Your Complete Buying Guide

Buying Guide & Room Settings

Everything you need to know before buying a rug — sizing, style, budget, and real room inspiration from our Pittsburgh showroom.

Visit Our Showroom

Before You Buy

4 Things to Know Before Visiting

With over 8,000 rugs in stock and endless custom options, a little preparation goes a long way. Here's how to narrow your search and save time.

Size

Consider the space and the purpose of the rug when deciding what size is best. With open floor plans, the rug delineates and distinguishes one area from another.

Dining Rooms — Measure with your chairs pulled out to ensure they stay on the rug at all times. An 8×10 or 8×11 is recommended for a table with six chairs. A 9×12 works for a table seating eight. For circular or square tables, a matching shape rug works best.

Family Rooms — Make sure every piece of furniture is at least touching or partially on the rug. Usually an 8×10 to 9×12 works, depending on room size. For very large great rooms, a 10×14, 12×15 or larger allows all furniture to sit fully on the rug.

Living Rooms — A rug here is more of an accent piece. Most often a 5×8 works well — large enough to hold a coffee table and extend just past a typical couch.

Style

Most homes fall into three décor categories: traditional, transitional, and modern. As a general rule, traditional homes pair best with traditional rugs, and modern homes with modern rugs.

If you have a traditional home but want an updated feel, a transitional rug bridges the gap — it has elements of both traditional and modern design and works beautifully in either setting.

Budget

There are many quality levels and price points for area rugs. The main factors are construction method and materials. High quality handmade wool rugs develop character and patina over time that simply can't be replicated in synthetic pieces.

High-quality synthetic rugs have improved dramatically and can be a great choice over a low-quality wool rug. Consider the priority of each space and set a budget — our team will find the best option for every room.

Bring Pictures, Samples & Measurements

Once you have a sense of the style and size you need, bring us photos of your space, fabric samples from your furniture or curtains, and your room measurements. Our interior decorators and rug experts will show you options that work perfectly with your existing décor.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything customers ask us before making their purchase decision.

Measure your room and consider your furniture layout. For dining rooms, pull chairs out before measuring. For living rooms, a 5×8 is most common. For family rooms, an 8×10 to 9×12 typically works. Bring your measurements and we'll guide you from there.

Handmade rugs are woven or knotted by hand, often from natural wool or silk. They develop character over time and are considered lifetime pieces. Machine-made rugs are more affordable and easier to maintain, though they don't develop the same patina. We carry both and can help you decide which is right for your space and budget.

As a direct importer, our prices are already 50–70% below typical retail. We price our rugs fairly from the start so you don't have to negotiate — what you see is a genuine value, not an inflated starting point.

Yes — we encourage it. Bring fabric samples, photos of your space, and your room measurements to our showroom. Our designers will help you visualize how a rug will look in your home before you commit.

Absolutely. We have hundreds of styles that can be ordered in custom colors and sizes, including Karastan rugs proudly made in the USA. If you don't see exactly what you need in our showroom, we can order it for you.

A transitional rug blends elements of both traditional and modern design. It's perfect for homes that have a classic base but want a fresh, updated feel — or for spaces that mix older and newer furniture styles.

Room Inspiration