Area Rug Buyer's Guide

For centuries, area rugs have laid the groundwork for elegant interior design, and there is an endless array of sizes available to furnish grand parlors, narrow entryways and everything in between. While the most common shape for a rug is rectangular, there are those that are round and oval, and more and more companies are developing new shapes to create interesting statements in entryways and children's rooms.

There are two types of rugs: machine-made and handmade. Machine-made rugs are just that—made from a machine. And under this heading, there are two subcategories: machine-tufted and machine-woven rugs. In short, machine-tufted rugs are constructed by a machine that pushes yarn through a backing, while machine-woven rugs are made by a machine that uses a weaving technique. (With machine-mades, you'll often hear the words Axminster and Wilton thrown about. They refer simply to different types of automated rug-making looms.)

While machine-woven and machine-tufted rugs are the most popular area rugs today, many people prefer the subtle charm of a handmade rug. Common construction methods for handmade rugs include hand-tufting, where workers use a hand-held device to shoot the yarn through the rug's foundation, and hand-knotting, where the yarn is pushed through the foundation and tied off.

Oriental, Persian, Berber and Native American designs are just a few that can be found in area rugs in nearly every price range. And an endless array of sizes are available.

As a rule of thumb, Oriental rugs fall into two broad style and quality categories: geometric and curvilinear (or floral). Geometric patterns are associated with looser tribal weaves made in the countryside. Curvilinear patterns offer finer definition and tighter weaves, and are associated with city manufacture.

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For many people the purchase of an area rug comes later in the decorating (or redecorating) process. They’ve either seen a rug that simply knocks them off their feet and buy it on the spot, they’ve recently had a hard surface floor installed and are looking for a little extra touch, or they simply want to coordinate with their existing design theme. If that sounds like you, it’s a good idea to bring along paint and fabric swatches.

MUST HAVE AREA RUG ACCESSORIES:

Area rug pads: not only do they provide added cushion to your rug, giving it a comfier feel, they prevent rugs from slipping on hardwood or tile surfaces and protect wood floors from abrasions.

Spot cleaners: Spot cleaners come in either powder or liquid form. Before use, make sure to spot test the product on a small area on the back of the rug. (Always have high-quality area rugs, handmade Persian rugs, Oriental rugs and antique rugs professionally cleaned.)