Choosing a Rug

Function

When choosing a new rug, the first thing to do is consider what you want your rug to do. Is it to act as a focal point? To protect the carpet in a busy area of the house?

If the rug is to act as the focal point, then its best to choose a bold, bright or busy design that will draw the eye. These rugs work best in rooms that have a neutral or soft décor; avoid placing them in a room with busy surroundings as it can unbalance the room or cause a restless atmosphere.
For busy areas of the home, it's a good idea to select a patterned rug that won't show wear quickly. Avoid buying a very expensive rug that you want to keep pristine.

Size

The size of the rug is an extremely important consideration; if it's the wrong size it can look awkward and throw off the proportions of a room.

In a dining room, the table and chairs should be able to sit comfortably on the rug, and the chairs should still be on the rug when they are pulled out. The rug should be at least 75 cm (30 inches) bigger than the dining table on each side.
In a bedroom, rugs should extend beyond a king size bed about 45 cm (18 inches), although for smaller beds, this can be reduced to 30 cm (12 inches).
If the rug is in a high traffic area, make sure that it covers the space completely, otherwise you'll be inviting trips, falls and other accidents. However, in other rooms, leave at least 45 cm (18 inches) of space around a rug to give the area 'breathing room'.
In a living room, you should aim to choose a rug size that will either accommodate all your furniture, or none of it. So either pick a rug that you can arrange your furniture around (making sure that the rug extends the length and width of your furniture) or select a rug that can accommodate your couch, coffee table and side chairs.

Rug Placement

Before choosing your rug, make sure that you'll be able to place it in your room without it causing an obstruction to the doors; there's nothing worse that finding that you can't open or close the door AFTER you've bought your expensive rug.

You should also ensure that the corner of the rug isn't placed in a doorway, as this can cause a dangerous tripping hazard.