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Maybe they’re a bit like gravy. Or cheese. Or ranch dressing. When life hands you the flooring equivalent of meatloaf, replete with questionable bits and bumps, cover it with a rug! However, bad food analogies aside, area rugs are an attractive, affordable, low-commitment way to transform the vibe and functionality of room without the pricey remodel.
Shape and Size
Chances are you live in a home with right angle walls defining living space in a geometrical way. A round or oval rug is a delightfully simple, visual way to offset the angles and soften the edges of angular living. A bolder choice is a curvy rug in the shape of an animal hide, placed proudly under a coffee table.
If your home is blessed with beautiful hardwood floors, rethink being an overprotective parent. Spend time analyzing the use of the space and consider going smaller with rug size, even several rugs scattered about. You will warm up the room while letting the prized hardwood shine.
Jessica Hall, interior designer for Dehart Tile in Christiansburg, says: “Many customers choose hard surface flooring throughout their homes. The addition of area rugs give customers the warmth and softness of carpet in specific spaces while allowing the beauty and benefits of hard surface flooring in every room.”
Pattern or Plain
Dehart Tile opened its doors in the 1960s and has witnessed decades of trends, from the infamous ‘70s shag and ‘80s pastels to the ‘60s mid-century modern and geometric shapes of the ‘90s. Today, they say, the trend is natural and organic fibers.
In fact, Hall sees that the biggest variant in price point, aside from size, is the fiber content, predominantly wool versus synthetic. Handmade rugs versus machine-made carry a heftier dollar sign but result in a more unique, storied purchase versus a mass retail choice.
Whether you’re into bold colors or boho, contemporary styles or farmhouse feels, bottom line – as with any element of home design – area rugs are an opportunity to showcase your personality and accent the overall style of your home. “Area rugs allow a personal touch, giving the customer a way to let their own personality shine in unique colors, patterns and textures of area rugs,” Hall adds.
Flat or Fluffy
There are many pile choices when it comes to rugs, and the first step in deciding how low to go is, well, taking a first step. Are you mostly slipper-footed or barefoot in the space? Then go with something soft, full and cozy, like shag or faux animal or a thicker, cushier pile. For more heavily trafficked areas like entryways, living rooms or hallways, consider a jute or wool rug for its sturdiness and texture. Where you might not want to consider jute is in areas prone to food and beverage spills. There are too many nooks-n-crannies in jute to make it an easy clean.
For mud rooms, decks, covered porches or outside patios, there is the popular indoor/outdoor choice. Multi-climate rugs are usually brighter and bolder in look to hold up longer in abusive weather. They are also affordable for a seasonal switch-out year after year.
Clean Me
Machine-washable rugs are a welcome invention. Washable or stain-resistant rugs present a fantastic choice if you need something more durable inside without the flat roughness of an indoor/outdoor option. These rugs are ideal for small children with traveling sippy cups who love the food dropsies game and/or pets with all sorts of bad behavior. They work well in kitchens, dining rooms, playrooms or foyers.
Tradition
Size, pile, shape and weatherability is all well and good, but what if the turnkey likes of rugs.com or big box retailers won’t cut it for your abode’s aesthetic? What if you don’t want a chore, but an experience.
Jason Dadras opened Persian Rug Gallery in Blacksburg 20 years ago, applying his eye and interest in the finer things to his one-of-a-kind rug shop. “I have always been interested in art and beautiful pieces. Persian rugs are on the top of my list, and I’ve been collecting them for over 40 years. It’s been a lifetime achievement,” he laughs. “I’ve just never gotten an award for it!”
Dadras’s rugs are all high-quality, hand-knotted wool, made over several years to last several lifetimes. Rugs, he says, are like art, just on the floor. And like wall art, creators often weave their name into the rug.
“We’re not just selling a rug. We’re selling a friendship. It gives me joy to educate customers so they can make the decision themselves. For generations to come, they will have this rug to pass along to children and grandchildren. They want the story,” he states.
And Dadras knows stories. There are more than 2,000 rugs in his store that he collected one by one over years of overseas travel. And he can recall the story behind nearly each one. He has an antique tribal rug that is 200 years old, one of only two in existence. The other is hanging in a museum in San Francisco.
For new homes or major renovations, he suggests picking out the rug first, then let it sway the remaining interior design. Because of his low overhead, prices are reasonable as well as negotiable. He’s flexible for customers to pay in installments with no interest. There is no delivery fee or storage fee if you need to pick up the rug months later. If a customer is undecided, he will bring choices to their home so they can unfurl each one in the intended space. He offers rug trade-ins for customers to upgrade, only requiring the difference in price. The used rugs? “I usually give them to college students for free!”
Many years ago, The Wall Street Journal wrote about Persian rugs being a great investment, touting their sustained value and their earned equivalence to a true work of fine art. Dadras no doubt agrees, as his store is full of art, and stories. Take that, crypto currency.
Nancy S. Moseley is a writer born and raised in Blacksburg. She’s seriously considering coming home from travels with souvenir rugs. The ol’ refrigerator magnet just won’t cut it anymore.
Text by Nancy S. Moseley
Persian Rug Gallery
Nrvpersianrugs.com
Dehart Tile
Deharttile.com
