Choosing the Best Rug for Your Home

Rugs are a simple but powerful way of breathing new life into your home’s decor.

Not only do rugs tie a room together, but they anchor furniture, add warmth, and soften your walking space. Because they can be easily swapped out for another rug later on, they’re perfect for experimenting with styles and colours. They help protect your floors, too!

Of course, the type of rug you choose will decide what kind of impact it will make. Some will act as a subtle complement to a room’s existing decor, while others will completely transform the room’s look.

After 45 years in business, the team at Carpet Barn know rugs inside out. Here are the four things you need to consider when picking out the perfect rug for your home.

Rug Size

The first step is to consider how big or small your rug should be. The best way to do this is to look at the room you’re planning to lay it in.

How big is the room? Does it have a lot of floor space? What furniture will the rug need to fit around?

Living rooms and bedrooms tend to look best with a larger rug, as they have more ground to cover. A rug that’s too small may look swamped by empty space. On the other hand, a bathroom or room with limited space would look better with a smaller rug.

To make sure you’re picking the right size, you should always measure your room from wall to wall before buying.

Rug Shapes

Modern rugs come in a variety of shapes. When deciding on the shape of your rug, think about the dimensions and layout of the room it’s going in.

Rectangle Rugs

Thanks to its unbeatable versatility, the classic rectangle is the most common of all rug shapes.

Because its shape matches the layout of most rooms, a rectangle rug can fit in practically any room of a house. Rectangles have neat, clean edges and provide the most floor coverage of any rug shape, making them perfect for protecting floors in high-traffic areas.

Rectangle rugs come in both modern and vintage styles - compare our Arabesque and Royal rugs for an example!

Round Rugs

Round rugs are the perfect finishing touch, with curved edges adding softness and intimacy to a room. They look especially good in small, square spaces or under furniture.

For example, our handwoven Zarla rug would look stunning if laid in between settees in a rustic or boho-style living room.

Unconventional Rugs

Some rugs go beyond typical geometrics, with unusual shapes unique to them.

These rugs go a long way towards creating a room that’s truly memorable, with their eye-catching shapes making excellent visual centrepoints.

Unconventional shapes are particularly popular in children’s rooms. Our fun and colourful Rocket and T-Rex rugs would be perfect for the budding young scientist in your life!

Rug Design

Once you’ve got a shape in mind, it’s time to think about the pattern.

Rugs come in virtually limitless designs, from modern to classic, patterned to plain, and colourful to monochrome.

Think about the effect you want your rug to create: do you want it to stand out from its surroundings, or seamlessly blend in?

In either case, your rug should always complement your decor. Make sure you choose a colour that either matches your existing colour scheme, or contrasts it in a stylish way. A pop of colour works wonders in a room dominated by grey or beige.

Rugs with eye-catching patterns can even be used as artwork. These look especially striking in a sparsely decorated room; our floral Tropicana rug would turn a plain living room into a tropical-inspired paradise.

Rug Material

Finally, consider what material you want your rug to be made of.

Choosing the right material is important because it determines how long your rug will last.

Consider how much wear and tear the rug will be exposed to. For example, vestibules, entryways, and corridors will see a lot of footfall, often by people wearing dirty shoes. Make sure the rugs you choose for these rooms are hardy and easy to clean. Darker colours are recommended, as these are much better at hiding dirt.

Thanks to its tough sisal fabric and anti-slip gel backing, our Flatweave rug would be perfect for a home’s entrance.

Rugs in rooms that see less footfall, like bedrooms, don’t need to be as hard-wearing. As you’ll probably be walking on them barefoot, the material should instead be soft and comfortable underfoot; our high-pile Softness rugs are made of supersoft microfibre, making them a dream to sink your feet into.

Beautiful Rugs from Carpet Barn

The expert team at Carpet Barn are one of the South West’s leading rug, flooring, and bed providers.

Our huge collection of stylish, cost-effective rugs come in all designs, so you’re sure to discover one perfect for your personal style and budget.

To browse our range in person, pop into one of our stores in Poole, Ferndown, Eastleigh, Christchurch, or Salisbury.

Got questions about the rugs we have to offer? You can get in touch online or by giving your local shop a call!

Rug FAQS

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Interested in a rug for your home? Browse our full range or pop in store today! For more information, contact our team today - we'll be more than happy to offer the advice you need.