Rug Shopping? Check our Go-To Guide for Picking the Right One!

© Varval Home

We take for granted the fact that rugs are a very strategic part of our home. While we usually forget about them, rugs are like the lashes of your makeup; when you do full-on makeup you don't finish until your lashes are done right? Of course, there are diverse types. Depending on the area, the functionality, the measurements might change, and your needs. 

Let's say you bought your first home or just moved to a new place. The first thing we think about is getting our living room, dining room, and bedroom ready. Because let's be honest those are the main areas we will use of the home. We create our budget, and we plan all the things we need. I always recommend buying the big pieces first and then going for the other elements and complements of the space. 

We wanted to create an easy way for first-time homeowners, renters, or anyone trying to change their space, a quick list of measurements to consider while buying your rugs.

Here is the list by space: 

LIVING ROOM 

When buying your area rug for this specific room take note of a few things: Are you a people person? How big is your sofa and how much can I spend? These questions will help you understand the basics. 

Let's start with the most common mistake: Sizing your rug. 

1. Measure your space, your sofa, and all the pieces you have in your living room.

2. Create a schematic arrangement of the pieces, then measure how much space it takes.

3. Here is the pro tip ⭐️ The rug must be at least 10 inches underneath the sofa, and all the benches, chairs, and coffee tables should be on top, or if you like, you could leave the chair half and half.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If the rug is too small it could make the space look weird and uncomfortable. We can always play with proportions, but area rug proportions should always be flattering. 

Be clear, be confident, and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later, it will take care of itself. It always does.

Remember this is a big space, but you can accomplish the same feeling with a smaller area rugs and pieces ✨ - © Varval Home

DINING ROOM

Let's be clear on this one ☝️, I'm not a huge fan of area rugs in dining rooms, for some reason, they do complete the space but is very important to have an eye on the type of area rug that you are buying and the type of chair that you are using for such space. Here are some tips to take into consideration: 

1. Measure your table and chairs combined, with all chairs out as if a person is sitting on the chair.

2. After having those measurements add at least 8 inches from the end of the chair. It will be at a minimum of 25-30 inches from the end of the table.

3. Knowing this, here comes the cool part, picking the texture of your rug. If you have very slender dining room chairs with small tips is very simple to choose any texture. However, if your chairs are a bit more on the thick side, we recommend that the rug is low-pile; this will help the chairs move comfortably.

4. Here is the pro tip ⭐️ You can pick the rug to match the shape of your table, always taking into consideration the measurements.

Bonus tip: 

• 4-seat dining table goes for a 6'x9' type of rug

• 8-12 seat dining tables we recommend at minimum 9'x12' area rug.

BEDROOM

Most of us don't like to wake up and feel the coldness of the floor first thing in the morning, right? That's why we love to have runners or area rugs in our rooms. They not only complete the space but are comfortable for us. Depending on your needs we don't say much about it, is a very personal thing for people, but here are some tips here to help you pick: 

1. Runners should be as long as your bed. They need to go at least 5 inches out from the footer and must be placed, if possible, on both sides of the bed.

2. All rugs (area rugs, runners) must be at least 5 inches from the nightstands.

3. When placing your area rug, it must cover the whole bed. Create symmetry by placing it in the center of the bed.

4. You need at least 2ft from the footer for your area rug.

5. Here is the pro tip ⭐️ neutral tones, and high-pile rugs are a go-to for the bedroom.

The fun part is to enjoy the process and to have fun while doing this. Rugs, runners, and area rugs come in different sizes, textures, colors, and combinations. The important thing is to know your measurements, understand your style, and go with your budget. But remember, a good rug lasts forever, and it will complete your space with the whole need freshness that it might need.