Design Details: Rug Tips from the Experts
Whether it is the star of the show or its role is to bring the whole room into harmonious balance, rugs are a part of nearly every room, every space in our homes. But their construction, color, size and placement are big question marks for most of us. Fortunately, GSID is full of rug knowledge and we’re here to share that with you.
We tapped our senior designer, Michelle Leff, and our friend, Dody Belden, of Loloi Rugs, to give us the download where our feet meet the floor.
The Size Is Right
“For the majority of our projects, we establish the furniture placement first, then size the rug to go with it,” notes Michelle. Starting with the furniture layout allows you to see what size will fit comfortably under the furnishings while leaving enough open floor space for a clear path of circulation. No one wants to feel like they are walking around the furniture with one foot on the rug and the other on the floor. It’s uncomfortable and can create a tripping hazard.
Michelle’s experience is that people tend to select rugs smaller than what is called for which can make a space look sparse or skimpy.
So what’s the right size? This depends on the room but here are few rules of thumb:
- For smaller living spaces, opt for a rug that extends about 12 inches from the wall
- In larger living spaces, you can leave more area around the border of the rug, just be sure that there’s that clear path of circulation
- Bedrooms: Michelle recommends you give your tootsies a cozy place to land and walk by bringing your rug under the bed stopping just in front of the nightstands
- Dining rooms and offices: ensure that the rug is sized large enough that when a dining or desk chair is pulled out, all four legs comfortably remain on the rug
- Don’t assume all the furniture has to fully fit on the rug: if you’re trying to fit all your furniture completely on your rug it can end up looking like everything is crammed onto an island. It’s okay for some pieces to have four legs on the rug while others only have the two front legs resting on it. Now is a good reminder to consider furniture placement first (see how Michelle’s advice is already coming in handy?)
Guests will never get their chair caught on the rug with this correctly proportioned rug in the breakfast room of our New Hope home.
Correctly sized rugs also allow for the beauty of the underlying floor to shine.
Bring your bedroom rug in front of your nightstands for extra coziness.
The Exceptional Exception
The GSID team knows how to use statement floor coverings with panache. So bring on that rug that oozes personality or is unabashedly bold—the design team turns those ‘look at me’ rugs into sumptuous centerpieces. Michelle says, “We take inspiration from the colors and patterns to guide us in selecting complementary fabrics, paints, art and lighting. It’s all about finding balance for the room.” And, for adjacent rooms, if you can see the floor in an adjacent space, then create harmony by coordinating the floor coverings with complementary colors or patterns.
The Alexander McQueen rug owned by our clients inspired many of the selections for their Rittenhouse Square townhome.
Where do you Stand on Wall-to-Wall
Although whole room carpeting is not as common as it once was, that does not mean it is completely out of vogue. It can be a cozy option for bedrooms, nurseries, children’s playrooms and especially below-grade spaces like basement recreation or lounge areas. “Wherever you want additional softness, insulation, or to protect toddlers or others from tripping, carpet is a smart solution,” Michelle shares.
Checking in with Customs
GSID loves to create highly personalized, custom works for clients. While it extends the timeline and sometimes the budget, it is a fantastic way to ensure a space is unique and exactly as a client envisions.
An equally appealing alternative is to have a rug custom-colored to fit the client’s preferences. It creates a pulled-together, thoughtful room design. You can also add a custom border, fringe or specify a unique shape.
The GSID team had this rug custom colored to coordinate with the seating and art in this Bucks County home.
Who’s In Charge of Construction Around Here?
We’ve noted that selecting the right rug size can be a conundrum for homeowners. Equally as puzzling is how rugs are made and whether that informs their durability, longevity and family-friendliness.
To help unravel the mysteries of rug-making, we asked our friends at Loloi Rugs to provide some expert insight.
Luxury Rugs vs. The World
“When we discuss the differences in rugs, we are referring to their construction,” says Loloi’s brand ambassador, Dody Belden. “Generally speaking, the more hand-touched the rug is, the more expensive and luxurious the rug.” Belden notes that it can take months for skilled artisans to complete one hand-knotted rug. The expertise these craftsmen exhibit takes years to refine and hone. The value of a hand-knotted rug is beyond its apparent beauty; it is the inherent talent, time and effort it takes to bring a piece to life.
Other choices include hand-tufted or hand-loomed rugs which are “wonderful options for someone who would like a high-quality rug without the investment of a hand-knotted rug,” Dody notes.
These days, the ‘work horses’ of the rug world are power loomed, otherwise known as machine-made rugs. These are terrific for homes with kids and pets or in high-traffic areas like hallways and entryways.
Hand-knotted rug styles range from traditional to contemporary; muted to bold. Shown is from the Origin Collection. Photo: courtesy Loloi Rugs.
Don’t Tread on Me, or, can Vintage Rugs live in a Modern Household?
Dody is clear on the subject of antique rugs for today’s living: “Vintage rugs are hand-knotted which means they are created to last years and years. Despite being antiques, these rugs, when taken care of properly, can absolutely stand up to today’s modern living. That said, I would always be careful with pets and possible spills and never use a high-powered vacuum with a beater bar on an antique rug.”
What’s the Diff?
Loloi makes rugs of virtually all constructions, so we asked Dody to give you, dear reader, a quick glossary of the most tossed-around rug terms.
Hand-knotted: A weaver sits behind a loom and hand ties individual knots onto the vertical strings seen on the backside of the rug; great durability and incredible quality
Hand-tufted: A great, affordable alternative to hand-knotted rugs; the quality and price depend on the fiber used; they have a great lifespan and a nearly unlimited variety of patterns, colors and textures
Flatweave: The defining characteristic of flatweave rugs is their lack of a base material; vertical and horizontal fibers are woven together to create a rug without a pile; very durable; often made of wool, jute or cotton
Hand-tufted rugs usually have a soft, thicker pile making them feel sumptuous underfoot. Shown is from the Bradley Collection. Photo: courtesy Loloi Rugs.
Our immense appreciation to Michelle Leff and Dody Belden for taking their time and sharing their expertise so we can all be a little more rug savvy. Now, go use your new found knowledge to make a more beautiful and beautifully-designed world!
Have a rug question? Drop it in the comments below and we’ll do our best to answer it.
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Glenna Stone Interior Design is an award-winning Philadelphia interior design firm serving Philadelphia, the Main Line, and surrounding cities. Utilizing her background and training in interior design, architecture, and engineering, Glenna specializes in creating interiors for residential and commercial design settings. We invite you to visit our website, view our portfolio, and catch up on the latest interior design concepts on our blog!
