Rugs & Mats

Rugs & Mats

Shopping for new home decor can be a challenging task, with too many options to choose from. While some items are simple and straightforward, selecting the right floor covering is a bit tricky. Whether it’s a fashionable statement rug for a living room or a durable carpet for a workplace, there are plenty of factors to consider before making a decision. Apart from the design, there’s a choice of material, specific size, ease of maintenance, and more.

A carpet, rug, and mat belong to a similar category. All three names define a specific piece of woven fabric that covers an area of the floor. Their main difference lies in the item’s size, which also determines its primary purpose and location of use. 

The term “carpet” commonly refers to the sizable item that extends wall-to-wall, sometimes fixed to the floor. Its purpose is functional above all. A rug is somewhat smaller and often bears additional decorative value, and can even be layered over a carpet. The floor mat is the smallest of the three, and it’s commonly found at the doorstep. 

Types of Rugs & Mats

Floor rugs

A floor rug is a textile floor covering, typically comprising two layers. The upper layer of the pile bears decorative, tactile, and practical value. It’s traditionally made of wool, but modern versions come in a plethora of other options, too. The upper layer is attached to a backing, that often features some sort of anti-slip properties. 

Hallway Runners

Hallway runners are those lengthy and lean rugs that decorate home passages and make the space warmer. They make one of the effortless ways to add dimension to the high-traffic areas, with patterns, colours, and texture that make the interior design more on-point. Choosing the best hallway runners requires paying particular attention to fibres and weaving, essential for the item’s functionality and durability. 

Sheepskin & Hides

Sheepskins and hides are, initially, a bi-product of the meat industry. However, today many artificial options are also available, lacking nothing in visual and tactile quality yet being vegan and animal-friendly. Natural, high-quality sheepskin is distinctive by its clean, natural ivory tone, without discolourations and visible imperfections. 

Quality cowhide rugs are commonly treated with expert methods to become soft and long-lasting, free of shedding or odours. Apart from covering the floor, hide rugs are also suitable to use as wall hangings in rustic decor. 

Doormats

Doormats also called welcome mats or outdoor mats, are small, highly functional items. Their purpose is to remove dirt, mud, and moisture from shoes before entering the house. At the same time, doormats add a visual dimension to the entrance decor.  

Rugs & Mats Materials Guide

The materials from which the rugs and mats are made are crucial. They have a significant impact on the item’s durability and overall quality. The choice of fabric and the way it’s woven can make a big difference, depending on the place the item is used. 

Natural Fibres

Natural materials often used for making rugs are wool, silk, cotton, jute, and sisal. These are durable and long-lasting, pleasant to walk on, and boast natural breathability. However, rugs and mats made of organic materials are not always budget-friendly and come with a higher price tag than other options. They also require professional maintenance, and some, such as dyed silk, can be very sensitive to water and stains. 

Synthetic Fibres

Polyester, polypropylene and acrylic are affordable, easy to maintain and clean. While mostly resilient to stains and dirt, synthetic rugs are susceptible to contamination. That applies particularly to mildew and bacteria triggered by repeated spills or pet accidents. Synthetic mats and rugs have a shorter life span and need replacement more often than natural ones. 

Artificial Silk

Viscose, bamboo silk, and banana silk are a mid-way solution, often used for designer rugs. Bamboo and banana silk bear more tactile quality than synthetics while being also more affordable and less sensitive than natural silk. However, that doesn’t apply in full to viscose, which attracts moisture and oil, and can be ruined with frequent spills. 

Standard Rugs & Mats Weaves

The weave of the fibres has a significant impact on the rug’s durability, feel, and look. Each of the common rug weaving techniques come with its own set of pros and cons.

Hand-Knotted Rugs

One of the most traditional, masterful, time-tested manufacturing techniques is hand weaving. In this process, the fibres are tied manually, using a loom. It produces rugs of the highest quality, with the built-to-last construction, authentic designs, and a price tag to match. Hand-knotted rugs make an excellent, remarkable choice of a statement floor cover in any area of the home.

Tufted Rugs & Mats

Tufted rugs own their plush surface to the manufacturing process. Cutting off the tops of yarn loops leads to the creation of a sumptuous tufted pile, which is typically attached to a latex backing. Tufted rugs are a budget-friendly alternative to hand-knotted rugs, available in a plethora of styles, but also prone to shedding. 

Hooked Rugs

Similar to the tufted rugs, hooked rugs are made by the same process, just without cutting off the loops. Hooked rugs boast an exceptional tactile, textured quality, far less prone to shedding.

Flatwoven Rugs & Mats

This manufacturing process relates to creating mat-style rugs without the pile. Flatweaving is suitable for a wide variety of materials, both natural and synthetic. Although quite durable, these rugs feature no backing and typically require the addition of a rug pad for safety. On the other side, no backing means that the flatweave rugs are reversible, with the same pattern quality on both sides. They can be easily flipped per need, which lowers the maintenance and makes them ideal for hallway runners and covering other high-traffic areas.

Machine-Made Mats

The machine-made process includes everything from cut-pile styles to faux hides, woven in mass production on power looms. Modern looms are mostly computer-driven, which significantly affects the price of machine-made rugs, making them quite affordable. Additional benefits are vivid colour palettes, intricate patterns, and consistent quality, all of which makes them a popular solution for designer rugs. 

Machine-made rugs and mats are mostly synthetic, durable, with good stain resistance. They make a good choice for use under dining tables and in low-traffic areas of the home.

High VS Low Pile

The “pile” of a rug determines its visual and tactile qualities through density and thickness. Coarser pieces have more pile and bear a softer feel than finely woven pieces. There are two main categories that define pile properties:

• Low-pile rugs: Shorter fibres and loops, such as in flatweaves, make these pieces ideal for high-traffic areas like hallways or kitchens.
• High-pile rugs: Tall and loose fibres, often seen in shag or Moroccan rug designs, form sumptuous, plush, warm pieces ideal for the living room or bedroom. Thicker rugs also provide good sound isolation and insulation, alongside increased longevity and overall performance.

Rug Pads

Rug pads are essential for safety reasons, with the main function of preventing the rug from slipping. However, they also extend the life of both rug and flooring by protecting the surface.