Rugs: My Top Must-haves in Home Accessories

Nothing feels quite as good as a rug beneath your feet. They offer a layer of warmth and comfort unmatched by any other floor covering.  Available in infinite patterns, colors and styles, rugs have been used to accessorize homes for thousands of years. Antique rugs are often treated as family heirlooms and passed down through the generations. 

I am also taking the opportunity to share with you one of my favourite rugs. I saw it first in Maison & Object in Paris and I fell in love because of its brightness, the overlaying of the flowers therefore creating depth and its luxurious feel. It is made by Piodao Group.

The oldest known rug in existence dates back to the 5th century B.C. and is called the "Pazyryk rug." It was found in a burial mound in Siberian Russia near the Mongolian border. Albeit it was the Persians who perfected the techniques and they are renowned since the 1st century B.C. for its exquisite rugs.

 

 

Your entrance hall is the first thing guest’s view as they enter your home so by adding rugs you are creating a focal point, enhancing the ambience and making an elegant first impression. 

Rugs dramatically change the decor of a hallway in an instant and they can be used no matter what type of flooring is being used i.e. Concrete, tiles, wooden or laminate flooring a rug will add warmth to the hallway.  

The living room is often where you entertain family and friends so make the room cozy to all by accenting the floor with a rug. Decorative rugs also unify colors in the room, add texture to the decor and provide a focal point. 

If using more than one rug in a room, try to get them in different sizes; i.e. your seating area should have a bigger rug then your reading nook. Visually it looks much better.

Choosing an area rug should be easy once you define your color scheme. You would think that large rooms aren’t a problem but guess again. Having large open rooms in your home can lack a certain intimacy that every family needs so it is important to tackle this and rugs are a great way to do so.

It not only enhances the beauty of the room but also serves as a good place to gather around and enjoy.

Decorative rugs don't always need to go on the floor. If you have a rug that you really like, you can actually hang it like a picture and create a focal point.

A good way to make a space seem larger is by using a small rug woven with light colors and wide geometric patterns. To make a very large room look smaller, choose a large, dark-patterned rug.

Use a favourite rug as the basis of the colour scheme in a room. But if you add the rug later, you can use it to either accent or tying it in with your existing colours.

A special tip: Define a special reading nook with its own rug by placing a comfortable reading chair, small book case and lamp on an area rug near a window or corner. This will allow the rug to group the furniture while creating a defined area in the living room.

Wool rugs can be of great help in keeping the temperature warm or cool depending on the season, as wool is known to keep the environment warm in the winter and cool in the summer. 

Wool rugs save energy by reducing heat loss through floors and with the cost of energy on the rise this would be a good investment.

Mantas Alentejanas (hand-woven woollen blankets) are produced in Portugal in the region of Alentejo and a symbol of the culture.  Looking at the mantas you wouldn’t guess what they represent in terms of preservation and almost extinct knowledge.  Know that when you buy them you are not only acquiring a beautiful piece to showcase but you are also buying a piece of history.

A carefully chosen rug is a great reflection on you and your taste; it will enhance your home and give you countless hours of enjoyment.

www.aguilarinteriors.com

Pictures via flickr.com, tollgard-living.com, trendir.com, interiordesignsense.com, aliciabdesigns.blogspot.com, pinterest via Kirstin Miller & Ingrid Duffy , rugroute.com, yossawat.com, interiorideaz.com, ablog.ro, actureans.com, modernurbanliving.com and my own.