Soft Furnishing: Rugs and Carpets

So you've fully furnished your home and you're now looking for some accents to complete the look. Most people will choose little knick-knacks to decorate, but rugs and carpets are also a rather elegant way to spice up the home. They also serve a few useful functions like the following: Adds a touch of softness to the room: Hard flooring is easy to maintain but can be rather unforgiving on tired feet. Rugs and carpets can soften the impact that your feet take as well as provide a certain amount of buffer if you have accident prone kids at home. Soundproofs the room: Wall to wall carpeting is crucial in a room where there is hard flooring. Sound bounces off it, so it can be rather noisy when one walks around. The soft fibres of the carpet will absorb the sounds, creating a quieter environment. Great for rooms where quietude is paramount. Provides insulation: For countries that experience four seasons, such soft furnishings are even more important since they also help to keep indoor temperatures cooler during summer and retain heat during winter. In Singapore where temperature fluctuations are not as extreme, rugs and carpets can provide warmth in rooms where the flooring is made of concrete, tiles, marble or wood. Thinking of adding a decorative element to your home? Then you can consider getting one of the following rugs as an accent instead of wall-to-wall carpet. Area rug: This is a rug that covers only part of the floor in a room, so it's great for highlighting certain areas such as the living room. The size mustn't be too small and should be large enough to accommodate furniture such as the coffee table and at least the first set of legs on the sofa. You can even consider getting two small area rugs for a more distinct look. Carpet runner: It's most suitable for hallways, circulation paths, gallery kitchens where the space is typically long and narrow. Like area rugs, they add a decorative element to the floors and provide some amount of comfort to the feet.   Do you use rugs and carpets at home? If so, do share where you get them with us on our Facebook fan page!