Nspecial section furniture
By Christina Guerrero
IF YOU’VE MOVED into or live in a home
without carpeting or replaced your carpet
with flooring, you probably already know
rugs will warm and so;en hard surface areas,
but you may not realize that choosing the
right rug involves a variety of factors.
“We like to say that the rugs are like art
for the ;oor: ;e rug can make a bold statement about color and style, or it can blend
into the décor more subtly and simply hold
together a living space in the home,” says
Peter Gertmenian, of G.A. Gertmenian &
Sons, a Costco rug supplier that has been in
business for 120 years.
;e Connection spoke to two Costco rug
suppliers who o;ered tips on choosing the
right rug for your space. ;ey agreed that
color, design, size, material, texture and tra;c
flow in the area are key considerations.
Deciding on the color and pattern for a rug,
especially an area rug, when ;rst decorating a
room is helpful in coordinating the décor, but
if that is not an option, play o; the furniture
you already have.
“Generally, when the furniture features
bold patterns, we recommend a more neutral-color area rug,” says Gertmenian. “When the
furniture itself is more neutral, it can be fun to
choose a more heavily patterned area rug.”
Don’t pull the rug out
Rugs are made from both man-made and
natural ;bers, and both have certain advantages. While wool is a beautiful ;ber that has
natural stain resistance, it can shed, especially
during the ;rst few times it is vacuumed.
Synthetic yarns such as ole;n (also known as
polypropylene) and nylon generally don’t
shed or accumulate dust as easily as natural
;bers, such as wool and cotton, but they don’t
have the so; patina and coloring that natural
;bers can achieve.
Tightly woven rugs with thick, durable pile
are a great choice for high-tra;c areas, such as
hallways and entryways. Natural-;ber rugs,
such as jute and sisal, and synthetic-;ber rugs
that use pile material such as ole;n, which is
extremely durable, work well for these areas.
The Costco Connection
A variety of rugs can be found seasonally
in the warehouse and at Costco.com.
Rug pads can be found on Costco.com.
“In an entryway we recommend a dura-
ble rug that has a nonskid backing, or equally
good is the use of a rug pad under the entry-
way rug,” Gertmenian says. “In a high-tra;c
area such as an entry, it is important to rotate
the rug every six months so that a tra;c pat-
tern does not start to show.”
For rugs that don’t have a built-in skid-
resistant backing, such as latex rubber, use a
rug pad cut 2 inches smaller than the rug; this
will help the rug, especially accent rugs and
runners, stay in place. For larger, thick-pile
area rugs, a rug pad is not generally necessary
but can’t hurt, and adds a nice layer of cush-
ioning underfoot.
Don Newton, senior vice president of
Orian Rugs, a Costco rug supplier, says, “A
pad locks [the rug] in place and helps the face
;bers last longer because they are not absorbing all the pressure.”
Snug as a bug
When sized properly, generally with at
least 6 to 12 inches of exposed ;ooring around
the room, an area rug brings together a seating area. If your furniture is set against a wall,
the rug should be at least large enough so that
the front legs of the chairs or sofa are comfortably on the rug. If your furniture is centered
in the middle of the room, the rug should be
large enough so that all chairs and sofa legs ;t
comfortably on the rug.
Most dining tables require an area rug
that is at least 8 x 10 feet in size; alternatively,
you can measure your table and add 2 feet on
all sides, which should give the ideal size of
the rug. A good rule of thumb is that when
the chairs are pulled out from the table, all
four legs should remain on the rug.
For the bedroom, an area rug should be
placed under the bed 2 to 3 feet o; the wall so
that it protrudes from the foot of the bed and
also on both sides. Runners also work at the
foot and both sides of the bed.
;e most important thing to remember
when looking for the perfect rug is that decorating ideas have changed.
“It’s not like it was in my mother’s or
grandparents’ day, when everything had to
match geometrically,” Newton says. “;e classic ideas of the past are now being debated by
the new customers.” C
Tying the room together
Rug rule: At least the front
legs of all furniture should
rest on an area rug.
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