When the hunt for a new area rug is afoot, here’s everything you need to know to find the perfect pairing for your room.

Vintage moroccan rug
Photo by Happy Tapis

It’s Interior Design 101: Rugs transform a room. “No single decor piece can do as much to set the tone for a space as a great rug,” says Etsy Trend Expert Dayna Isom Johnson. “Whether you go bold with a high-contrast patterned rug or play around with monochromatic designs that are all about texture, you can get your style across in an instant when you roll out a unique rug.”

But finding the perfect rug for your space can be a tall order (the size! the material! the pile!). So to help demystify the process, we spoke with a few of our favorite design experts—including Dayna, of course, and Lindsay O’Brien, Etsy’s senior merchandiser for home goods—and gathered their best tips for a successful rug shopping (and room-redefining) endeavor. Here’s what you need to know about buying a rug online.

Searching for a rug

Vintage door mat
SHOP: Vintage door mat from Handpicked Artifacts, $158

“When it comes to searching for rugs on Etsy, narrowing down and creating a defined space to browse is key,” Lindsay says. “Think of the characteristics that are most important to you—whether that’s size, style, or color—and start adding them to your keyword search.” And don’t be afraid to go back and refine based on your results.

“When you see a style that you like, take cues from how the seller has described the rug and use those words as a new starting point for your search,” Lindsay says. “Maybe you’ll begin to realize that you like vintage styles from a certain country of origin, or maybe you’ll discover that all of the rugs you’re drawn to are described as ‘flatweave’ rugs. Whatever terms you end up with, a search for a ‘5x7 Turkish rug’ is always going to be a lot more manageable than a general search.”

Once you’ve narrowed down your search terms, use filters like price or shop location to find rugs that might be available for local pickup. You can also filter by Star Sellers—those sellers who are proven to provide excellent customer service.

How to choose a rug

Vintage Swedish shag rug
SHOP: Rugs from Eclectic Home Nordic

Now that you’ve got some options to compare, consider the colors, textiles, shapes, and sizes that might help bring your vision to life. It can be helpful to prioritize just one or two features as you pick a rug, like a color or material. Many shoppers also consider how to clean an area rug, since different fibers require different care. Wool rugs are easy breezy when it's time to clean them, and wonderfully worn silk rugs require extra special handling.

If you’ve got an image of the perfect rug, our Search by image feature makes it easy to find similar pieces. Etsy iOS app users can snap or share an image and we’ll surface rugs that are visually similar.

Start with the setting

Location is the first critical factor when choosing a rug: Is the rug meant for a high-traffic area or low? "If you’ll be using it in a high-traffic area—family rooms, hallways, entryways, and kitchens—you’ll want a durable wool or man-made fiber in a color that won’t show dirt," says New York-based creative director and sustainable design consultant Alex Bates. A flatweave rug with a forgiving pattern is a smart choice for this kind of space.

"For medium-traffic rooms that still get regular use, like dining rooms or home offices, you should use fibers that can be cleaned easily, like a good wool or synthetic," Alex adds. Low-traffic rooms like bedrooms are where you can really have fun, indulging your yen for softer fibers, lighter colors, and shaggier piles.

Consider the construction

Crochet round rug
SHOP: Crochet round rug from Pule Design, $197

Once you’ve determined where the rug will go—and what it’ll need to stand up to—the next consideration is construction. Tufted rugs are popular and inexpensive but often lower quality; they’re made by simply gluing fibers to a backing and can wear out after a few years.

Hand-knotted rugs are typically more durable (and priced accordingly); this category includes all sorts of regional variations, including thin, flatweave kilims, medium-pile rugs, and area rugs made with Turkish or Persian knotting styles that can be either high-pile and shaggy or not.

Don’t forget your fibers

Moroccan rug
SHOP: Kilim Moroccan rug from Baba Handmade Rugs, $434

Another element to consider is the material itself. “Durable natural fibers like jute, hemp, abaca, and seagrass add an earthy warmth and soul to a room and are comfortable underfoot,” Alex says.

On the other end of the spectrum—and appropriate for lower-traffic areas—is soft wool or sheepskin. Your choice of fiber will play a key role in determining your cost. “Wool and silk tend to be at the higher end, while synthetics cost less,” Alex says. “Other natural fibers like jute, cotton, and sisal are very affordable.” Pet owners should opt for wool whenever possible, as it can be cleaned with an enzyme treatment—and won’t be damaged by it. A tufted cotton rug would work well in a high-traffic area since it’s flat and easy to clean.

Size things up

The next question for choosing a rug is picking a size. “In general, a larger rug will almost always make a room feel larger,” Alex says. Furniture placement in your room impacts the right size rug. As you measure your space to choose a rug size, Alex suggests trying this designer's trick: “Starting about 12 to 18 inches from the wall, use masking tape to mark off where you want the rug to fall and then measure those dimensions.”

Pick a palette

Moroccan blue rug
SHOP: Moroccan blue rug from M Woven Shop, from $72

When selecting a rug color, consider your existing home decor and whether you’d like this new piece to pop or blend. Multi-colored rugs are exceptional when one or two of the main colors match a dominant color in the space. Neutral rugs deliver maximum versatility and balance both warm and cool tones in your space.

Not certain if the color on your screen is an accurate match to a specific hue you have in mind? Send a message to the seller to request comparisons with color swatches or ask for a photo of the rug next to a white surface.

Embrace imperfections

Beige antique rug
SHOP: Antique area rug from Handpicked Artifacts, $915

With a show-stopping vintage rug, you can basically forget everything you’ve just read and follow your heart. “There, you just buy what you love,” Alex says. “It should make your heart skip a beat when you see it.”

Many interior designers choose vintage rugs with timeless designs and irregular measurements, embracing the fact that these rugs were handmade with traditional methods. With expert sellers curating a beautiful selection of vintage rugs on Etsy, it’s easy to find a stunning piece that’s stood the test of time.

“You’ll want to embrace all those imperfections—they bring soul and character into a room,” Alex says. “Many vintage rugs are woven with hand-spun yarns that show an inconsistency in color saturation; that also brings depth and nuance to the design.”