What Should You Check Before Buying a Rug?

It can seem like a simple task until you get ready to purchase your very own rug set.

You spot a design you adore, view the price and visualize it in your living room. But then come the doubts. Is it big enough? Will the colour work with your sofa? What if it looks all different when it arrives?

It's important to ask these questions, as a rug is not just for filling empty floor space. It can tie in your furnishings, make a room look bigger, and give it definition.

So, if you're looking to make a purchase, here are some things to focus on.

Start With Your Room, Not the Rug

When it comes to choosing a rug, it's easy to be tempted by the design. What works in a style shoot photo for a catalogue may not work in your house.

What about your living room?

You might have chairs, a coffee table and a 3 piece sofa. If space permits, small rugs under only the furniture can help to create a disjointed feeling.

If you have a larger rug, it will help if it's bigger than the sofa and chair's legs to make the seating area balanced.

Use a tape measure and measure the area the rug will cover before you choose. Measure it out on the floor with painter's tape.

A great little method to determine the amount of room the rug will take up.

Keep in mind that size isn't only determined by the room's dimensions but your furniture layout as well.

The Colour You See Online Isn't Always the Colour You Get

Suppose you are planning to buy a gorgeous cream rug as it appears warm and welcoming in the photos.

As it comes, you see something that makes you notice it. It appears a bit gray under your living room lights.

This is because colours will change depending on lighting, photography and screen settings.

The furniture you have in your rooms will also alter the way you view the rug.

The same rug on the same sofa in one room, can look different if it is paired with dark brown vs white sofa.

Instead of picking out individual colours, think of how they complement each other.

In the event that the physical samples are provided by the Seller, inspect these during the day and under artificial lighting next to your furnishings.

Think About Everyday Life

The rug should complement the actual use of your room.

For instance, an extensive fluffy rug could be perfect for a bedroom. But if you place it in the family room where kids and pets are present, it could be an ongoing issue of housekeeping.

Likewise, a light-colored rug may not be the best for use on a dining area where spills are frequent.

Consider the texture, the elevation of the pile, general cleaning rules and frequency of walking on it.

There are multiple different properties of wool, jute, cotton and synthetic fibres.

Question yourself on softness, durability, easy maintenance and a mixture of these.

An ugly rug that doesn't match your needs can turn into a costly hassle.

A Pattern Can Change the Entire Room

One thing that many people don't take into account is how a rug's pattern will look with the rest of the room.

See a living room that has a sofa and printed upholstery, brightly colored cushions and patterned curtains.

Now picture a rug that has a strong geometric pattern.

It may seem cool, but it could also make the space look crowded.

A plain room, however, can be transformed and give it some character with a patterned rug.

The key is in balance.

Notice the existing colors and designs of your room. Determine whether you want the rug to stand out or be a part of the decor.

What If You Could See the Rug in Your Room First?

In the past, purchasing rugs online was a very unpredictable process.

You could visit hundreds of designs, view product descriptions and measure specifications. However, there was one thing that was left to be determined:

How will the rug look in my room?

This is where an AI rug visualizer comes in handy.

To avoid all of the imagination, you can preview rug designs by looking at a photo of your space.

If you're considering a traditional Persian rug versus a modern neutral one, for example, you'll need to determine if the rugs are made of wool, cotton, or synthetic materials.

A rug visualizer will show you how each rug will look when that is set up with your furniture.

Nirvana AI provides this experience in a simple manner.

Take a picture of your room, select a rug and imagine it in your room.

The AI considers a number of such factors such as furniture edge boundaries, lighting, perspective from the floor, and rug textures, to produce a realistic sense of the scene.

This helps you to determine the placement of a rug in a room before bringing multiple rugs home.

Digital previews, however, are not a guarantee of colour, texture or physical size. Please check the product specification before ordering.

Why This Matters for Rug Stores Too

Suppose a customer sees three rugs at an online store that they are interested in but haven't made a final decision on yet.

They enjoy all three, but aren't sure enough to take the order.

Typically, they would store their products, seek input from friends, or delay a decision.

Suppose those rugs are available for them to view in their own living room at the store.

The conversation changes.

The customer will be able to ask more detailed questions and will not have to ask if a certain design will work or not.

That’s where Nirwana AI steps in to make product discovery a boon for rug brands and retailers in the online space and in their showrooms.

The customer has a better idea of their options, and the retailer can answer some of the common questions about buying.

Make the Decision With Confidence

There is no one definite rule for picking the ideal rug.

What may be a beautiful design in one house may not be the same in another. The most important thing is that it's a good fit for your home, furniture, lifestyle, and style.

Prior to the final decision, look at the measurements, material, colour, pattern, cleanability and return policy.

If you can, check out the rugs in your bedroom prior to ordering.

A rug shouldn't look just beautiful in the product photograph. It should be a comfortable fit for where you live.

Explore the Nirwana AI Rug Visualizer to see how different rug designs could look in your own space.