Buying a new house or apartment is no way a walk in the park--it involves months or even years of serious planning and saving up. But here’s the thing: decorating it is a different thing altogether. You need to scout for the right fixtures and scour for beautiful pieces of furniture which can be a herculean process entirely. Of course, no one can blame you. It is a given that you want your own place to feel like a place of pure joy and comfort.

If you are done with the home decor project, we’re sure you are feeling extra excited about moving in, so all you need right now is to tie everything up under one roof. That is why we are here to help you out about the one thing that coalesces your home decor like a pleasant tapestry: rugs.

When it comes to rugs, some pieces are better than others. Sure, you can always go for the one that “looks” great and all, but please know that appearance sometimes can be deceiving. Ask your long-time homeowner friends and they will tell you that there’s far more important things to consider than that.

Before you decide on a rug, ask yourself these questions:

Which rug material is best for you?

Choosing the right rug material matters a great deal. It determines how resilient your rug is to foot traffic, how appropriate it is for outdoors, how comfortable it is on the feet, how much it costs, and others. This is why you need to weigh the pros and cons of each one before buying.

In general, natural fiber rugs like wool and cotton have longer lifespans than synthetic ones but are also more expensive. On the other hand, synthetic fiber rugs can be more versatile in terms of colour and placement. Plus, they can even put up a good fight when it comes to texture! Try touching a wool and a polypropylene rug at the same time and you will barely feel any difference.

What size do you need?

Let us put emphasis on this: Size is very important. It is important in the bedroom, in the living room, in the dining area, or in any other parts of your home. A rug that is too huge might be more than what you and your space need. Similarly, a rug that is too small might look awkward. Not only does the wrong size throw off your style game, it also takes away your chances of maximising your room decor in the future.

Before heading to the store, make sure that you measure the area where you intend to place your rug. In the living room, for instance, it is ideal that your furniture’s front legs fit the border of your rug. If you do not have furniture in place yet, it helps to visualise them first. Or, you can just follow this basic idea: the bigger the room, the bigger the rug. After all, you can always adjust your furniture.

Who are you buying it for?

If you have, say, little kids and you are planning to buy a rug for their bedroom, it only makes sense that you want it to be super soft, easy to clean, and has bright colours. In that case, we suggest that you buy an acrylic rug. This type of rug is made to imitate the characteristics of wool, but with the added comfort at the price of durability, which is fine, considering that it is not likely to absorb heavy force from your kids’ feet.

What colour and pattern suit your interior design?

Whether you are trying to get cozy or you just want to go bold, staying true to your overall theme is key to maintaining a unified and cohesive aesthetic for your home. This means that your rugs have to complement your colour palettes and patterns to avoid breaking the entire ensemble. Besides, we are sure that you want your own place to feel like “you”, so you really should not let a badly picked rug ruin that for you.

How much does it cost?

Ultimately, all these boil down to two things: practicality and budget. As we have already established, some rugs cost more than others. So if you are currently renting an apartment, it might be logical that you go for the cheap ones despite their short lifespan. However, if you are already building a home you could call yours, investing in a nice and long-lasting rug is a wise move. And if you cannot buy it just yet, please do not rush. You should not put a clock when it comes to the quality of your own home. More than that, what if you can find a much better alternative but do not have the money for it? So this is why we always advise new homeowners to always think twice before making a purchase. 

It’s true that most of us tend to make the common mistake of buying just any rug that we think is decent enough. But with this helpful guide, we hope you will be able to re-examine your choices more carefully!