Tag: choosing a rug

Categories
Competitions Homewares

Rug roundup: my pick of Early Settler’s gorgeous new collection

Sponsored by Early Settler

Read to the end for your chance to win one of three rugs of your choice to the value of $1,000!

Early Settler have just launched their latest rug range and, like those before it, it’s a cracker! And pardon the cliché, but there really is something for everyone. Plus, read to the end for your chance to win one for yourself to the value of $1000! We’re giving away not one but three!

My first pick, which I’ve ordered for our bedroom and Sebastian’s, is this wool blend Marrakesh Trellis ($699). You’ll know from previous posts that I don’t do wool in the high traffic areas of our home because I have grubby little boys and it can be very hard to keep clean when mishaps occur! But in bedrooms, where we don’t wear shoes and it’s nice to have something lovely and soft underfoot when you jump out of bed, I’m all for it!

This rug is a take on the traditional Moroccan style and it’s super versatile. You’ll always find a place for this rug in your home, even if you tire of it in one room or change things around (or move house!). It goes with so many interior styles, from Scandi to eclectic to modern. This one’s a pale grey with a charcoal pattern and a generous 240 x 300cm size. It’s hand tufted with 60% wool, 25% polyester and 15% cotton.

For those into a more natural, boho vibe, the Kaya Diamond rug ($599) is made from all-natural eco-friendly hemp with cotton. It has a lovely warmth and texture to it and a relaxed look. At 300 by 240cm it’s ideal for lounges or larger bedrooms, where you can place the bed on top of it and have a decent amount on either side. Some trendsetters say this year’s about warmer neutrals rather than greys, but I say there’s a place for both and it’s really more about your home and your personal taste and colour scheme, than what’s ‘in’. This is certainly a design which won’t date.

I really love the pattern, texture, soft blush colour and handy size of the Aditya Motif rug, which is pretty small at 150cm x 90cm. This makes it perfect for inside a door, under a desk, by the kitchen sink or in front of appliances in a laundry (do mix things up by adding rugs in unexpected rooms as that extra layer which makes them sing!). At just $59 for 100% cotton, why wouldn’t you give it a go?! If pink’s not your thing, there’s a blue floral version in the same size, with hints of my favourite navy.

If pattern and colour scare you a bit, or you don’t want your rug to be the hero of your room, choose something where the pattern’s quite literally woven into the rug, in one colour, like the Boho Chevron Woven ($599) which is a beautiful, textured statement in mid grey.

It’s a hardy hand woven mix of wool and viscose and at 150 x 240cm it’s perfect for smaller living rooms or bedrooms.

Conversely, if you do want your rug to make a bigger statement, check out this divine Botanical Snow floral number which is colourful and patterned without being too in your face! It’s digitally printed onto a polyester and cotton mix and could completely change the look of a room for $399 (150cm x 240cm). I’d use this in a guest bedroom.

Another subtle floral option is the sweet Chirala Daisy Chain hand blocked rug on a nice soft, not-too-girly blush. It’s cotton, 150cm x 180cm and a snip at just $159. This rug was recently seen on House Rules.

And just because there are so many great florals in this latest collection, I have to tell you about one more: the striking Floral Bliss, because it’s a showstopper! It’s a darker palette that’s softened by touches of the lightest pink. 80% wool and 20% polyester, it has a real luxury look and feel. It’s $699 for 150cm x 240cm.

Shipping is just $9.95 per rug Australia wide.

Check out the 2020 rug range look book

Categories
Expert Tips Homewares Styling

The stylist’s guide to choosing the right rug

Super stylist Julia Green from Greenhouse Interiors shares her best wisdom on a topic so many of us get horribly wrong…

Julia Green portrait
Photo by Armelle Habib

I’m calling it — the most commonly repeated interior decorating mistakes I see in my line of work are almost always with rugs. Getting the size right seems to bamboozle the best of them, and it breaks my heart to see an otherwise finished and beautiful space let down by an unfortunate rug selection. Here are some foolproof tips to help you get it right and save on the heartache and the hip pocket.

Tip 1

Almost every single time bigger is better. A generous-sized rug will give the perception that your space is actually larger than what it is. Your eyes are always drawn out to the edge of rugs so if you want to work with the optical illusion of creating a more generous room, GO BIG. Small rugs can often look lost in space if too small and lose their impact.

PRUDENCE CAROLINE JULY16-063
Styling by Julia Green & photography by Cricket Saleh for Prudence Caroline

Tip 2

Ensure the couch or the bed connects with the rug if possible so the room feels cohesive and unified.

Tip 3

The dimensions of your rug can define a space, as well as separate one space from another. Use it to create the geography of your home. Mark it out in tape if you need visual confirmation.

