There once lived a poor tailor who had a son named Aladdin. The story of Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp had the boy working as a rug merchant, who flew from place to place on a magic carpet.
What is the difference between a rug and a carpet and what should you use in your sunroom? There must be a difference otherwise the story would go, “He was a carpet merchant, yet he flew from place to place on a magic rug.”
To me, rug sounds like it has less class than carpet. It sounds common, made from common materials. In truth, rugs and carpets are often used interchangeably.
For our purposes, let’s use this definition for rugs and carpets: Rugs are bigger than a mat, which is used in the bathroom on in front of the kitchen sink or as a welcome to my home mat. Rug suggests something thicker and comfortable for the feet. Rugs may be movable. A carpet on the other hand is 12 X 15 or larger. It may reach from wall to wall or may be fixed to the floor, as in indoor carpeting.
You may decide that your sunroom is not to have cold, solid tiles or wood underfoot, but a rug, warm, soft, and colorful. How do you go about shopping for such a thing? Here are six tips for shopping for a rug:
Six Tips for Shopping for a Rug
# 1 TIP: Set a budget. When shopping for rugs, you will notice the range of prices, which can vary from $100 to $5,000 and beyond. So first, set a budget before you shop.
#2 TIP: Learn how rugs are made. Abe Abbas, furniture expert, tells us there are two basic types of rugs:
- Hand-knotted Rugs: a hand-knotted rug requires skill and a lot of time to produce. You can determine the value of a hand-knotted carpet by the number of knots per square inch. The higher the density, the higher the quality. If it has a complex pattern, you will also see that there is very dense Imagine how much time it took to make the rug. An average weaver can tie about 10,000 knots per day. That is what makes the rug valuable.
- Hand-tufted Rugs: A hand-tufted rug is made by punching strands of wool into a canvas with the help of a hand operated tool which is stretched on a frame. Hand-tufted rugs take less time to produce, and the same level of skill. is not required as hand-knotting does.
You will find in your shopping, machine-made rugs. Usually, they are made from synthetic fibers. They are less expensive than wool rugs and are made for our disposable society. But, when thrown away, they never disappear from our landfills.
Wool rugs are works of art, made mostly from wool, woven mostly by women in the Middle East.
#3 TIP: Measure the space – rugs come in all different sizes. If you are buying a rug for the dining room, you want the table and chairs to be on the rug when all the guests are seated. In the living room, you want to choose a size that sofa and chairs all fit on the rug.
#4 TIP: Wear and tear– What kind of rug does your room really need? In low traffic areas like the living room and dining room, a hand-tufted wool carpet would work best. It will last 10 to 20 years and will start to fray or come away from the backing when it needs to be replaced.
In a heavy traffic area, a hand-knotted carpet will last for a very long time and can be steamed cleaned. A wool carpet has a natural ability to resist staining and soiling. In fact, it has more than a 30% higher rate of stain resistance than even the best synthetic fibers.
#5 TIP: Consider color, light, and pattern – There are so many colors, patterns, and intensities. They must be seen to be appreciated. Rugs or carpets with a pattern will not show the dirt or spills like a plain carpet.
#6 TIP: Choose a fiber – Choose the quality that is the best fit for your wallet, room, and needs. Synthetic carpets are the cheapest, then hand-tufted rugs and the most expensive, and longest lasting is hand knotted.
In Summary, a rug or carpet is a wonderful addition to making a comfortable sunroom, and the many colors of fabric available for your sunroom furniture will complement the rug.