Defining the Area Rug

The area rug is one of the most commonly used pieces of floor décor for the home. The area rug is a versatile floor covering that can be moved easily from one area to another. They are also used to protect floors from pounding feet. The use of the area rug as a decorative piece in the home goes back hundreds of years. In medieval times area rugs that were hung up on the walls were known as tapestries.

The area rug is also a household item that has not changed too much in terms of construction and style over the centuries. Most rugs are still woven either manually or mechanically in some kind of loom. Wool is still one of the favorite textiles that are used to make an area rug although they can be made of any type of material including synthetic polyesters, grasses and even cotton rags. Area rugs are also constructed out of animal pelts (such as a sheepskin.)

The area rug is not to be mistaken for the carpet although sometimes an area rug can be placed on top of a carpet to break up a monotonous color or to protect it. A rug is mainly defined as a piece of textile.

There is also a subtle difference between what can be defined as an area rug and what can be defined as a throw rug. An area rug is considered to be a rug that fits the dimensions of a room. For instance, if you have a six by eight foot living room then the area rug will cover most of the floor in that room. Also an area rug tends to be rectangular.

Throw rugs can be any size or shape and are called throw rugs simply because they can be thrown anywhere. They are also sometimes called “scatter rugs.

Whatever your reasons are for purchasing an area rug finding one within your budget will always be an important consideration. The most expensive rugs tend to be the Persian or Indian ones with elaborate traditional patterns and that are woven in pure wool. However if you have a small budget then it is more than likely that you will end up with a synthetic woven area rug. This is not usually a problem as the synthetic woven area rug is usually just as durable and just as pretty as a wool rug.

However a wool area rug has a true ring of authenticity to it that a synthetic version just doesn’t have. The handmade wool area rugs also last longer and tend to look more attractive as they age. Perhaps it has something to do with the way wool weathers with time giving the area rug a pleasant antique quality.

Related Flooring Articles

The Momeni Rug and Its Status Symbol

Owning a momeni rug is a bit of a status symbol. For over fifty years Momeni Persian rugs have been marketed by Haji Momeni who has been bringing them to the United States. The styles have...

A Crash Course on Oriental Rugs

Opulence - that’s what oriental rugs screams. And because of this very nature, most people would agree that oriental rugs would not only add life in your room but it would also furnish the...