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The Art of Selecting a Design
Picking out an area rug for any space can turn into a tedious task if we don’t have the requisite information at our disposal. This is where you can rely on The Woven Arts as a useful guide to steer your way in the right direction.
We have often heard people say that majority of their focus while selecting a rug is primarily on the colours, the size or the texture. The design, however, takes a back seat and is given little to almost no preference over these crucial aspects. Surprising as it may seem, we are going to try and refine this process by sharing some valuable advice based on our own experience of rug selection over the years.
To arrive at this decision, it is important that you keep asking yourself the right questions in order of priority starting with –
Why is this rug being bought?
While browsing through catalogues and skimming across magazines, you may get the feeling that the design is less critical than colours. It is indeed true when experts around the world say that colours are the first thing our eyes see when we look at a rug and those colours will have far more impact on its surroundings even if the pattern is discordant. This allows rugs to blend into most rooms, provided the colors are harmonious.
However, choosing the right design goes over and above a few things that should be taken into consideration. Think of design selection as trying to decide what kind of clothes you want to buy? The kind of T-shirt you wear or trousers you put on says something about the kind of person you are.
The design of any rug tends to convey a similar perception of your style, the ambience you’re going for and the kind of taste you generally have in life. It is a representation of your aesthetic beliefs translated by patterns, motifs, shapes etc.
Curvilinear
While viewing this design, you may notice how most of them tend to be rather intricate and floral- inspired. Curvilinear patterns find their best expression in classically furnished rooms. The more ornate and intimately decorated the surroundings, the stronger the impact a curvilinear rug will have on your room. A curvilinear design can also add a degree of opulence to a plainly decorated room, but careful consideration is advised here as rooms that are done up in a rustic fashion or using Scandinavian furnishing may result in a clash of the two styles.
Geometric
One of the more acclaimed patterns around the world, the mark of their popularity resides in their compatible nature across several kinds of decor. Particularly compatible with Scandinavian and Bauhaus inspired designs, the geometric patterns make a statement and capture your attention with style. They may also appear gorgeous in more classically furnished rooms, provided the rug you choose has tones that match the overall décor.
Repeating
This design employs a single motif or group of motifs repeating throughout the length and breadth of the rug. The nature of its repeat even in intricate Persian designs is done so elegantly that they appear to be the same from every angle. A remarkable feat in designing which affords these kinds of rugs considerable freedom during placement. The Woven Arts advises using such repeat patterns in areas that go well with runner sizes such as corridors, staircases, lobbies, living rooms etc.
Centralized
The hallmark of this design is the positioning of a large, single motif at the center which usually looks like a medallion. The beauty of this medallion sparkles especially well when it relies on the balance between the focal motif and the surrounding design. This symmetry can be disturbed if one side of the rug is disproportionately near a wall or piece of furniture. Therefore, we recommend that these rugs should ideally be the center of attraction in a room for the sheer purpose of accentuating their glamorous attributes
Vertical and Horizontal
An easily recognized pattern due to its unilateral nature, rugs with this design need to be seen from an angle for maximum effect. Some of the commonly found rugs employing this technique are the ones used for prayers or carpets depicting pictures which are usually indicative of storytelling.
The visual impact of such rugs deteriorates when they’re viewed upside-down. Optimising the location of these rugs is largely a matter of trial and error, but one must aim to spread them where they cannot be seen upside-down.
The Woven Arts recommends using vertical and horizontal designs for rugs that can be used as wall-hangings or as small sized carpets in private spaces with extremely limited viewing.
