Your home is one of the few places where you get to express yourself completely. Once you try decorating and see how fun it is, you’ll be doing it all the time. That means you’ll be reading a lot of articles on interior design, including this one. The following article will talk about the main differences between area rugs and carpets. In the end, we’ll help you decide which one suits your needs and what to choose.
Differences Between Rugs and Carpets
Rugs
Generally, rugs are smaller than carpets and used mostly by interior designers lately. They are easy to maintain, and once the season ends, you can roll them and store them away until the temperatures drop again. Even though they are small, they can make a huge difference in the room. Rugs have the power to make any room feel bigger or smaller, wider or narrower, just by their placement. There are tips and tricks on how to decorate with rugs, depending on which room you’re styling, and there are also maintaining tips that will have your rugs looking brand new and fresh all the time.
There are a few rules that you must remember, no matter which room you’re decorating. First and most important, your rug should go well with the rest of the style. If your room is minimalistic, with neutral tones, you can opt for a rug that has a unique pattern, with vibrant color, but never go overboard, as it can turn out to be too much. The second rule, your rug should be big enough for the room. If you’re putting it in the living room, cover the coffee table and at least the front chair legs of the sofa. Area rugs in the wrong size can make your room look unappealing. Check out the Lemieux et Cie rugs collection, and you’ll definitely find the right one!
Carpets
Carpets are bigger than rugs, and usually, they extend from one wall to the other, and they are fixated to it. If you want a carpet that way, you need to hire a person that will install the whole thing, and it’s going to take an hour or two. But, your whole room will be covered, soft, and cozy. The appearance may vary depending on the carpet style. If you choose a bigger carpet that won’t extend throughout the whole room, you can go bold and get a patterned, bold carpet that will become the accent of the space. When it comes to wall-to-wall carpets, it’s a totally different story.
We advise against using wall-to-wall carpets with vibrant patterns and colors that don’t match the room. If you opted for a carpet, then you should go for a more neutral color, and if you’re walking with shoes on, or you get regular guests, we advise you to opt for a darker color to prevent shoe stains from showing. Some small patterns, such as lines or dots, as well as sprinkles, are totally fine, as long as they don’t take up the whole room. Always make sure you consult, because big carpets are expensive and you don’t want to make a huge mistake.
Make the right choice
Choosing between the two may be hard, but not impossible. Depending on your room, its size, and the overall style, you can decide for yourself, but in general, it all comes down to preferences. Rugs are easier to maintain and store away, while carpets make the room comfortable and warmer. If you’re indecisive, why not combine the best of both worlds?
Combine via colors and patterns
You can always combine the rug and the carpet by color. For instance, if your rug is a neutral color, you can opt for a rug with vibrant color, to add an accent or a color that is a darker shade of the carpet. Remember, the carpet doesn’t have to extend wall to wall in this case. Avoid mixing colors that don’t match or adding a vibrant color over a retro rug.
Patterns are also a great way to combine two different floorings, grounding each other in the process. If your carpet is one of those retroes, the 80s one, it probably has tons of pattern and color added to it. That can be a bit overwhelming, and the outcome can be too much for the room. In order to neutralize this, opt for a rug that has a softer color, maybe a neutral, and place it over your carpet. The results will be much better.
Store away when not needed
You may not be able to store away your wall-to-wall carpet, but you can roll the area rug and put it in your storage until next time. Your room will look freshened up and brand new, and the carpet will only need a bit of maintenance to look good. Regular vacuuming, sprinkling baking soda to neutralize any smell, and cleaning stains as soon as they appear is the ultimate way to preserve your carpets for ages.
