Whether we are talking about a living room, bedroom, office, or dining room, a good rug can add a lot of personality to any indoor space. They also help to protect the floor from scratches and scrapes from furniture.

Xylo Flooring supply quality vinyl, laminate and engineered wooden flooring for professional interior designers and the retail sector. Here we identify some key factors to consider before purchasing a rug if you have one of these types of flooring.

The Footfall

First of all, it is important to consider how often the rug will be walked on. For example, rugs in hallways and kitchens will see much more footfall than a rug in the living room by the fire. If there is a lot of human traffic, you want a rug that is hardwearing, easy to clean, and won’t show up too many footprints between major cleans. Something made out of acrylic ticks all of these boxes.

Those containing natural fibres still have their place too. For instance, wool rugs are good near the fireplace as they have plenty of heat resistance. At the opposite end of the spectrum, cotton and viscose won’t be as hardwearing, but will give your room a more luxurious feel.

You should also consider the ‘petfall’. If you have dogs or cats, you will want a rug that you can easily remove hairs and dirt from. Wool is again good for this, as is something with a low pile.

The Colour and Style

Do you want it to match the existing décor, colour of paint on the walls, the upholstery or cushions on the sofa or settee? Or do you want to make a bold statement and make it completely different from any of the other fixtures and fittings in the room?

This part is up to you.

The Overall Floor Space

A larger rug, which goes up to any furniture in the room, will bring everything together and make more of a statement. This also avoids the so-called ‘floating rug’ look where it is isolated in the middle of the room.

Your rug doesn’t have to be rectangular – it can match the space and the furniture. For example, circular rugs work well if you have a round dining table. Again, make sure the rug is big enough to go under the chairs as well as the table. This will also help avoid any food and drink staining your floor.

If you have trouble visualising how a rug will look in your space, lay down old newspaper to show the area it will cover.

Rugs and Different Types of Flooring

Laminate flooring – which Xylo stocks in its Urban Herringbone and its London Collection.

With your choice of rug, you have two options, to go for a ‘statement’ rug which is vastly different from the rest of your room, or to go for a complementary colour which is a different shade to your existing floor tone. Jute rugs are a good choice for laminate floors, as they don’t retain much dirt and don’t stain easily.

Vinyl flooring – which Xylo stocks in its Dynamic Click range.

Vinyl floors tend to be used in bathrooms and kitchens because they are more water-resistant than wooden or laminate floors. Therefore, if you are looking for a rug in these rooms, they must also be able to withstand getting wet. This is because rugs, like carpets, contain fibres which absorb moisture, leading to mould or mildew.

Flatweave Polypropylene rugs are a good choice here because they have lower absorbency compared to natural fibre rugs such as wool.

Wooden Flooring – which Xylo stocks in its Oak flooring range.

The key here is to go for rugs with natural fibres. This is because wood is also a natural product, so it takes in and lets out moisture as the temperature and humidity in the room changes.

If these natural processes aren’t allowed to take place due to a synthetic rug, the floor could be damaged. For the same reason, don’t buy rugs with a rubber backing. It is also best to apply a high-quality finish to your wooden floor to avoid the problem of fading and discolouration caused by the presence of a rug.

Vinyl, Laminate and Engineered Wooden Flooring from Xylo

If you are not sure which type of flooring is best for your commercial or domestic clients, call us on 020 8368 8122 or email infouk@xyloflooring.com. There are also a number of Xylo Flooring stockists across the UK. To find where your nearest one is, email sales@xyloflooring.com.

Leave a Reply