As you scan any given room in your home, you might notice that something is missing. A space could lack a certain “pop” of color. Or could it be that finishing touch that ties the entire room together?

Floor coverings and rugs can add new life to a dull space. Of course, the first reason that might come to mind is protection for your investment in flooring. After all, if you have children, pets or both, you can expect some wear-and-tear on your flooring or carpet. Rugs, runners, treads and mats add protection by preventing snags, in the case of carpet, or scratches in hard wood flooring.

However, there are many more advantages to looking at any type of covering for your space. The benefits of buying rugs or other floor coverings include:

• Protection for flooring
• Added safety
• Warmth and comfort
• Additional color to décor
• Affordable accessorizing
• Noise reduction

TYPES OF FLOOR COVERINGS

Furthermore, there are some categories to choose from that would serve just about any space. So, there’s opportunity to spruce up not just the living room but the hallway and even the kitchen.

Some options, depending on the area and purpose, are:

• Area rugs-textile coverings that come in various shapes and styles
• Stair treads-coverings that protect the steps
• Runners-narrow, rectangular textile coverings that run down the middle of the floor
• Mats-thick coverings that protects flooring and provides padded comfort

While there are no set rules as to how to mix and match the different types of floor coverings, coordinating colors or patterns in spaces that are located in close, visual proximity to each other might not be a bad idea. Likewise, each room in the house possesses its own character and so should the floor coverings.

 Plus, you have other factors to consider such as:

• Family’s needs such as a material that’s allergen resistant
• Type of Flooring Underneath
• Budget
• Style
• Color Scheme
• Size of the Room or Space
• The possible need for adhesive backing or a rug pad

In relation to materials, you’ll also have to decide among any of the following choices that are either natural or synthetic:

• Wool
• Cotton
• Jute or sisal
• Silk or viscose
• Nylon
• Olefin (polypropylene)
• Polyester

For kitchen mats, you’ll find products made from memory foam, rubber, gel, or a variation of these materials that serve the purpose of preventing foot, knee, and back pain that comes from standing for long periods of time.

Another vital bit of information that you’ll need involves accurate measurements of the area where you want to place the floor covering. Here are some tips to follow to get the right measurements:

• Area Rug-the primary measurement you’ll need is the area of the room (length x width); you might also mark the spot where the rug will go with painter’s tape and then measure the length and width of that area. This will help you to determine if a 2x3, a 3x5, or a 4x6 is needed.
• Runners-the most important measurement involves the length and width of the hallway while keeping in mind how much of the floor’s surface you would want to show along the edges.
• Stair runner-you’ll need to width of the step’s surface, the depth of the step and the riser height. The number of risers is multiplied by the height; the number of stair depths are multiplied by their height. Then you find the total of both sets of measurements to get the length of the runner.
• Kitchen Mats-you’ll need to measure the width of the area in front of the sink and then measure as far out as you would like the mat to extend from the base of the counter. Similar to the area rug, you can mark the spot with painter’s tape to measure its area.
• Stair treads- you would measure the length and width of the step and of course write down how many steps will need coverage.

When in doubt, consulting with a customer representative or an interior decorator would help you to gain the most accurate measurements possible.

Better yet, consider contacting the experts at Sussex Home for a consultation about floor coverings and to figure out which products would best accent your home.