It can transport you to a different world, one of fun or style or colour. It can make you feel warm and cozy and bring conversations together as you entertain. And we don’t need Alladin and his Genie to make this true for us! In India, homes don’t use wall to wall carpeting throughout the house as the warm to hot climate here does not warrant such carpeting. However the same does not apply to incorporating area rugs and smaller area carpets, this is often an element of decor overlooked by many home owners in India. Even though many exotic carpets and rugs used world over happen to be manufactured right here in India!

Let us take a look at how we can add area rugs and carpets to make our homes more inviting, stylish and cozy. Area rugs and carpets come in different types, shapes, sizes, textures, colours, prints and patterns, we have many online stores and offline stores as well selling a range of these at different rates. Let us first take a look at some inspiring looks of area rugs in different parts of the house:

The Foyer :

The earthy toned rug in this foyer adds to the overall cozy nature look. (image credit : www.housebeautiful.com)

This striking black and white zig zag pattern rug creates a striking focal point in this foyer. (Image credit : www.bozemanbungalow.com)

The Living Room :

This patchwork inspired motif rug highlights the white fixtures in the room while adding warmth and glow to the otherwise minimalist design. (Image Credit : hekco.com)

This beautiful rug stands out against the lighter wooden floor and is complimented by the throw cushions and the nature outside the window. (Image credit : homesdir.net )

The Dining Area :

The nature inspired dining room has all the elements right including the soothing green area rug. (Image Credit : housearquitectura.com)

A big area rug, cozy dining area and plenty of sunshine! (Image Credit : www.sedu.info)

The Bedroom :

Geometric pattern rugs are highly popular. (Image credit : capda.org)

This braided rug in multiple colours looks great in contrast with the dark wood bed. (Image credit : Google images)

So how do you go about choosing that ideal area rug for your home?

There is a lot of scientific talk about the material, pile, weave, bunch etc, but let me make it simple for you, go with your senses. The rug is meant to create COMFORT, both in look and feel. So first look for a rug be it geometric or ikat or kashmiri or jute or wool that catches your attention. Once you love the look, feel it with your hand or if possible run your feet against it. Rugs that please the most are those that feel great against your feet. If these 2 have worked out well, then you have a great rug for your home! But after that wonderful first buy, if you decide to buy more rugs for more rooms, then here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. Buy the right size, the rug must comfortably surround the furniture area where you will place your feet. So in a dining table, it must comfortably surround the area even with the chairs pulled out. Similarly in the bedroom, it has to fall over the sides where you get off. In the living room the furniture front legs can sit on the rug to create a compact look. The rug can ideally end 2 feet away from the wall in whichever room it is used, so enough of the floor is seen.

2. Colour : Look out for the right colours to go with your existing furniture or room decor. The rug looks great if it stands out against the floor and unites or compliments in colour with some other item of decor such as the sofa or the accent wall or the decor articles.

3. Shape : Rugs come in many shapes, square, rectangle, oval, round and even many other shapes such as flower or animal inspired such as an elephant shaped rug! Choose something that provides a contrast such as a round carpet for your square room center or as a unifying element with your round dining table.

4. Functionality : Different materials pose different scenarios of maintenance. So look at the room in which you plan to use the rug. In Indian cooking of rich gravy and hard stains, you need a rug under the dining table that is easy to clean. Similarly high traffic areas can do with rugs that age well and not force you to go shopping again in a year’s time! Regularly vacuum/dust the carpet to keep it looking at its best for many years.

5. Budget : How much are you looking to spend. If the carpet costs as much as the sofa, the good quality will ensure it lasts you a very long time. But if you look for excitement in change every now and then, a cheaper rug will do great, as it wont stick around long enough to wear out!

Also remember that the beauty of decor is it evolves with you, so the idea of a perfect rug will change for your home along with other decor elements in some years. Add variety, when you want a new look you can buy a new rug. If not to replace the old one, you can add to it as a layered rug. The best way to make your home unique is to experiment with your own ideas, don’t you agree? I leave you with this beautiful Ikat rug, I haven fallen in love with, while browsing through Houzz, sigh!!!