Most homes today have tile or hardwood flooring in the kitchen. And it can be argued that those hard surfaces can feel cold and hard to the touch. Adding kitchen area rugs can provide a soft touch, a splash of color and a welcoming feeling, while keeping the appeal and practicality of hard flooring.

With careful planning,  area rugs can be a part of your overall design scheme for your kitchen. Allowing you to highlight and enhance the look and personality of your kitchen. Whether that is a traditional style home, a country cottage or modern loft .

Kitchen area rugs come in many different styles including. Persian, Oriental, Contemporary, Southwestern, Braided and traditional. The most common shapes for kitchen area rugs are round, square, oval and rectangular.

Rugs also come in various sizes. Everything from small mats placed by a sink to give some cushion while standing to larger sizes that could cover a whole room.

Rugs are made in many ways and with many materials. Something to consider when looking to purchase an area rug for your kitchen.

Machine made or power loomed rugs are exactly that. Rugs woven by a computer operated machine. This allows for a greater selection of sizes, colors and designs, which results in generally lower prices and greater availability.

Kitchen rugs can also be hand made called hand tufted,  hand knotted or hand hooked. In general, yarn is punched through a cloth or canvas material and either glued or knotted in place.

Braided rugs are probably the most traditional type of area rug for kitchens. They are made in different ways and with different materials such as wool, old cloth, nylon and other synthetic blends.

Many types of materials are used to make rugs, some natural and some man made. Each type has it’s good points, but in general rugs made with natural fibers tend to hold their value better.

Wool is widely used in higher quality rugs. It is resilient, holds dyes very well and has greater durability than synthetic materials. Wool is naturally resistant to stains, water and fire. Something to think about especially in a kitchen.

Cotton is also used and usually combined with wool in rug making. It absorbs and retains dyes well,  is less expensive than all wool rugs, but it has a tendency to wear faster than wool.

Rugs are also made from a material extracted from the Agave Sisalana plant, called sisal. Sisal has long fine fibers that are good for making a smooth textured yarn. Sisal has the added benefits of being antistatic, sound reducing, flame retardant, and long lasting.

Jute is another plant based material used to make kitchen area rugs. Like other natural materials it makes nice looking rugs, but it can be course feeling.

Another material that is used and seems to be growing in popularity is bamboo. It comes in many colors, shapes, styles and holds up well under heavy use. Silk can be used by itself or combined with other materials. It is usually found in higher quality rugs.

Viscose and rayon are both synthetic materials made from wood that get used in the making of kitchen area rugs. Nylon, Acrylic and Polypropylene are also used to make rugs. All of these materials have their good points but in general are used in lower cost rugs.

When choosing an area rug for your kitchen, consideration must be given to color schemes. The rug needs to complement the overall look and feel of your kitchen. The lighting in your kitchen also plays a role in your choice of rugs. Bright lighting in a store will make the rug appear quite different than with the subtle lighting in your kitchen.

Hard flooring surfaces tend to bounce sound,  causing echoes, further enhancing the “cold,hard feel”. Adding an area rug helps absorb that echo and gives your kitchen a more warm and mellow feel.

Area rugs can also help protect those hard flooring surfaces from scratches and damage by placing them under tables and chairs. Placing rugs by sinks and stoves can help prevent accidental spills from staining the flooring as well.

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