5 Things to Look for when Buying a Rug
There are many factors that go into buying a rug; here are the top 5 things to look for:
1. Is the rug dealer, rug company, rug seller, (or whomever you’re buying a rug from) trustworthy? Does the rug company have good reviews online? Did someone you trust refer you to this person? Are they listening to your needs? (Budget, colors, etc). Are they answering your questions straight-forward? Are they making you feel pressured into making a purchase? Trustworthiness, rapport, and comfort are the first and foremost thing to look for when buying a rug (or anything else for that matter).
2. Is the rug handmade? Without a doubt, the rug you’re buying should be handmade. Whether it’s a small 2×3, or a large 10×14; if you’re spending the money for a nice rug, it must be woven by hand. (Click here to learn how to tell if a rug is handmade or not). Handmade rugs have trade-in value, unlike other rugs. Most rug dealers will allow you to trade-in your rug towards another rug purchase. For more information about Handmade Vs Machine made, click here.
3. Do you personally like the rug? These rugs will outlast you and will be living with this rug for many, many years to come. Generally speaking, these rugs are woven very well, well enough to withstand years of traffic, dust, dirt, furniture, and general ware. Perhaps 10 years from your purchase, you will want to change the decor in your room, or change styles – most Persian and Oriental rugs are timeless, and if they don’t go with the decor in one room, you can always move it into another space. This is why “liking” the rug is more important than, “does the rug go with my decor”.
4. Is what you’re paying for the rug worth it? Not all handmade rugs are expensive. Actually, the majority of them are very reasonably priced compared to a machine made rug and the value of difference between the two. This is going to sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised what rug dealers are charging their customers for a low-quality rug. Check the quality of the weave from the back, ask what the rug is made out of, it’s origin, it’s age, it’s market value, etc. All rugs are different, and the price reflects that; with that being said; here’s a very general and basic ballpark pricing for what to expect to pay for a new handmade rug; 2×3 = $100-$600, 3×5 = $400-$1,500, 4×6 = $500 – $2,000, 5×8 = $700 – $2,500, 6×9 = $900 – 3,000, 8×10 = $2,500 – $5,500, 9×12 = $3,000 – $7,500, 10×14 = $4,000 – $9,000, etc. (this pricing is extremely generic, this doesn’t take into consideration the specific quality, material used, or age of rug, nor the inflation of rug price depending on location/city where the demand is higher or cost of living is higher, etc. There are always exceptions to prices when talking about handmade art, so please, don’t hold any rug dealer to these prices because I’m not speaking on behalf of all rug dealers, this is just a decent ballpark guide to go off of.)
5. Can I bring it back if it doesn’t look good when I lay it in my space? Rug dealers that take pride in their products, their service, and their business – will let you bring the rug back if it doesn’t work. At the very least they should allow you to put the money of the rug you bought as credit towards another rug. Rugs are affected by lighting in the room. Gallery and Showroom lighting are different than your lights and window light at home. Any good and honest rug company will allow you to take the rug and bring it back if it doesn’t work for you. We do that, because we would want that option if we were purchasing a rug too.