Rug or Runner: How to Choose the Size and Buy at a Good Price
Size matters more than the pattern
The most common mistake is to buy a rug that is too small for the room. In a living room it is better if the front legs of the sofa and armchairs sit on the rug rather than beside it. By the bed, a runner on each side usually does, or one large rug that extends past the bed.
For a hallway, count the width as well as the length: a runner should leave 10–15 cm of floor on both sides. In the kitchen and bathroom, choose items with a rubber or non-slip backing.
Pile and material
- Short pile is easier to vacuum and lasts better in a hallway and living room.
- Long pile is soft, so it is liked for bedrooms and children's rooms, but it collects dust and copes less well with furniture on top.
- Flat-weave rugs are light and practical, and suit the area under chairs and the kitchen.
- Wool is long-lasting and pleasant; synthetic (polypropylene) is cheaper and less demanding to care for. Jute and cotton give a natural look.
For outdoors or a terrace, look separately for moisture-resistant rugs; an ordinary indoor one will be ruined quickly.
What to put in your request
- size — in metres, for example 2×3 m, or the diameter for a round one;
- what exactly — rug, runner, round, children's, bathroom, door mat;
- pile — short, long or flat-weave;
- material — wool, synthetic, cotton, jute, handmade;
- colour and pattern — plain, geometric, traditional;
- which room — living room, hallway, children's room;
- new or second-hand and the acceptable condition;
- delivery city and budget.
Example: “I need a hallway runner, 0.8×4 m, short pile, rubber backing, beige-grey, easy to clean. New. Courier delivery to Sydney, budget up to $100.”
What it looks like on BlaBlaPrice
You don't have to go through hundreds of catalogue pages. Go to the main page, describe the rug or runner in your own words, and add a photo of the room if you like. Rug sellers reply in a chat: what they offer, the price, when they will dispatch and how they will deliver.
The site compares the offers and shows the best-value one first, with seller reviews alongside. Because each seller sees their place among the others, they compete for your request and often improve their terms. You don't share your phone number with anyone until you choose. Read also how it all works.
What to look at when choosing
Ask for a photo of the real rug in daylight, because colours on websites differ. Ask about the density and composition: they decide whether the rug wears flat in a couple of years. Ask whether there is a smell after unpacking, and how to clean it: some rugs can't be washed.
New rugs sometimes smell of dye for a few days, so air them. Second-hand ones can be a good buy, especially wool, if they have been properly cleaned. And if you are redoing a room, look at home textiles and home decor.
