Using Area Rugs to Maximum Effect

Have you ever noticed just how often most area rugs are simply tossed where ever they may fit, and then left there? Unfortunately most people do not know the proper methods for using area rugs to maximum effect. Believe it or not, there are a few guidelines that just about everyone can follow to end up improving most rooms in any home. Just keep them in mind when you are considering using an area rug in your home.

• Get the size right. One of the key elements for using area rugs to maximum effect is to actually get a rug in the correct size to use. This is actually not as difficult as you would think, in that you look at the size of the room that the rug will be used in, and choose a rug that will typically leave about eight inches or so around the rug bare. This means that if you will be having furniture around the perimeter of the rug you will want to take that into consideration. Generally speaking, for most living rooms you can get away with using either a four foot by six foot rug, or even a five foot by eight foot rug depending on the size of the room. If you are going to be putting a rug in your dining room you will want to have your rug be a minimum of four feet larger (all around) than your dining table.
• Get the correct coloring. The coloring of your area rug, just as the color of your walls and other furniture, can have a huge impact on the overall look of your home. Not only do you want to choose colorings, and patterns that will go well with the other colors that you have in that particular room, but you want to keep in mind that darker colors will make the room look (and even feel smaller) which is fine if you are trying to create an intimate feel to the room. For rooms that you want to feel or look larger than they normally do you will want to go with a lighter coloring. A general rule of thumb to keep in mind is that darker colors and patterns tend to hide wear and tear better than lighter colors.
• Don't forget the padding. Despite what many people think, rugs very rarely wear themselves out from the top down. Rather, what they do is wear out from the bottom of the rug towards the top. One way to help reduce that wear and tear is to use a rug pad. These pads should be used whenever you are using an area rug, regardless of the flooring type. Generally speaking these pads should be slightly smaller than the rug, and as such they will also help prevent the rug from sliding around.
• Regular cleaning is a must. Once you have your rug in place, and are happy with the results, you still have some work to do with it. That work is to do some regular cleaning of it. On the average all you should really have to do is vacuum the rug as needed (typically every other day at a minimum). Beyond that, you should do a deep cleaning once a month to get any really deep seated dirt, dust, or grime out of it. This is usually done by taking the rug outside and beating it. Clean up any spills immediately, and treat all stains carefully.

Remember, these are only a few of the guidelines that you can use to ensure that you are using area rugs to maximum effect. By using these guidelines, you are almost certain to be able to enjoy the results. That being said, if you would like to experiment, using these guidelines as a starting point. When experimenting, don't be surprised if you end up spending more money than you would have at first believed when you are figuring this out. The reason for this is rather simple in that area rugs are generally fairly expensive, with the smaller less expensive ones generally costing around $45.00.