When it comes to choosing the perfect rug for your dining room, living room, bedroom or study; the options are plentiful. However, before choosing the style of rug which you initially prefer, there are a few differentiations of quality which need to be understood. Overall, wool rugs tend to be the most durable. This, however, does not make them inherently the best choice. Wool rugs also need to be dry cleaned professionally or be treated with a special type of product. This can make them more challenging to maintain. High quality synthetic rugs tend to be easier to take care of and can save the buyer time and money. Therefore, before buying a rug you must decide whether you want to go with wool and have it last longer, or synthetic, and have it be easier to clean.

Another important decision when choosing a rug is buying the pad. Pads can be easy to overlook because they are not what you see when you look at a beautiful rug, but they are essential to making that beauty last. The pad can not only make walking on the rug softer and more comfortable, but it can improve the carpet's ability to withstand wear and tear as well. Pads can also prevent the rug from sliding along on the floor which makes them safer. Before you choose a style of rug you should be sure to know what kind of fabric is best for your house, and be prepared to buy a pad to match the size of the rug you choose.

One of the most popular styles of rugs is the traditional style. These rugs are intricately woven, filled with elaborate patterns such as floral patterns and come with a variety of trims. Usually found in earthy tones, a traditional style rug can give any room a classic, grand sense of beauty. Most rugs in this style feature intertwining patterns often including vine-work and geometric shapes. A traditional style rug is similar to a classic Persian rug. This particular style tends to go best in homes that are seeking elegance, refinement and formality. Traditional imagery usually points toward the French countryside, Victorian England and the exotic grandeur of the Far East.

Contemporary rugs, on the other hand, feature a more urban style. These rugs tend to feature combinations of colors and shapes which mesh together into a coherent pattern. Generally, contemporary rugs include shapes such as stripes, swirls, diamonds, squares and rectangles. It is not unlikely for contemporary rugs to portray a concept of disorder in shape; meaning that stripes which are not entirely straight, patterns which break off, and uneven color combinations are commonly found. However, given the overall disorder of the patterns, there tends to be clean breaks between designs. Geometric patterns often found in contemporary rugs are split by crisp features, and the overall atmosphere of the image is very fresh. Color combinations tend to feature earth tones with one or two dark colors, and then one or two bright colors which stand out or “pop” as they are currently described. There are exceptions to this rule, but on the whole one can see a lot of black, green, blue, bronze and burgundy in contemporary rugs.

A third popular style of rug, transitional, seeks to mesh the traditional and contemporary worlds into one. These rugs feature a large number of neutral tones, and occasionally are offset with one or two bright or dark colors. It can be very easy to mix transitional rugs into either the contemporary or traditional categories because they can be so close to those styles. Most rugs that fit in the transitional category are either contemporary rugs that are not quite as abstract as others, or traditional rugs that are not quite as decadent. Therefore, they work very well in rooms that lean towards either the contemporary or traditional style, but do not quite fit the mold.

Another popular style of rug is the casual variety. These rugs tend to lack the complexity of the aforementioned categories. For the most part, casual rugs are simple, comfortable and offer a warm touch to any room. They integrate a “lived in” charm which can make any space feel like home. The casual style often encompasses other styles because it attempts to fit in with whatever is natural. For example, if one is living in the southwest area of the United States, an elaborate rug that follows regional traditions of style, such as Native American art, can be considered to fit the casual mold because it is geographically fitting.

There is great potential for any room as long as it has the right carpet. Rugs often act as the foundation from which the rest of the room is decorated. Finding a carpet that fits the style for the rest of your room is essential. With traditional, contemporary, transitional and casual styles, one is sure to find something that fits.