Area Rugs: Size Matters

Decorating an apartment with area rugs is more complex than simply purchasing the rugs you find most appealing and slapping them down wherever you find room. Rugs that are too large, too small or otherwise not right for a room can give off a poor impression and make a room appear overly cluttered or odd. To avoid this, follow a few key tips when selecting rugs for your apartment.

Measure the Floor Space

One common mistake is to buy area rugs that are too large for a room. This doesn’t just refer to rugs that curl up against the walls when laid out; even rugs that leave a little of the floor beneath exposed can actually make a room appear smaller and more cluttered than it is. On the same token, buying a rug that’s too small can draw unnecessary attention to the rug and its awkward appearance. The best rugs compliment a room without being too noticeable. Therefore, you should first measure the size of the rooms.

Take Furnishings Into Account

If you picked the right size area rugs for the rooms in your apartment and then awkwardly put couches, chairs and beds over the edges of the rugs, the effect is the same as not choosing the right size at all. Rugs look best in the center of a circle of chairs, so you might want to measure the room as if it stops where the chairs are placed. However, rugs in bedrooms look best with at least 12 to 18 inches of rug protruding from under the beds.

Determine the Best Size

The best size rugs should leave between 8 inches and 24 inches of floor space exposed on each side of the rug. In an apartment, your space is even more limited than in a home, so you can get away with the smaller end of the spectrum (8 to 18 inches). Rooms like the foyer or hallway work well with the minimum amount exposed. As a general rule (feel free to slightly increase or decrease the size to your tastes), you can expect these size rugs to work well in these size rooms:

• Room: 5 feet by 7 feet (or smaller), Rug: 3 feet by 5 feet
• Room: 5 feet by 7 feet to 7 feet by 10 feet, Rug: 5 feet by 8 feet
• Room: 7 feet by 10 feet to 10 feet by 12 feet, Rug: 8 feet by 10 feet

Decide on a Theme for the Room

Even if you select the right size for your rug, you can still call unnecessary attention to it by choosing the wrong design. For example, if your apartment is generally light, with white-colored walls and light-colored furnishings, you don’t want bright orange area rugs. Choose a color and design that compliments your carpet or flooring, walls and furnishings. Darker colors make stains less obvious, but with proper care, you can keep stains off of light colors as well.

By taking the time to choose the right area rugs for each room in your apartment, you’ll insure that your apartment remains an inviting place to live and entertain. Once you have the right rugs in place, be sure to keep them clean by sprinkling baking soda over them and vacuuming it away one to two times per week.