Area rugs can set the character, mood or period of the space. Contemporary rugs can be an excellent way to incorporate an artistic flair into a home or simply add a dash of color to a room. In addition to beauty, area rugs provide comfort and warmth to a room Area rugs are an excellent way to soften hard surfaces and absorb noise.

Choosing the right rug for an area requires planning. Some things to consider are:
- The total look of the room or space you are creating
- What the area will be used for
- Areas with high traffic should have a pattern in mid to darker tones
- Sitting areas can have a lighter more fragile rug
- Lighter rugs will increase the perceived size of the room
- Darker rugs will create a warmer, intimate feeling
- Color, style & texture of the rug will set the tone for the room
- Consider the existing flooring and the size of the area
- Do you want your rug to make a statement or blend in
- For a dining room rug, measure your table top. Add 4’ to the width & length
- For a room sized rug, allow 8-12” of flooring to be exposed around the room perimeter
- If starting from scratch, choose your rug first, then your upholstery & wall colors
- If you are redecorating, take a swatch of the most visible pattern in the room to the showroom
- Use a rug pad. They keep your rug in place and keep your rug from wearing out. Area rugs wear out first on the bottom. Rug pad helps cushion the rug from the floor below, absorb the weight of the traffic and keep the rug from breaking down.

Rugs are a functional part of any room. They have many tasks: protecting or hiding flaws in the existing flooring, warming up the floor or creating a look. The choices are virtually endless when it comes to selection.