Rug Lingo

rug

A rug is a room’s foundation—it can anchor the space, define its purpose and add warmth. It’s the perfect way to complement and layer your furniture and decor, too. A rug can make or break a room, so you want to be sure it’s well-chosen—and that it fits the style and fabric of your room.

You also want to know the lingo so you can shop smart. Terms like tufted, hand-knotted and hooked refer to construction methods. Tufted rugs are made from pieces of yarn that are punched through a backing, cut and then glued to one another, resulting in a smooth surface (called pile). These types of rugs tend to shed more than other types of rugs.

Hand-knotted rugs are created from lengths of yarn, thread or natural fibers that are tied by hand to warp threads on a loom. They’re considered the highest-quality rugs and require a great deal of skill. They’re also extremely durable.

A chemical treatment applied to wool rugs that tones down colors, dulls whites and makes the rug pile shiny. It’s often used to extend the life of a rug, but it’s a process that’s not favored by purists who believe that a rug should age naturally.