Savvy Shopper | Savvy Shopping

Now that the Christmas trees and decorations are (hopefully!) put away, maybe you are looking around your home and things feel a little dreary. It might be a little early for spring cleaning yet, but maybe you are thinking of ways to spruce things up and make some changes -- kind of a new start in your home to go along with the new year. But as savvy shoppers, we want to find ways to make big impact without having to plunk down payments for a big cost. Two of the best ways to do this are with either paint or rugs (or both!).

For this post, we're going to focus on area rugs. Area rugs can instantly "dress" a room and make it feel finished. On uncarpeted floors, you gain the advantage of both visual and actual added warmth as well as dampening of noise and echo. (And echo is one of the factors that so easily make a home feel unfinished or too empty.) Area rugs can serve to visually anchor your furniture grouping and are a favorite tool of interior designers. They also help to define areas within a room, such as when a large area rug is used as a frame around a dining area that is part of an open design, or when it is used within a seating arrangement to make it feel cozy and welcome people in.

There are so many designs available, you are sure to find one that suits your style. Oriental Rugs
are among the most popular. The style is so well established that oriental rugs are easily at home in a variety of room styles, from Victorian to traditional and many others. Traditional Oriental designs are not the only choice, however. There are other Asian patterns, geometric designs, designs that resemble scenery and incorporate elements of nature, patchwork patterns, designs with contemporary flair, mosaics, Southwest influence, cottage designs, botanicals, and too many more to list. Shapes are not limited to rectangles but also include ovals for some designs.

So remember rugs, when it comes time to make a big statement in a room all at once! But this is one of those purchases where you are better off to do your homework and be sure to select a product that is high in quality, even if it costs a little more, because it will have to stand up to footwear and is only as valuable as its good looks. Make sure the rug you are considering is high quality, and then seek the best price available.