Your Ultimate Guide To Buying Rugs In Singapore

Having been in the industry for close to 10 years, my team and I had plenty of opportunities to provide advice, solutions and tips to homeowners, and we totally understand because choosing a rug is no easy feat! The very reason I started a rug business is that I myself had no idea how and where to find a good modern rug as a newly married first time homeowner in Singapore.

So if you’re currently in the middle of finding the rug for your home and happen to chance upon this article, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll discuss the key concerns homeowners typically face when rug shopping and how to overcome the mental hurdle when buying a rug. 

WHICH SIZE SHOULD YOU GET?

The number one question that our rug specialists sort out when you get in touch with us is “What size do you need?” 

Too many times we have seen a rug that's too small for the furniture. It throws off the proportions of the space. Rugs serve to anchor your furniture, at the same time visually segregating a space. You need a rug that's big enough to make these happen.

For the living room, your sofa should be completely on the rug or at least the front two legs. The rug should be wider than the sofa. If the rug is narrower than the sofa, or if the rug gets almost completely covered when you put the sofa on it, then it is too small.

Follow our guidelines below to achieve a perfectly balanced living room interior.

For the bedroom, in addition to the correct proportion, you would want to enjoy the rug when you get on and off the bed. To get a luxurious feel, put a larger rug under the entire bed. Our bedroom guide below shows the ideal size depending on whether you have a single, queen or king bed.

Check out our comprehensive guide on how to choose the right rug size which includes the rest of the areas in your home: kitchen, hallway & outdoor space.

A tip before starting your rug shopping - take a quick measurement of your space considering the rug size guidelines. This saves you the trouble of needing to reassess the space when you already found your dream design. With the measurements at the back of your palm, it’s easy to purchase the rug in a snap of a finger once the size is ideal!

In a nutshell: Note down the dimensions of your main furniture and space. Refer to our rug size guidelines before you go rug shopping.

WHICH STYLE SHOULD YOU GO FOR?

Choosing a rug style can be exciting for some, but also daunting for others. Rug designs are endless so…where should you begin? Start thinking whether you prefer a solid rug or a patterned rug.

Within your living space, mixing solids and patterns are a great way to achieve a visual balance, so it’s always a good idea to integrate these two elements together, instead of completely leaning towards either category though it can be very tempting!

Consider A Few Of These Design Tips:

• If light solids seem to be the theme of your space, consider a subtle patterned rug for a touch of depth.
• If your colour theme is rather bold, opt for solid rugs that complement the lighter shades to achieve a soft balance.
• Intricately patterned wallpaper often balances well with solid rugs so that the patterns and colours do not clash
• Consider the footfall of the space - if the area is a high-traffic zone, then a patterned rug will be ideal to mask off any minor stains and marks.

In a nutshell: Segment rugs into 2 categories - solid rugs and patterned rugs. Now all you have to do is decide between the two to narrow your search.

  

WHAT'S YOUR COLOUR THEME?

Neutrals, Blues, Pastels, the choice is endless. A simple rule of thumb is to select a rug that is within your overall colour palette. If you’re starting from an empty canvas, look at artworks for inspiration - or even vases and floral arrangements you especially love, bringing in a touch of your personality and character into the space.

An aspect often overlooked is the colour tone of your flooring. Select a rug that gives your floor a nice contrast. A lighter rug on mid-dark flooring, and a darker rug on light flooring.

FEEL

At the end of the day, all we want is a comfortable rug to sink our feet in… plus one that looks aesthetically pleasing…and probably one that’s easy to maintain too. Yet the softest rug might not be able to last as long, and the fluffiest long-lasting rug might not have the shininess you’re looking for. Therefore different rug materials have their own implications. What matters is which you’d like to prioritize: aesthetics, practicality or tactility.

Our range of LivingDNA rugs are made of these materials:

• Tencel
• NZ Wool
• Recycled PET
• Bamboo Silk 
• Viscose
• Cotton

Each material has its advantages and disadvantages. Some are perfect to entertain guests and are pet-friendly though it might not be the softest while some are fluffy but tough to maintain. To learn more on how to choose the right rug material, refer to our comprehensive guide here as we discuss each material alongside its beauty and downside of it.

CARE

 ‘Rugs are difficult to maintain’ is a common misconception we’d like to debunk. High-quality rugs only need to be lightly vacuumed, once a week at most as too much vacuuming can pull the fibres out. Ideally, to maintain your rug’s beauty and style for years, all you have to do is send it for professional cleaning once a year, and that’s it!

For a detailed care guide on different materials simply refer to our article on ‘Caring For Your Rug’.

Got a question on your mind? Comment below or WhatsApp our friendly rug experts at +65 85113584 to learn more!