Best Area Rugs for Hardwood Floors

Choosing an Area Rug

Finding the right rug to warm up your hardwood floors can be a fun but sometimes exasperating challenge. Determining the right size, the right material, and the right style and color can complicate the search. Here are some tips to get you started, plus a few of our favorites for inspiration.

• Size: Make sure at least the front legs of all furniture in the room fit around/onto the rug, and leave a 10- to 20-inch margin around the room.
• Style: Draw inspiration from your space. “Decide whether your space craves something traditional or contemporary, abstract or boho, and THEN see what colors are available,” says Yoselin Castro, senior interior designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors. “This will help you keep the design direction really clear.”
• Material: Natural fibers lie wool or silk still rule for durability and softness — good ones last a lifetime. But synthetic fibers such as polypropylene give natural fibers a run for their money, with their washability and variety of prints and colors. “Other great materials include jute and seagrass, as they are strong fibers that are renewable,” Castro says. “Something to consider is the feel of this material as it will be coarser due to its resilient properties.”
• Price: They run the gamut depending on size, whether the rug was handmade or machine made, and the material. “It’s almost a given that the larger the rug, the higher the price,” says Castro.
• Pads: Pads and their materials are key to protecting your hardwood floor from costly, and sometimes permanent, damage. The best options are natural rubber and felt. Avoid plastic, latex and PVC. Some will still say they’re safe for hardwood, but they aren’t. The off-gassing from these materials creates a chemical reaction with your floor, leaving an etched, discolored pattern that oftentimes cannot be removed, even with refinishing. Pay attention to the materials on the backing of your rug, too. You can protect your floor from problematic backings with natural rubber or felt. Other products don’t stay in place, stick to the floor indefinitely, or ruin the finish or the composition of the hardwood. Pads with natural rubber or felt allow the rugs and hardwood to breathe — they are natural materials, after all. Pads also protect your own bodily safety — no slipping on sliding rugs or tripping over flipped edges. “Rug pads are great as they provide traction between hardwood (or tiled) floors and help keep the rug in place, especially when placed in a high trafficked area,” Castro says. “Keep in mind when you purchase a rug pad, it may not be the exact same size as the rug so feel free to cut any of the rug pad excess.”
• Cleaning: Different rug fibers have different cleaning requirements. Wool rugs will likely shed, so regular vacuuming is recommended. Always try removing spills immediately using a sponge or soft-bristle brush, and refer to the rug’s materials cleaning instructions. If a stain or technique has eluded your gentle detergent spot cleaning, find a trusted rug cleaner.