The perfect rug can achieve a myriad of objectives - it acts as the missing link needed to pull your look together, it's tactile underfoot and provides a focal point for bare floors. Often, however, it is a last-minute afterthought, leading to costly mistakes.
The Rug Company's co-founder and CEO, Christopher Sharp, says when choosing an area rug it is important to get the proportions right. 'Always go for the largest size you can as it gives a generous, calming effect to the room, and will allow you to place furniture such as sofas half on it, giving a wonderfully luxurious and flowing feel to the space,' Sharp advises. 'Small rugs can look bitty. However. if you have different areas that you would like to define, a number of smaller rugs can do this beautifully.'
Each year, The Rug Company, which is stocked at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, enlists famous fashion and interior designers such as Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Kelly Wearstler, Tom Dixon and Nina Campbell to create new pieces with contemporary flair and combine these with traditional techniques.
Sharp says flat-weave rugs are becoming more popular because of their relaxed sophistication. 'Interesting contemporary designs are also helping their surge in popularity,' he says. 'They are great for hot climates where a rug with a pile might not be so desirable. Aubusson rugs, with their famously fine weave, are able to translate incredibly detailed patterns, which could lose their definition in a thicker weave. There is such a variety of flat weaves available in myriad designs and colours, that there is one for every style and budget.'
Other popular designs are vibrant geometric prints, stripes and bold colours. Soft neutrals in sumptuous cut piles are also big sellers.
The Rug Company has more than a thousand coloured wools and silks to work with. In addition to customising any rug from their collection (sizes can be altered, as can colourings), they can design a rug from scratch specifically to individual requirements.