Looking for a great looking cotton rug to compliment a room in your home? We have a wide selection of rugs in all types of colors and sizes here at LuxeDecor. But first, let’s get into the reasons why a cotton rug makes a big difference in the look and feel of your home.
First, what are you using the rug for? For example, you could hav a wall-to-wall carpet or a few smaller cotton area rugs that fit between your sofa and side chairs. Runners work best in hallways. Mats work best in front of doorways, kitchen sinks, or stoves. Floor mats also look terrific in bathrooms next to the tub or sink.
Although carpets can provide complete floor coverage, their size creates difficulty in keeping them cleaned. However, taking cotton area rugs outside or to a specialty rug cleaner requires far less effort. For example, you might lay your area rug in a paved driveway or hang it over a fence, spray it with cleaning solution, and rinse it with clean water in just a few minutes.
Drying a flatweave cotton rug outdoors on a sunny day takes far less time than drying a wall-to-wall carpet indoors. Moreover, drying room-sized indoor carpets typically necessitates a blower or floor fan to prevent mold or mildew formation. Some carpet shampoos and detergents leave residues that attract dirt faster in the future, leading to perpetual dingy spots.
Cotton is the cellulose fibers grown inside the boll of the cotton plant, a rigid, brown casing that forms after cotton flowers bloom and die. When ready to pick, cotton bolls look like popcorn from a distance. However, once separated and spun, cotton's long, absorbent fibers hold dyes well. Its dye-absorbing quality makes cotton yarn ideal for creating a cotton carpet, woven kitchen rug, cotton braided rug, or cotton runner rugs.
Depending on their length, you may machine wash some cotton runners, floor mats, and smaller area rugs. Most laundromats have larger front-loading machines and at least one extractor, a type of centrifuge that removes more water from wet items before you put them in a dryer. Anything the length and width of a sleeping bag will usually fit in a front-loading washer. Rugs with non-slip backing should not go into the dryer, however.
Use the gentle cycle whenever possible, regardless of the amount of soil, or wash your mats and runners only occasionally. Before you begin, read the care instructions -- usually found on a tag on the back of your cotton area rugs. Avoid detergents that conflict with stain-resistant rug treatments, especially when cleaning oversized area rugs or a room-size cotton carpet.
Since soft cotton fibers crush easier than wool or synthetics, use cotton rugs in areas with less traffic. Heavy traffic destroys cotton fibers in hallways and entryways. Nevertheless, cotton rugs require less care and dry faster than other types when used outdoors, even along paths between your back door, the patio, and other outdoor rooms. Try a cotton woven rug with a raised pattern, a braided rug, or a flatweave cotton rug in high traffic areas or outdoor rooms and patios; since these types will have the extra oomph needed to withstand the abuse.
Use area rugs to define a space within another room or in your yard. For example, if your chairs or sofa have patterned upholstery, pick a single solid color to avoid overpowering the eye. However, if the upholstery all features solid colors, a striped, patterned, or splotched rug design will make the room pop.
Runners typically run three or more times as long as they do wide. Longer runners create difficulty when they require washing.
Intended Uses for Runners:
For best results, choose thicker styles such as braided or woven runners for these areas. Moreover, use runners with similar colors and textures to maintain a consistent design throughout the home. Alternatively, select colors common to both the origin and destination to help guests transition from one area in your home to another.
Measure your room, excluding any fireplace hearths, alcoves, or nooks, unless they run the entire length or width of the room at floor level. Filling the most extensive area with a large cotton rug first takes precedence when measuring a room. For example, a black and white plaid rug such as the Surya Bedouin Black/Cream Rectangular Area Rug provides eye-catching elegance in a formal living room. In contrast, the Surya Dantel Silver Gray/Medium Black Rectangular Area Rug sets a creative, artistic mood.
By using complementary or contrasting runners or floor mats in the smaller spaces, you help define the intended use of each section of the room. For example, the Surya Torino Charcoal/Light Gray Runner Area Rug provides the perfect contrast against the Bedouin or the Dante area rugs. Use it in an alcove or nook to define a home office within the living room.
Oval-shaped braided rugs feel soft and comforting on bare feet. Keep them large enough to step onto, yet small enough not to take over the room -- consequently, select rugs measuring no longer than the space between the head and footboards. Anything more expansive dominates too much floor space in rooms containing chairs, side tables, armoires, dressing tables, or hope chests.
Since the smaller rugs fit into front-loading washing machines, keeping them looking their best costs less than paying a commercial cleaner. Easily woven and dyed, cotton provides the most versatile color combinations.
To learn more about rug material qualities, read LuxeDecor's Rug Buying Guide.
Related Categories
Bamboo Rugs | Synthetic Oriental Area Rugs | Jute Rugs | Hemp Rugs | Leather Rugs | Seagrass Area Rugs | Silk Area Rugs
