Size – Deciding on dimensions for bespoke size rugs
When it comes to rugs, sizing is paramount; and when you are having a rug made to order there is no need to compromise. Take time to measure your room and its furnishings, and mark out the floor space where the rug is to be placed. The shape and size of your rug should mirror the proportions of your room. Don’t forget square, circle and oval shapes, as well as shapes with cut outs are all options. Bespoke rugs are a great way to make the most of your space, so be generous when choosing the size of your rug and your room will benefit. As with any aspect of interior design, there are certain recommendations for rug placement that you should bear in mind.
Living room rug sizing
The golden rule when it comes to placing a living room rug is that your feet should be resting on the rug when you are seated on the sofa. For a small room, one option is to place the rug almost up to the front legs of the sofa. However, generally we recommend placing the rug underneath the front legs of the sofa, allowing the rug to flow underneath, as this creates a sense of continuity. For a large room, you may even consider having items of furnishing completely on the rug. This can be used to create either an island effect with a walkway behind the furniture, or a fitted carpet effect with just a thin strip of bare flooring visible around the edges of the room.
Bedroom rug sizing
Again, in the bedroom there are several different options to choose from. One is to place a rectangular rug underneath the bed, coming either all the way up to the headboard wall, or just in front on the bedside cabinets. Most importantly, at least 60cm of rug should frame the sides and foot of the bed for a soft rug walkway. The other option is to have runners either side of the bed, and possibly one at the foot. However, with a bespoke rug, there is an exciting third option. This is to have a U shaped rug made to fit around your bed. One of the appeals of this is no square meters are lost underneath your bed, saving material on rug that wouldn’t ever be seen.
Dining room rug sizing
A rug placed in a dining room needs to be large enough to allow the chairs to be pulled out from under the table without becoming caught on the edge of the rug. For an average sized chair, this would mean the rug has to extend at least 50cm away from the edge of the table. However, this is a minimum requirement and a dining room would in fact benefit from a much larger rug than this, bringing extra comfort to all who use the space.
Budget – setting a budget for a bespoke rug
Forming a budget for your custom rug early on in the design process is a very important. This is because there are a very wide range of qualities available at a range of different prices points, some of which are more suited to certain types of design. Square meter prices for our Nepalese hand knotted rugs range from around £500-£2000 per square meter, depending on the density of the weave (knot count) and the ratio of wool to silk used in the design. More complex designs require higher knot counts, so if you are working on a tight budget this will need to be taken into consideration.
We also offer a ‘Contract Quality’ which is a hand tufted quality, available at around £400 per square meter. However, this type of rug doesn’t have the longevity or the character of a hand knotted rug, and limits you to only simple designs.
Giving the design team at Bazaar Velvet an idea of budget constraints will help guide the design process in the right direction, for a stunning outcome that will meet your requirements.
Practicality – considering the rug usage
When planning a bespoke rug, it is helpful to envision how you will interact with the rug in the room in which it is to be placed. How much will it be walked on? Will it be walked on with bare feet or shoes? Is it a space that is likely to be exposed to dirt or spillages? All of these factors will have an impact on the quality of rug you want to specify and its materials. The most heard wearing rug will be one that is hand knotted from 100% Himalayan Wool or with just small quantities of silk. Design and colour are also relevant when it comes to practicality, as medium tone rugs or rugs with a busy or irregular patterns will be far more forgiving than a very light or very dark plain design.
Design – Gathering inspiration for your rug design
Although you may not have the skills to create a rug design from scratch, it is important to have a visual starting point for your rug. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere, from a pattern you’ve seen on a decorative object to a room you’ve seen on the internet. It’s also a good idea to browse the Bazaar Velvet website, as any of our Core Collection designs can be tweaked to meet your requirements. Other collections can also provide ideas for colour and the types of design currently popular in the rug market.
Of course the interior design scheme of the room should play a key role in determining your custom rug design. If you make a design appointment at the showroom, it’s helpful to bring fabric swatches, paint charts, flooring samples etc. as well as photos of the room, as they can help our team visualise what sort of designs and colours would work well for you.