You have a living space with a sofa, a couple of chairs and hardwood floors. Throw down a rug in the middle and problem solved…but an oriental rug provides so much more benefit than simply covering the floor and looking pretty. Rugs help define spaces, add depth and warmth to a room, increase comfort, and act as additional insulation and sound barriers. Rugs can be used to complement bold furniture or as the statement of the room. As Edgar Allen Poe once wrote…” The Soul of the Apartment is the Carpet.”
Define spaces:
With the current trend of ‘open concept houses’, space is no longer defined by walls. A living room can blend seamlessly into a dining area or formal sitting space. Using rugs to frame out these different areas with accompanying furniture helps separate the spaces. Tip: Use different rugs with complementary colors and designs to give each space a unique feel while also keeping a pleasant flow.
Depth and warmth:
A lighter/softer rug can make a small, or dark space feel open and bright. Use soft rugs like Oushaks and Peshawars in an upstairs hallway to lighten the space. These same rugs can be used in smaller rooms with less outside light to make them feel much bigger. In contrast, a rug with a darker color palette can pull space together. Putting a darker rug in a large living space can make your space feel much cozier and inviting.
Comfort and Sound:
There is nothing quite like a soft rug under your feet. A home without rugs feels empty and uninviting. Rugs under your dining room table, down the halls, and in your living spaces are welcoming to both yourself and guests. They add an extra level of comfort to your home. Rugs also help control sound by absorbing vibrations in the floor as well as dampening vocal echoes that can bounce off the walls.
Complement style:
If there is a certain color or design in your furniture fabrics or hangings that you really want to accentuate than finding the right rug will help tremendously. Finding a rug softer rug with those colors used as accents will pull the colors out of your fabrics and make them shine! On the opposite end, using traditional wood or leather furniture pieces with a bold rug can make a space look absolutely stunning. The furniture can be comfortable and subtle while letting the beautiful designs and colors in the rug bring out the room.
Rugs as Art:
Rugs don’t have to just sit on the floor. Small rugs and thin runners make great place mats and table runners. Fine silk pieces can be hung on the walls as art and add elegance and conversation to a space.
The benefits of having and using a beautiful well-made oriental rug are vast and diverse. Rugs can be moved from space to space to add variety over time and often times have enough different colors to work with a variety of different decors. A good rug will last for generations and only gets better with age.