Suitable Rugs for Families with Small Children

Whether you have hard wooden flooring in your home and are worried that your children will hurt themselves in the event of a fall, or you simply want to protect an expensive carpet from the inevitable spillages that occur when youngsters drink and eat in the home, rugs could be the ideal solution. However, there are a few things to consider before you rush to the rug store and place an order so read on to find out what factors you should pay attention to when choosing new floor coverings.

1. Fabric – whilst natural fibres may sound like a good choice, often they are not. In addition to being less durable than their synthetic cousins, fibres such as wool can provide an ideal environment for allergens such as pollen and mould to thrive. A synthetic material such as polypropylene is a much better choice as it is resistant to mould and is very easy to clean, meaning that allergens have no place to hide.  Faux sheepskin rugs are another possibility as they are generally considered to be hypoallergenic and are also soft to the touch.
2. Colour – whilst they will not have an effect on how your rugs feel underfoot, the colours that you choose will make a big difference to the décor of your home. When buying floor coverings for the main receptions rooms in the house, many people tend to choose neutral colours to avoid making too bold a statement in an area where they often entertain guests. However, when you are shopping for your children’s rooms you can afford to be a little more adventurous and have some fun with your choices. Bright colours usually go down well with youngsters and help to create a stimulating environment in which they can play and learn at the same time.
3. Size – although buying several smaller rugs may seem like a good idea as they will afford you more flexibility when arranging them in your home, one large rug could be a much better choice. This is mainly because smaller ones tend to slip quite easily, especially on wooden floors, so a bigger, heavier model will be safer for your children. Having said that, if you are dead set on several smaller rugs and you manage to find a make that features a non-slip rubber backing, there is no reason why you cannot go for this option instead.
4. Cost – whatever type of material you go for, whichever colours you choose and no matter what sizes you decide to buy, the price of the rugs in question is sure to be a major factor that influences your purchasing decisions. It is not usually a good idea to opt for the cheapest manufacturer that you can find as it is unlikely that the products they make will be very durable. What you need to do is find a balance between cost and quality with which you are comfortable. A rug that lasts for a decade and costs three times as much as one that will be threadbare within a couple of years is obviously better value for money but if your children are closer to their teenage years than they are to being toddlers, longevity might not be such an issue for you. Only you can decide what is most important when it comes to budgeting for your floor coverings.

Whatever choices you make, be sure to ask your children what they think too, as they will be the ones that have to live with the rugs that you buy. Even very young children often have strong preferences when it comes to colours and materials.

About the Author

Established over 30 years ago, The Rug Store is a prominent floor covering supermarket, offering a vast range of carpets and rugs in their online catalogue and showrooms across Scotland.

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