one-of-a-kind vintage rugs for an heirloom-quality look.