Tip 4

Colour and pattern are important when it comes to selecting your rug. You need to ask if yourself if the room is screaming out for texture, colour or both? Good rugs can be like art for the floor. And remember, rugs can either quieten the volume of a room, or turn it up!

BrentRosenberg04
Styling by Anna Chisolm for Greenhouse Interiors and photography by Annette O’Brien for Brent Rosenberg

Tip 5

Layer them up if you like a boho look. This can be a fab way to recycle rugs that are too small to hold their own. Look for a common thread with your patch working though, in either colour or texture.

Tip 6

Think carefully about the traffic on the rug and make the right selection accordingly. For instance, a light coloured rug under a dining table with kids is asking for trouble. Choose durable materials for high traffic zones.

Tip 7

Find a good rug dry cleaner. They can make your rug look brand new again for a small fee. It’s worth it if you have an investment piece.

unnamed-2
Styling by Julia Green and photography by Annette O’Brien for Arthide

Tip 8

Try before you buy every time with rugs. Most stores are very understanding of this, and will loan out for short periods of time. Oh, and don’t forget to use an underlay to avoid any tripping hazards!

Tip 9

Always mask up the ideal size of rug you require on the floor first to clock it visually — then go shopping and don’t budge (much) from these dimensions. Or have one custom made to suit your measurements.

–Follow Julia’s styling adventures on Instagram.

Categories
Decorating 101

How to choose a rug: size, shape, colour, type and budget

Rugs wield so much power. They can: ground a room, add warmth, texture and colour, reduce echo, define a space, play off existing palettes and they also feel great underfoot.

Torres Wool Kilim Iron

But just how do you choose a rug? Do you go for a larger rug? A round rug? A colourful rug? Neutral? Wool? Jute? It can become overwhelming if you don’t know the rules to buying a rug to suit your home – that will last.

Brendan Nash, west elm Bondi’s home stylist, knows his way around rugs! Every day he works with customers to create beautiful homes. With an eye for accessories, together with his know-how on the how-to when it comes to rug shopping, he can help you go from bare floor to brilliant in just five easy tips.

R and R Wabi Sabi Circle Wool

  1. Size. Don’t skimp! Size is important. Size is THE most important. A large rug can make a small room feel larger! How your new rug fits your space will completely change the way it feels.

As a general rule, I tend to go for the largest size that you can comfortably fit, that you can afford, and fits proportionally with your existing furniture. The legs of your sofa and your coffee table should always land on the rug which will help the space not only feel a little more finished, but also give the illusion of more space. Buy larger – a small rug can look really mean in a large space. Unless it’s a hallway – then a rug runner is perfect.

Boho Textured

And always, always measure up before you go shopping. I also really love when customers bring a photo of their room with them. It helps me visualise how the rug is going to work within that space.

  1. Style. What’s the look you are trying to go for? Take a look at your room and your furniture – then decide what direction you want to go in. Are you after a woven natural fibre rug that works back well with your light and airy home, or are you after something a little more wild to complement your eclectic style? Either way, rugs are generally an investment piece so it’s important to get something that will complement your space.

Consider shapes too – if you have a round dining table, a round rug will work to accentuate that statement piece. Patterned rugs work really well with glass top tables for extra visual interest.

  1. Practicality. Think about where the rug will live, and how you live in the space. Does durability factor into your decision? Jute’s a great option – and so is wool! Is it a high traffic area? Go for wool. It’s easy to maintain. Bedroom comfort? Think about who will use the rug, how often it’s used and the upkeep factor to help guide the material and style you decide on. Plus nice soft rugs always work well in the bedroom.

If you have an open floor plan – a rug really helps to define spaces. A rug has the power to anchor the space – and differentiate between living, dining and relaxing areas.

  1. Budget. Sometimes what we dream of and what we can afford are two very different things. My biggest advice is to set a realistic budget on what you can afford but will still very much fit the brief. A rug will live in your space for quite some time – and therefore should be seen as an investment piece. Shop smart! Invest in a good quality product that will stand the test of time. Like anything, it’s easy to get swept away in the moment, and the next thing you know – that vintage persian rug from Sotheby’s is on its way to you! Think calmly and pragmatically, and plan out your purchase.\

Multi Pixel Woven Rug

  1. Try before you buy! To give you an idea of the dimensions of a rug and how that size and shape looks in your home, map out some painting tape and newspaper on the floor – exactly where you would place the rug, to give you more of an idea whether that size will work. This gives you a better idea of dimensions instead of having to visualise.

Given rugs always look different in your home than they do in store – lighting, furniture and your space will all factor into how the rug looks – west elm offers customers samples to take home and try before committing.

—west elm offers free design services to all customers – from picking colours and palettes, to designing your whole home.