Head To Head: Carpets and Area Rugs
Despite what many people think, there is a vast difference between carpets and area rugs. At one time, the terms were interchangeable. That is not the case anymore.
Area rugs and carpets differ primarily in size. The former can be small or large pieces but still considerably slighter than carpets. Carpets cover the entire floor, that’s why there is the term “wall-to-wall carpeting.” Area rugs on the other hand, only cover a certain space. Area rugs are not secured firmly on the floor while carpets are held in place with carpet nails. You can break dance on a carpet all you want and it won’t budge a bit. Let us weigh some more differences between these two floor coverings.
If you are looking for a floor covering with more choices and varieties, then an area rug is what you are looking for. Area rugs come in several different sizes, thousands of different color, texture, design, and pattern combinations, and different levels of thickness. Area rugs are easy to transport from room to room in the event that you decide to change your decor. They are also simple enough to clean- just send them out to a specialized cleaning service.
Because of the decorative qualities and the specialty of the materials, area rugs can be a little more expensive than carpets. However, despite the price of area rugs, they are absolutely beautiful additions to any home or office. Area rugs have been known to be so treasured by families that they are passed down from generation to generation so that they are enjoyed for years and years.
Texture – area rugs differ in texture as they differ in materials. Cotton and wool fabrics are softer. Carpets’ too vary. Some are more luxurious than others are while some may have fine textile but can be a bit coarse to the touch. We know however, that we can step barefoot on both coverings and our feet will be cushioned well enough.
Cleaning a carpet though can be more tedious than just vacuuming or brushing, especially if you’re very particular about your chores. After all, you’re just dusting off the surface and not the floor underneath. To do so requires you to pull up the carpet and remove the padding, and that takes some amount of strength as carpets are quite heavy. Another downside is when it accidentally gets wet, like when there’s a flood, a leak from the ceiling or when your kids decide to spray it with water. It’s not that easy to hang the carpet on your front porch, as you would do with an area rug. You can’t just let it dry either. You really have to take it off to be washed and dried properly. In a worse case scenario such as flooding, you will need a new carpet altogether and disinfect the floor before installing it. Water, especially the filthy one can cause molds and mildews to grow under the carpet and that is very dangerous for your health. Plus, it’s disgusting to have fungi growing right in your living room!
From the given points, both these floor coverings have their pros and cons. It’s about which one suits your home better, which one meets your budget and which one you prefer.
This Interior Design article was brought to you by Abigail Foster from HouseofAreaRugs.com – your online area rug shop for flokati area rugs.
