There’s one big myth that most people redesigning their home believe: pick your paint first and go from there. At The Amish Craftsman, we see it time and time again. Instead, we’d like to offer you a new way to think about your space – try this design hack and watch everything else unfold like magic.
Start from the ground and build up. Pick your rug first and your paint last.
Seem too simple? It IS that simple. In our experience, SO many clients spend way too much time making sure their furniture fits a paint color. In reality, paint is one of the most inexpensive, easy-to-change aspects of a home redesign.
Instead, start with your rug, which will give a good baseline color palette, after that move to the furniture. The rug isn’t the afterthought of your room. Here’s where to start.
Rug Size
Measure the size of your room. You typically need 18” of space between any wall and the edge of the rug. Think about any furniture you’ll need. The size of the rug and the layout of the furniture depends on the type of room (bedroom, dining room or living room). For example, in a living room, you really want the rug to be at least one foot longer on each side of your sofa. We’ll need to decide if we want all legs on, all legs off or just front legs on. The design consultants in our store can help you. We believe it’s almost impossible to have a rug that’s too big, it’s much more likely that a rug is too small. We’ll help you plan accordingly.
Rug Color
Rugs are the anchor of your room, so the color and style really need to establish whatever mood you’re looking for. If you plan on a lot of colors, patterns and textures in your room, you should pick a simple rug in a neutral color, but don’t be afraid of patterned or brightly colored rugs – if you have classic statement furniture you can accessorize with specific colors picked from the rug.
Rug Shape
The shape of the rug should correspond to the shape of the room. Square room? Square rug. Rectangular room? Rectangular rug. One exception: you don’t need to have a circular room for a circle rug, but one should only be used with circular furniture or accessories (a round table or a chandelier are good examples).
Rug Pads
Every rug should have a rug pad. We know it’s very unexciting – but every rug MUST have a rug pad. The pad acts as buffer between the floor and the rug above. Rug pads prevent slipping, prolongs the lifetime of the rug, and protects the floor underneath. Finally, if using a thinner rug a pad adds cushiony softness underfoot.
We’ve got tips. So many tips.
Furniture shopping should feel fun, but it often doesn’t — only because there’s anxiety about where to begin. Don’t ever let that stop you. We’ve got trained design consultants that make shopping fun again. Don’t be paralyzed by possibilities. Give us a call and let us find your perfect rug.
