How to choose the right size area rug

Emma Gardner rugs are like a piece of art for your floor. Truly, she designs some of the most vibrant beautiful rugs I have ever seen. The rugs are certified by Care&Fair and Rugmark, organizations that work to end child labor in the carpet industry.
Buying area rugs for your home is a large purchase so shop around and take your time until you find the right ones. Make sure you can return them if they aren't the perfect fit and color for your room. Remember these rugs will last for many years and can be moved from room to room and house to house so buy the best quality rug you can afford and you'll enjoy it for a long time. If you buy a quality rug, with good care it should last longer than most anything in your home. Most rooms benefit greatly from the addition of an area rug. So many of us have large expanses of wood or ceramic flooring and an area rug provides warmth and comfort underfoot, sound absorption, floor surface protection and adds color to pull a room together. They can also hide unsightly flooring, such as worn hardwood or carpeting. Designs range from more traditional Persians and orientals solid color textures, fun shags, natural fiber, and bold modern art rugs. Rugs of varied sizes tend to go together best- same sized rugs tend to divide a room in halves but keep them in the same colors and design type-don't mix a bold oriental rug with a woven cotton rug.
How to choose the right size area rug for a room
Here are some hints to pick the right size rug for your home. These sizes are for references only- most rugs come in standard sizes and your rooms don't. The best look is to leave 18-36" of bare floor around the rug. If your room is small or an entry foyer or hallway then you can get away with less than 18" all the way down to around 8". For a dining room the rug should be large enough to pull out the chairs and have them still be on the rug. That's about 24" from the edge of the table out on all sides. Measure your table top. Add four feet to the width and length to find the minimum size of your dining room rug. For under a bed the rug should extend beyond the sides of the bed approx. 18" for a king and 12" for a full or twin. Of course you can go bigger but don't go any smaller-the rug will look undersized and skimpy.
For coffee tables typically a 4' x 6' or 6' x 9' area rug will work well. The size you should choose depends on the size of your coffee and should be large enough to accommodate all four legs of the table. For an entire room try to leave an equal amount of flooring exposed as a border on all sides-the rule of thumb is 18-36". If that is not possible, try and have the borders on parallel sides of the rug an equal size. If the front legs of the furniture are on the rug and the back legs are off the rug that is fine as long as the piece is stable- you may have to put furniture coasters under the back legs to raise them to the same height of the rug.
Hallway carpet runners should be about four inches narrower than the hall and 18-24" shorter. We always recommend using a rug pad under all rugs – this will help keep your rug in place and also save the life of your rug – rugs wear from the bottom not the top. The friction is on the bottom when being walked on and using a rug pad will help keep your rug in good condition and last for many years –
Rug material types
Wool —dye ability, durability, softness and clean ability make wool the superior fiber. Wool is the standard by which all other carpet fibers are measured. Pure wool has the following benefits:
It is warmer than acrylic
It is naturally fire resistant
It is less likely to pill than an acrylic, though the more advanced (and more expensive acrylics) are also less prone to piling
It will usually last longer and can handle soiling better
In general it rebounds to retain its shape better
Our choice - Wool.
Acrylics are being improved all the time, and they are now closer to wool in terms of feel and quality then ever before, but they are still a way behind. They are vibrant and colorful. One undesirable effect that acrylic suffers from, is the dreaded piling .
Acrylic has the following benefits:
Cost - most acrylic fibers are cheaper than wool.
It is moth proof and storage for an extended period of time will not need moth balls.
Acrylics suffer from the static electricity problem.
Most people are not allergic to acrylic.
Cotton — softer than wool but less durable. Available in a variety of colors. Most people are not allergic to cotton. Generally less expensive than wool.
Jute — the softest of all natural fibers. When exposed to direct sunlight, jute may fade or darken in color. Prolonged exposure to moisture will cause the fiber to disintegrate.
Sisal — stronger and more durable than any natural rug fiber and since sisal is static-free and colorfast, it makes it perfect for just about any area.