Sizing Up Your Area Rug. The right area rug can be the final finishing touch that pulls all the elements of a room together. On the other hand, the wrong sized rug can actually detract from the design of your room. So here are some general guidelines about what dimensions typically work best in which rooms, and how some of your key furniture comes into play:

Dining room.
To keep the back legs of the dining room chairs from venturing off of your new rug, you'll need to add 2 feet on each side of the table. Since most dining room tables are at least 42" wide, that means for a comfortable fit you'll want to select a rug that's at least 7 feet wide - or perhaps even 7'6". For length, simply measure the length of your table, and then add 4 feet.

Living Room.
There are four different, equally-acceptable ways to plot out the size of an area rug for your living room:

Coffee table.
Believe it or not, your coffee table may actually dictate the size of rug you use in a room. If the table is 42" wide or 42" square, you'll need an 8'x 10'rug. Otherwise, the rug will end up being insignificant looking. If you own a narrow coffee table, a rug that's 5'6" x 8'6" should work just fine.

Sofa.
Not to be outdone by the coffee table, the length of your sofa can also determine the size of rug you choose. If your sofa is exceptionally oversized, no matter how big your coffee table is, an 8'x 10' rug will be necessary for the room to look right.

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND AN AREA RUG

In general, area rugs differ by the technique in which they were made, the style of the rug, and the material that was used. Here's a quick overview:

TECHNIQUES

Machine-made rugs - are created on mechanical looms. Two examples of mechanical looms are the axminister and wilton looms.

Handmade rugs - any rug that is entirely hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hooked, flat weaved or needlepointed. These rugs are made of wool, cotton or silk or a combination of these.

Hand-knotted rugs - tying a short length of yarn around two adjacent warp strands so that that ends of the yarn protrude upward from the pile of the rug. This is referred to as knotting. Rugs can have as many as 625 knots per square inch. That's a lot of labor! There are two kinds of knots used in weaving: Persian and Turkish knots.

Hand-tufted - is a technique, which involves inserting the yarn through a woven grid, using a "tufting gun". The top loops are sheared to create a softer, velvety pile.

Hand-hooked - is constructed in much the same way as hand-tufted. The loops of yarn, however, are left intact and form a knobby pile.

Flat weave - is a rug without a pile, where the colored wefts are woven through the warps to create the pattern of the rug. There are many varieties of flat weaves: kilims, dhurries, soumaks and serapes.

Needlepoint - is the type of flat weave created by the weaving of thread through a pre-made backing.

Savonneries or aubussons - are created by weaving thread through warp/weft backing. These rugs are usually floral motifs.

STYLES

Oriental - patterns are wide-spaced with more background color showing through incorporating traditional oriental motifs. Colors can be light. These rugs are traditionally constructed of wool or silk. As the name suggests, these rugs originate from the Orient.

Persian - originated in the area of Central Asia. Curvilinear designs combined with intricate lines define this style. Basic background colors include deep reds and blues with as many as thirty total colors comprising the design.

Floral - elaborate borders and large floral patterns denote this style. This style would also include the garden patterns that have floral groupings floating on a darker background.

Native American - reflected in the geometric patterns of the American Southwest.

Folk-Tribal - patterns appear primitive sometimes using simple geometric or stylized animals. This group is broad and covers diverse cultures from African to Moroccan to Far Eastern European.

Americana - generally braided, these rugs feature early American motifs.

Contemporary - patterns may include simple geometric shapes, modern floral, abstract art, or impressionistic renderings. Colors range from bold primaries to simple combinations such as black and white-or anything in between.

Themes or Pictorial - are usually of a more contemporary design including such subjects as holidays, sports, animals, or children.

MATERIALS

Natural fibers:

Wool - is warm and durable. However, it comes in fewer shades because of its inability to handle bright dyes as well as many of the man-made fibers. Beware with wool: alkaline cleaning detergents can damage it.

Cotton - a good choice for wet areas or where a carpet will be washed frequently. Be sure to check the care instructions from the manufacturer for washing and drying instructions.

Man-made fibers:

Nylon - one of the most popular choices. It is wear-resistant, resilient, and available in a broad range of colors all the way from neutrals to the very brightest of hues. It is also known for its ability to resist stains and conceal soil.

Polyester - the touch is soft, but it 's not as resilient as nylon. Better in low traffic areas.

Olefin (polypropylene) - resists wear, permanent stains, moisture, static electricity, and is also easily cleaned. Used in indoor/outdoor carpeting.

Acrylic - has the appearance and feel of wool at a decidedly lower cost. Because of its resistance to moisture and mildew, it is often used in bath and scatter rugs. Many level-loop carpets utilize this fiber. It also has a low static level.

Blends - Combinations of any of the above fibers are also available.

HELPFUL HINTS

Use the right type of rug. There are two basic types of area rugs: rugs that are designed to be placed atop a carpet and rugs that are designed to be placed on a hard surface. Be sure to choose the right type for where you 're planning to use it. By the way, even if you're planning on placing the rug over a carpet, be sure to still use a pad underneath. Otherwise, the backing on your new rug could end up damaging the fibers on your carpeting.

Always use a pad underneath. Sometimes called an underlay or rug cushion, putting a pad underneath your rug will increase its lifetime by dramatically reducing wear and tear. The proper pad will also make your rug feel more comfortable underfoot, will reduce noise in the room, and will also keep the rug from slipping and "creeping."

Make the rug fit its role. In general, the area you place it in will determine what kind of area rug you choose. High traffic areas, in addition to the presence of pets and children, will dictate a durable, higher-density rug. If the rug is going to sit by a kitchen sink or a bathroom shower (where it will undoubtedly get wet), you should probably choose acrylic or cotton. And if the rug is going to situated in an eating area, it had better be able to stand up to stains. In which case, it would be wise to opt for something highly stain-resistant like nylon.

Other ways to utilize an area rug. To break up large rectangular areas, a well-placed circular or octagonal rug can do just the trick. Adding an area rug can add visual interest to any room, be a striking accent piece or serve as a functional inside-the-door mat. Laid over a wood floor they can add warmth and actually highlight the natural wood qualities. Light colors make a room look more spacious; deeper colors tend to lend coziness to an area. As you can see, the area rug is indeed a very versatile performer.

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