Vintage Rugs: How to Buy and Where to Use It

Vintage rugs are great home décor. They come in eye-catching colour combinations and patterns and are often used as statement pieces in spaces. Every home can benefit from antique rugs, but shopping for one can be a little intimidating. How do you find the best ones for your home, and where can you use them around the house? Read on to find out.

How to Buy

Measure the Space

Before shopping, get the room’s dimensions first to give you an idea of the size and shape of the rugs you need. Keep at least six inches of space from the rug’s edge to the wall as much as possible.

Origin Matters for Best Quality Rugs

Where a vintage rug came from is an important matter if you want to buy quality items. Home interior experts recommend buying one with Middle Eastern origins as they are among the first ones to develop weaving and the civilization who are well known to hone the art.

Love the Natural Fade

The irregularities of hand-weaved vintage rugs create a beautiful dimension and depth to its colour, further enhanced by natural fading caused by the sun. It may sound contradicting, but fading indicates quality long-life of the rug. You do not want the design to be completely lost, but a bit of variation where some colours are lighter and threads are more exposed in certain areas contributes to a more vintage-y charm.

Where to Use It

Hallways

Use your rug as runner rug (long skinny rugs) for the hallways. If you have a long hallway, lay two short runner rugs instead of purchasing expensive longer vintage rugs. You don’t have to match the two rugs, just get them in the same colour palette.

The Foot of the Bed

Another popular place to use vintage rugs is at the end of the bed. Layer a runner over a larger neutral-coloured rug. The layer of colours and texture adds interest to the room.

Under a Coffee Table

Still layered over a larger neutral rug, you can use your vintage rug under the coffee table or your living area’s centre table to cosy up the look of the room.

Under the Dining Table

Place a big rug under the dining table to bring the focal point to the area. This is especially ideal for highlighting a stunning dining set.

As Divider

Do you have an office space in your living area or your bedroom? Separate the living area from your workspace by using two different rugs. It’s a more space-convenient way of separating two zones than using a cabinet divider.

Frame the Bed

If you want an area rug for the bedroom but haven’t found one in your ideal size, use squat runners on both sides of the bed and one long runner at the foot of the bed. Go for related colours or patterns for a more coherent aesthetics.

Whether you are decorating with or buying vintage rugs, the most important tip is to trust your gut feeling. Go and buy the pieces you know you’ll love looking at around the house and display them in areas where you want them to get well-deserved attention. After all, it is your house—your style, your rules.