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We think rugs are a lot like window treatments here at GHID…they come in practically every color and style imaginable, are available at virtually every price point and can be customizable to suite a desired look, size and need. They make a world of a difference in any room and most often, they’re not entirely appreciated until they’re delivered and installed.

Again, much like the qualities we look for in window treatments, both custom and semi-custom alike, we look for in area rugs and carpets as well. Like many of our clients, we value purchasing local, so if we can do that we absolutely do. We’d recommend paroosing local antique shops such as Portland’s own Justin and Burks, Seek the Unique and Bernadette Breu, as well as consignment dealers. We would also suggest keeping up with local rug showrooms for area carpet sales and discounted product, a few of our personal favorites are of course Kush, Modurne, Bravado, Tuffenkian and Atiyah Brothers.

There are many things you need to take note of before you begin shopping for the most flattering and appropriate rug for your space:

1.First off, take into consideration the style of your existing design and decor.

2. Secondly, set budget guidelines and research which rug types usually fit within those parameters.

3. Thirdly, situate your room the way you want it, then measure for the area rug – please note: this is all done beforebeginning your shopping to ensure accuracy. Make sure the size and scale of your future area rug will compliment both the scale and proportions of your room and furniture placement. It’s also important to take note of where your furniture will be sitting on the rug – we recommend either taking off the front legs of your furniture and/or situating your furniture either entirely on or entirely off the rug. This will eliminate furniture rocking and a lack of balance.

A few more important tips before you begin your shopping. If you have a floor outlet, remember sisals are easy to cut which will enable you to pull the cord through the rug – this is especially helpful if you have furniture floating within a room. Another great trick GHID suggests is to purchase a large, affordable sisal or other natural rug made of natural fibers, and a smaller hand-tufted rug to place on top of the sisal. This will still give you a great bang for your buck without breaking the bank.

4. Forth, narrow down the type of rug material you’ll be looking for. Rugs come in a variety of different materials that vary from synthetics to natural fibers such as jute and wool. These materials will wear, lie and dye differently. Keep in mind the clean-ability factor as well – remember fibers such as wool may not be suitable for certain spaces in your home, such as the bathroom or an area more susceptible to dampness.

5. Lastly, tear out a few images from magazines or pull from the internet before you begin shopping as a frame of reference. Often times in larger showrooms it’s easy to get overwhelmed, however when you have a picture or frame of reference, it’ll help keep you on track. Also, carry around either fabric swatches or a pillow from your space, they should have the colors you’re trying to match, and will make it easier for you to select the right rug for you space.

Remember, rugs make quite the statement and should be a lasting investment. Know your needs and how you live, this will help narrow down the type of rug you’ll be looking to purchase.

Here are a few definitions of the various rugs we use in our projects. Each vary in price-point – however, we’ll give you an idea of cost for each type of rug.

Machine-Made: Machine–made rugs are made on a power loom operated by a machine, computer, or person in order to produce area rugs quickly. They can be produced in large quantities and with several colors and complex designs.

Hand-Tufted: A hand tufted rug takes much less time to make than a hand–knotted rug does because there are no knots that need tying. They also usually cost much less. To make a hand tufted area rug, a rug maker uses a “”tufting gun”" to push loops of yarn through the backing. Once finished, a scrim is applied to the backside with glue and then a canvas backing is usually attached to that. The rugs is then sheared (cut across the top) cutting the loops to create the pile which is the surface that you see and walk on.

Hand-Hooked: Hand hooked rugs, are made similar to how hand tufted rugs are except that they have a short, looped pile and usually have a light–weight mesh backing. Hand hooked rugs that are made using a petite–point hooking tool have a pile of very small loops that result in the appearance of fine embroidery.

Hand-Knotted: Conventionally made with wool or silk, hand knotted rugs are the most expensive and take the longest to weave.  They are created by knotting pile yarns around the warp fibers that run the length of the rug.  The more knots there are per square inch, the more expensive the rug is.

To make a hand knotted area rug, a weaver has to tie each individual knot to the backing, making it truly a one of a kind piece. These rugs are usually made of wool or silk knotted around warps with cotton woven through to hold the knots in place. Because of the long amount of labor that goes into making a hand knotted rug, they are usually the most expensive rugs.

Here are a few GHID favorites:

Flokati:

Vegetable Dyes:

Luxor by Jaunty: