
There are so many things to love about an Oriental rug. They are stunning to look at, really light up the room with rich color, and last for many years to come. If you’re getting started with decorating your home with beautiful Oriental area rugs, chances are good you’ve found yourself looking at a wide variety of different rug options you can choose from. From color scheme to rug size, there are many, many options out there.
How will you ever choose? Can you know for sure you’re buying not only a high-quality Oriental area rug but also the one that is perfect for your house and your lifestyle? That is what we’re here to help with! After you read this guide to Oriental rugs, you’ll understand everything you need to know in order to make the best purchasing decision. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
How to Choose a Rug
Sizes
Shapes
Styles
Materials
Pile
What Size Rug for the Living Room?
What Size Rug for Under the Dining Table?
How to Place a Rug Under a Bed
What Size Rug for Under a Queen Bed?
What Size Rug for Under a King Bed?
How to Get a Rug to Lay Flat
How to Get Wrinkles out of Rug
How to Keep Rug From Sliding
How to Clean Oriental Rugs
Our Deep Immersion Rug Cleaning
Can You Put a Rug in the Washer?
Where to Buy Rugs
How to Choose a Rug
Choosing a rug is a serious business! Selecting the wrong color, material, shape, or size for the room it will be placed in can make it look awkward or cause impractical annoyances. So, what do you look for in order to know you’re getting the right one?
It’s all about identifying the room you will be placing the rug in and the purpose it’s meant to serve. Rugs indentended to be a statement piece can be purchased based on aesthetic. A functional rug needed to prevent slips in high foot traffic hallways will need to be a bit different. If you have pets and little ones, you’ll want one that is easy to clean. If this is an outdoor rug, a delicate silk option is not advisable.
As well, you’ll want to think about the rug’s size, shape, style, materials, and pile.
Sizes
You want a rug that fits the space you’re placing it in. Something that isn’t too big won’t look good, because there is not enough floor visible between the wall and the rug. Something that is too small will look like a postage stamp under your bed. You want to find a rug that can contain the major elements of a room, meaning the corners go under the furniture and connect them.
Shapes
Your main shape options are round, quare, and rectangle. The key factor for choosing a rug shape is the location you’re putting it in. What is the shape of the room and what is the shape of the focal point you’re placing the rug under?
Styles
If you browse our online gallery of Oriental rugs, you will see many different aesthetic styles. You can select a rug with bold reds and blues, sultry blacks, or one with more neutral tones. Do you prefer a rug that features a pattern or one that is more understated? A lot of this depends on the decor in the room you’re planning to put the rug in. Will this rug be the focal point of a currently-bland room or is the room actually busy with colors and design?
Materials
Natural fibers, meaning wool, cotton, silk, jute, and sisal, are the best materials for authentic Oriental area rugs. These materials are durable and long-lasting. Jute rugs are becoming increasingly popular for their eco-friendly appeal. Wool rugs are the best at hiding dirt and stains in high traffic areas.
Pile
The “pile” of a rug describes the density, or thickness, of it. Pile height is a big factor in the quality of a rug, because density is related to knot count and affects the longevity of a carpet. The tighter and denser the pile is, the better the rug will withstand wear.
Take your fingers and try to wiggle them into the pile of a rug. If it is difficult to work them all the way to the bottom of the pile, the carpet is dense and likely to wear well. Pile heights fit into these three categories:
Less than 1/4″ (low pile)
1/4″ to 1/2″ (medium pile )
1/2″ to 3/4″ (plush)
Low pile rugs have shorter fibers and loops and are more flat weaves. This makes them best for high traffic areas such as the kitchen or front entryways. High pile rugs feature longer fibers and loops and are often called shag rugs. Because they are more plush, these rugs are ideal for the bedroom or living room.
What Size Rug for the Living Room?

A living room often feels incomplete without a rug, like it’s missing the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. For this room, you’re going to want to look for a rug that is mid- to high-pile and larger in size. Standard dimensions for a living room rug are 8′ x 10′, 9′ x 12′, and 10′ x 14′.
What Size Rug for Under the Dining Table?
The perfect rug put in the wrong place won’t feel like the “perfect rug” for very long. You’re going to want to select a flatweave or mid-pile rug, made from sturdy, durable wool. Standard dimensions for a dining room rug are 9′ x 12′, 10′ x 14′, or 8′ round.
Yes, round! Round Oriental rugs are an especially popular trend in modern living and dining rooms. You can place a round rug under a round dining room table. If you have a square table, select a square rug and if you have a long, rectangular table you would select a similar-shaped rug.
How to Place a Rug Under a Bed

Most people like simple designs in softer, more plush materials for their bedroom. Given the probability that you’ll be barefoot more often here, a high pile rug is a good choice. Square rugs are ideal for square shaped rooms or smaller spaces. Placing a square rug at the foot of your bed would look wonderful. Standard dimensions for a bedroom rug are 8′ x 10′, 9′ x 12′ or 2′ x 6′, or 4′ x 6′.
What Size Rug for Under a Queen Bed?
You may want to choose your rug based on the size of your bed. Many people place a rug right under their bed so they step on it first thing in the morning. Your rug should extend at least 18 inches beyond the sides of a queen-sized bed. For a queen sized bed, your rug should be at least 8 feet long.
What Size Rug for Under a King Bed?
A bigger bed requires a bigger rug! Because a king bed is 76 inches wide, your rug should be 112 to 124 inches wide. This is about 10 feet wide. The rug should extend at least 18 inches beyond the sides of your bed, if not 24.
How to Get a Rug to Lay Flat

Whether you drive it home from the shop yourself or have it shipped to you, rugs are rolled up to travel. This means unrolling and flatting your rug is job number one. Our best trick is to reverse roll the rug so the bent fibers are forced to lay in the opposite direction. After you do that for a while and unroll it again, flatten the rug by applying weight evenly and firmly.
How to Get Wrinkles out of Rug
You may also notice wrinkles once your rug arrives at your home. There is actually such a thing as wrinkle-removing spray. Top industry professionals use it to quickly remove creases from area rugs. Shop online or ask your rug dealer for a wrinkle-removing spray that’s safe for your specific material, so as not to damage it.
The spray releases the “memory” of the fibers, and allows them to relax more easily. You will simply spray the creased, wrinkled, or curled areas liberally on the back of the rug. Then, let the rug dry flat. The wrinkles will be gone soon!
How to Keep Rug From Sliding
You need a rug pad! An Oriental rug pad to go underneath your new rug is essential for protecting your floors, keeping the rug from sliding, making the rug more comfortable to walk on, and making sure the rug you love lasts a long time.
You see, an Oriental rug pad that is placed under your rug acts as a buffer. It cushions the impact between the sole of your foot above it and the hard floor underneath it. This pad will be absorbing most of the impact of your steps, making sure the rug itself does not get worn out as easily.
Authentic Oriental rugs are hand-woven by true artisans. The back of these braided rugs feature a series of knots that are hand tied. When an Oriental rug is placed directly on the floor, it will slowly slide around and the knots will rub against the floor as it is walked over. The friction of the knots against the floor will eventually open the knot, and the weave will get loosened. Over time, the rug is likely to lose its even, tightly knotted look and its compact structure. That is why putting a rug pad underneath your Oriental rug keeps it from sliding around and also helps to increase the life of your rug by protecting it from damage.
How to Clean Oriental Rugs

Regular vacuuming and quickly cleaning spills are both important for maintaining fine area rugs. That being said, these methods are only sufficient for keeping the surface of your carpet clean. A professional deep cleaning treatment, done by industry experts who know exactly what they’re doing, is the only guaranteed method to remove the stains and smells that are bothering you.
There are a number of things you can do at home to clean the rug, but nothing will come close to results you can expect from a professional rug cleaning. Investing in a professional Oriental rug cleaning service is worth it to save your rug from being ruined by stains and smells.
Our Deep Immersion Rug Cleaning
Our process is the most effective method of removing contaminants from your area rug’s delicate fibers. At Serafian’s, we utilize specially built equipment that replicates traditional methods of cleaning fine Oriental rugs, while at the same time utilizing the most modern technology available. Our highly trained staff has taken care of and improved thousands of Oriental area rugs!
Our total immersion process removes the maximum amount of dirt and contaminants. By doing so, we are able to return your valuable rug to the highest level of beauty. While removing the musty smell from the rug, we are also gently preventing any damage.
Can You Put a Rug in the Washer?
Trying to use your home’s washing machine to clean an authentic Oriental rug will cause irreparable damage. Wool does not go in the washing machine! These are handcrafted pieces of art and meant to be cleaned delicately. They can last for decades to come when properly maintained, but improper maintenance, including harsh washing in a washing machine, will significantly reduce that lifespan.
Where to Buy Rugs

The only thing left to do now is actually shop for Oriental rugs. This is an easy one! Whether you’re in the Albuquerque area or shopping online, the place to buy Oriental area rugs is Serafian’s.
At Serafian’s, we know buying and caring for an Oriental rug can be an intimidating process. You don’t need to be an expert to find the rug that suits you. Our rug professionals have built a wealth of knowledge through decades of experience, and enjoy sharing and guiding our customers towards finding the perfect rug.
Hand knotted oriental rugs are more than just a floor covering, they are an art form with a history spanning thousands of years and a wide variety of cultures. Not only do we offer the best-quality Oriental rugs, hand-made by true artisans, but our customer service is top-notch as well. Reach out to us at any time with any additional questions you may have. We take pride in not only selling Oriental rugs but also educating the community.