What are the different types of rugs available?

rugsToday, contemporary rug stores will usually sell many different types of rugs, which can be overwhelming for someone looking for the right type of rug for his or her home but is unsure where to begin.Here is a concise breakdown of the different types of modern rugs commonly sold at stores today; it includes descriptions of styles of rugs used for both the indoors and outdoors. 

Woven Rugs: The woven rug is the oldest type of rug and is created on a loom. They tend to be more detailed, and master artisans create many of the world’s most beautiful rugs. Due to the detail of these designs and the fact that they are not mass produced, woven rugs are also more expensive (Persian and Oriental rugs, for example, are woven rugs). They are often placed in the living or dining room and should be the “center” decorative piece to a room.

rugs2Tufted Rugs: Tufted rugs are the opposite of woven rugs. They are mass produced, therefore cheaper, and make up the vast majority of the rugs sold today in the market. A wide variety of tufted rugs exist, as it comes in a variety of sizes and patterns.

Needle-Felted Rugs: The needle-felted rug is one of the newest rug-making techniques, as it is roughly only about thirty years old. Their surfaces are very compact and held together electrostatically. As they are highly durable, rug owners usually place them as doormats or outside. Like woven rugs, needle-felted rugs can be expensive.

Flat Weave Rugs: Flat weave rugs are made when threats are woven in and out of cotton. People even make their own flat weave rugs out of strips of old clothing, jeans and fabrics. Well-known European flat weave rugs include Dutch and Venetian styles.

Knotted Rugs: Consumers will also commonly find different types of knotted rugs in stores. They can be mass produced or man-made and come in many different styles. For a knotted rug, the rug thread is pulled through the tougher backing material.

Embroidered Rugs: Like woven rugs, embroidered rugs are an old craft. Although they can be mass-produced, the best-embroidered rugs are handcrafted and tend to be expensive. Unlike woven rugs, embroidered rugs are not created from the loom, but are hand stitched onto a tougher backing made out of linen or cotton. In the past, patterns commonly used have included three-dimensional flowers and complex geometric patterns.

With the all the choices available, it’s important to have these choices available to choose from when selecting a new rug, dealing with a local rug expert that explain all the details will help in selecting the perfect rug to decorate your room.

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