Area Rugs for Hardwood Floors

While designing our dream home, flooring is one of the most important choices. Hardwood flooring makes any house look elegant and adds warmth to the home. Wood is an excellent insulator and can feel great underfoot. Contrary to popular belief laying a rug on a hardwood floor can make your space appear even more interesting. Whether for protecting your floors or simply making your area look good, there are a few things to consider when choosing the best area rugs for hardwood floors.

Area Rug Types Based on Material

Rugs come in many different sizes and shapes. Picking the right area rug for your hardwood floor is essential when decorating your home. Here are some options to consider based on materials.

• Wool Rugs: Natural fibers like wool is an excellent choice for rugs. They are durable and very soft. They come in various styles and colors to work with any hardwood. And most importantly, a good one lasts forever.
• Natural Fiber: Natural fiber rugs like coir or jute can give your space a contemporary feeling. So if a traditional or formal look isn't for you, feel free to pick jute area rugs or any other natural fiber rugs. 
• Silk Rugs: Silk rugs are hand-knotted pieces of workmanship. They are supple and incredibly soft. High-quality silk rugs are defined by the number of knots per square inch. They are fine examples of oriental area rugs.
• Synthetic Rugs: Synthetic fibers such as polypropylene are suitable for washing and have a variety of prints and colors. Synthetic area rugs are cost-efficient because of their materials and production processes.

Picking the Right Color for Your Design

Picking the right colored area rug is an important step. The color scheme of your room affects the way you feel upon entering. So your rugs should be in harmony with your flooring. When it comes to hardwood floors, picking area rugs' color might seem difficult. The tone of your hardwood floors is the first thing that can help. Using patterned rugs on hardwood flooring can detract from the beauty of the wood's grain. Hardwood is embedded with natural patterns, and patterned rugs can make the space so noisy that people cannot notice the wood around the rug. The most effective way to prevent this is to lay the rug perpendicular to the wood grain. After that, picking the correct type of color which compliments your flooring should do the trick.

Dark hardwood floors generally look good with colors such as white, beige, gray, pastel yellow, or light colors with bright red or blue accents. 

You might be asking, "What color area rugs go with light hardwood floors?" Popular choices are earthly tones, burgundy, pale orange, or red-colored area rugs.

Protecting Your Hardwood Floors

Placing non-slip rugs protects against foot traffic, pets, or furniture scratches and adds style to your home. High-traffic areas such as hallways or entryways are prone to wear and tear. Using non-slip runners for hardwood floors to protect the integrity of the hardwood is a good option. Rugs with latex backing are the worst thing to your hardwood floors. You can easily preserve them by getting a rug with woven backing. Wool and synthetic fiber rugs tend to be waterproof and colorfast, which means they can keep your floor safe from getting wet and having a staining or swelling problem. Also, using rug pads for hardwood floors is an excellent way to protect your floors. Some rugs with rough backings can also damage your flooring. In such cases, using a non-slip rug pad is the perfect solution. Synthetic rubber pads are inexpensive, but their dissolving agents can cause discoloration or leave marks on your flooring. You should pick a rug pad that mimics your floor in terms of being organic and natural. Rubber and felt rug pads are great for hardwood flooring. 

Easy Design Tips for Decorating with Area Rugs on Hardwood Floors

1. Clean the area before placing your rug. Trapped dirt, moisture, or oil can damage your flooring under the carpet. So if you don't want to discover starches or discoloration, make sure to sweep, mop, and dry the area before placing your rug. 
2. Use your rugs considering the function of the room. Using a runner carpet in high traffic areas like entryways can protect your flooring. Consider using thick and comfortable non-slip area rugs in your living room to add a layer of defense against scratches that can happen from moving furniture. 
3. Consider using non-slip area rugs. Placing a rug on a hardwood floor's smooth surface risks the rug moving. This can cause injuries to people or damage the flooring itself. To keep your area rugs in place, you should use non-slip area rugs.
4. Leave some space around the perimeter of your rug. Your hardwood flooring is an exquisite and attractive part of your home. There is no need to keep it hidden! Leaving several inches of hardwood uncovered around the perimeter of your rug will make the flooring show its beauty.

Conclusion

Hardwood floors give your home a sense of natural elegance and a feeling of luxury. By using area rugs, you can bring life to your room. The combinations are almost endless. Just get creative to find the perfect pairing of hardwood flooring and rug color. The feeling of comfort and style does not come easy when it comes to hardwood floors, don't forget to make sure that your rugs are suitable for your flooring. Most importantly, watch out for synthetic latex backings! 

If you feel like you need more information before you purchase a new rug, feel free to check our other blog posts:

Best Tips for Keep Rugs from Slipping,

How to Choose the Best Materials for Rugs,

Decorating Your Home with Rugs for Winter