Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Outdoor Rug for Your Space

As you know, rugs are essential for home decoration, which can help you make a cosy pleasant space for conversations, receiving guests, eating dinner, and so on. Outdoor rugs are floor coverings designed to transform outdoor space while resisting the elements.

So, if you have a patio, porch, deck, or front door and want to buy a wonderfully durable outdoor rug from HomeLooks, the ultimate guide to choosing the best outdoor rug for your space will help you make a perfect purchase by considering the rug’s size, shape, colour, and material. you should also know the different layouts.

Why should you use an outdoor rug?

Let's delve into the function of outdoor rugs and explore the reasons why they are essential before assisting you in selecting the perfect one. Below are some key factors that drive individuals to opt for outdoor rugs in their living spaces:

1. Making the outside space of your home more comfortable and stylish.
2. Improving the appearance of your outdoor space.
3. Creating a feeling of warmth and pleasantness in the open air.
4. Separate your outdoor space into more distinct areas, such as a living or dining area, or make it a more cohesive space.
5. Reduce dirt and debris tracked into your home from your deck or patio.

How to choose the best outdoor rug?

When selecting an outdoor rug for our outdoor seating area, our main goal is to enhance the space with colour and style. To ensure the best decision, various factors need to be taken into account. These include the material, size, pattern, colour, and layout. Each of these elements will be discussed individually in the following paragraph.

•       Choose an appropriate outdoor rug size:

Considering the size of your porch or patio is very important because outdoor rugs are available in various sizes, like small, medium, large, and extra large.

1.  Small outdoor rugs are 10 cm x 15 cm or smaller, perfect for creating a welcoming patio entryway.
2.  Medium outdoor rugs are 150 cm x 240 cm or 210 cm x 275 cm, ideal for defining the style of your outdoor space.
3.  Large outdoor rugs are approximately 305 cm x 240 cm  and 365 cm x 275 cm, capable of changing the look of a space.
4.  Finally, outdoor rugs that are more than 30 cm wide are termed extra-large rugs and should be utilised in large areas to cover the floor adequately without overlapping or bunching.

•       Choose the perfect outdoor rug material:

Another important thing to think about is the material of your chosen outdoor rug, which should be durable (outdoor rugs made from natural materials such as wool or cotton are often weather-resistant), versatile, and stain-resistant.

Also, a high-quality outdoor rug should be made of water-resistant materials and resistant to mould, mildew, and fading, like our Richmond Sunrise Outdoor Rug.

•       Choose the best outdoor rug colour and pattern:

When picking out the ideal outdoor rug, it's smart to go for neutral colours. They tend to stay stylish for a long time, plus they go well with lots of different colours. Many of the outdoor rugs you'll find on Home Looks come in neutral shades like Pebble Gray, Seashell Gray, and Sand Dune. Take the Richmond Geometric Outdoor Rug (V1) for instance; it's a real crowd-pleaser and goes with pretty much any furniture colour you can imagine.

•       Choose the right outdoor rug layout:

When we talk about the outdoor rug layout, there are four common patterns, such as All-In, Legs Only, On the Edge, and 2' Allowance, which will be explained below:

1. All-In:

People usually use this type to make a separate living space from the rest of the outdoor space. If you choose an all-in arrangement, all four legs of your furniture should rest on the carpet, bringing the room tightly together. You can find the best options for this choice among different sizes of Richmond Traditional Outdoor Rugs.

1. Legs Only:

As the name suggests, only the two front legs of your furniture rest on the carpet, and the two back legs rest on the bare floor. Completing this arrangement will be by placing a table in the middle of the carpet and creating a more expansive feel.

1. On the Edge:

You can choose this design to create a floating feeling by placing all the seats on the bare floor while the front legs cover the edges of the outdoor carpet.

1. 2' Allowance:

The last layout is a 2’ Allowance (a rug that extends an extra 2' beyond the table) suitable for dining sets and round rugs. In this design, while creating a formal and attractive look, you can easily slide chair legs in and out without getting caught.

What is the right rug for different outdoor spaces?

In addition to all the factors listed above, which will help you make the best purchase when looking for an outdoor rug, it is important to consider what you intend to use this outdoor area for. For example, the best option for a seating or dining area varies. To better understand this point, read the explanation below.

•       The best outdoor rug for seating areas:

There are different options to use in a place like this.

1. Use a not-big circular rug under a small table or between two benches if your space is small.
2. Also, you can choose a 150 by 240 cm or 210 by 270 cm rug for an edge arrangement and a leg-only arrangement by placing a coffee table or end table in the middle.
3. You can choose a rug that leaves an open space of 45 cm around the border if your outdoor space is large. Check the Richmond Moroccan Outdoor Rug (V3) and find the best size based on your space size.

•       The best outdoor rug for dining areas:

Some people prefer to use their outdoor space as a dining room. The rule of thumb for buying the best outdoor rug for a dining area is to choose an option 60 cm around your dining table, as you and your guests can easily move chairs in and out without stepping on the outdoor carpet. If you want to choose a round one for your dining room table, every piece of furniture should be within a few cm of the rug's edges.

•       The best outdoor rug for the entryway and porch:

Choose the best outdoor rug for your porch or entryway, depending on the size of the area you are working with. For example, if you want to buy a rug and put it in front of a door as a welcome mat, a small 60 cm x 90 cm outdoor rug will be the best option. Also, these small rugs would be perfect to put on the front steps. But sometimes, you want to use your entryway or porch to show items, like a pair of chairs, a bench, or a glider, which means you need a 90 cm x 150 cm or 120 cm x 180 cm size outdoor rug.

•       The best outdoor rug for the balcony:

Let's talk about picking the right outdoor rug for your balcony. If you've got a balcony or terrace, a runner is your best bet. It's perfect for creating a pathway in those cosy outdoor spaces. When you lay it down, arrange your furniture on top while making sure there's still enough room to walk around easily. And remember, the runner shouldn't be longer than the area you're using it for.

Choose a great outdoor rug and transform your outdoor space into a cosy place!

The most vital element that helps you design a stunning outdoor space is to choose the right outdoor rug. And the points you should consider as a guide for buying the best outdoor rug for your space are the rug shape, colour, pattern, size, material, and layout. Also, keep in mind that the best outdoor carpet for different purposes would vary. For example, the best outdoor rug for a dining space would differ from the best outdoor rug for an entryway. Now, considering all these things, you can go to the HomeLooks and find your favourite outdoor rug from among the best options categorised in different models.