“Nothing quite finishes off an interior as the right rug in the right room.”
So says Marion Falchi and that’s easily said when, like Marion, you’ve interior instincts accumulated from a career in the business but if you’re going out there on your own without the support of an interior designer what tips can Falchi Interiors offer? During a recent visit to the studio, we also asked rug designer, Jennifer Manners for her thoughts.
What shape rug?
Rugs serve many purposes in a room. When making your choice consider the floor space you have available, how you will arrange your furniture around the room and the connection between the rug and furniture. This will tell you what shape rug you need – which in most cases is rectangular. There are many rug trends available on the market. Circular rugs are more decorative than functional and look best in hallways or lobbies, but they are always useful for creating a little zone beneath an armchair for example to serve as a reading nook, music corner or personal space.
“I find round works best as a feature piece,” says Jennifer, “especially when another round object is reflected in the space (think round table, round mirror, round lights for example). We’re also seeing more rounded or semi-circular shaped sofas and round or oval rugs work beautifully with these as the soft curves are so complementary.”
Where does the rug sit?
If you have a big rectangular rug in a sitting room, the rug should sit slightly under the furniture. A rug is synonymous with luxury, so, if in doubt always go larger rather than smaller. “The rule of rug for sizing is always larger is better,” Jennifer agrees. “A key function of a rug is defining space and subconsciously, when furniture is sat on the rug, the room feels larger as a wider area is defined.”
What comes first rug or colour scheme?
“We always consider a rug to be part of the accessorising of a room and therefore choose one that works in with our colour scheme. That said if a client has a favourite rug, we will work with it,” says Marion.
Don’t overlook the possibility of going for a bespoke rug either. Yes, they can be works of art and an investment but there are also a great variety of cheaper rugs available that will help you to assess exactly what it is you are looking for before making the personalised investment.
Does a rug ever work in a dining room?
Oh yes. As long as you make a practical choice of fabric that is easy to care for. Also be sure to choose something that’s not too thick. Be sure that the rug is big and generous enough to accommodate the table and the chairs, pushed back. As a rule of thumb, push your chairs underneath your table and then add on 50cm all around from the back legs – that should be enough. If your dining table is circular a circular rug could work here but remember the 50cm rule.
Does a rug work as zoning in a large open space?
That’s something that a rug is perfect for, whether it’s dividing a dining area from a kitchen, a seating area from a dining area or even defining a play area. “The use of pattern between multiple rugs in a room can serve as a design feature,” Jennifer adds. “Pattern and colour are exceptional design tools and rugs are an ideal way of playing with both.”
What’s the best thing for a rug to be made of?
Jennifer tells us that the performance required from a rug is dictated by the traffic one expects to incur and the type of fibres used is a crucial decision. Wool is incredibly hard-wearing and sustainable, can be cleaned, but is prone to moths. Silks and art-silks are soft and look luxurious but are more fragile. A new fibre made of recycled water bottles is almost bullet-proof, looks and feels like wool, but is bleach cleanable and almost impervious to wear and tear.
“I recently put a flat woven rePURPOSE PERFORMANCE (Jennifer’s recycled water bottle fibre) rug in my ensuite and I’m amazed how much I love it.”
