Tips for selecting the perfect rug

How do you select area rugs?

1. Color:  The color is really the most important aspect of selecting a rug. We suggest, like most professional designers, in starting with picking your rug first then working your way up. It is easier to find fabrics, wallpaper, and paint to go with your rug than finding a rug that will go with your wall coverings and other furnishings. Most area rugs have one or two primary colors with several other accent colors. One way to build a color scheme is to use one or two of the predominant colors in the rug as the main color in the palatte and then use a couple of the less predominant colors as your accent colors in pillows or other accessories. Another way to choose a rug for a room that is already furnished is to pick one major existing contrasting color that will set off all the others. We also find it very helpful when working with existing fabrics to bring a sample of those fabrics, a paint swatch, or a pillow with you to the store to help match the color. 
2. Design: Most rugs either have an all over pattern, with or without a border, geometric pattern, or in fewer availabilty, border types and solids. It's really most important to choose a design that fits the overall style you like and the style that compliments your furniture and accessories. It could be tradition/oriental, contemporary, southwest, western, transitional, abstract, or French Country. Whatever your style and tastes demands we have all types of designs to fit your needs.
3. Size: It is important to to strike a good balance between the size of the room and the size of the area rug. First measure the space with a tape measure. Then to get a good visual impression of the rug, place four pieces of paper where the corners of the rug would be. Should the furniture be on the entire rug or all off the rug? This is a matter of opinion and personal taste. There is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes the furniture is partly on and partly off. You may have to compromise because the area rug you select may be available in a limited number of sizes.  How to select the correct size rug for a dining room table: The correct size is found by getting up from the chairs on both ends and sides of the table leaving the chairs out. Then measuring a few inches past the spot where the back legs of the chairs are. The rug should be large enough so that the chairs back legs stay on the rug.