You may be wondering if there’s a difference between “rugs” or “carpets” when you’re shopping for home decor. The short answer: No.
Now, some people might try to argue that these two words refer to different things. Isn’t it funny how up-in-arms some people will get about word usage like that? We’re not that type. It isn’t incorrect to call a particular piece a rug or a carpet — either is fine. Most rug producing countries use the words interchangeably (or have completely different words for them).
While it’s true that sometimes small ones are called rugs and larger ones are called carpets, this is not a hard and fast rule. Call them whatever you want. We’ll know what you mean!
We most often refer to them as rugs, but this is because it’s easier for others to understand if we stay consistent in our language.
Other Common Misconceptions About Area Rugs
Most people aren’t experts in rugs — that’s why we staff the experts in our store, after all — so there are some misconceptions that people have about the buying or manufacturing process that just aren’t true. While some of these may seem like good ideas on the surface, there are in fact better methods to find the rug you want at a reasonable price.
Is Buying Rugs From Overseas Cheaper?
You may think you’re cutting out the middleman, but you’d be wrong. If you’re buying fine area rugs from an overseas business, you’re likely doing business with a retail store. That means you will be paying retail price and purchasing one at a time, which is what you were trying to avoid by dealing with an overseas entity in the first place.
At our rug store, we buy directly from weavers and pay much less, and we have several rugs shipped to us at once, reducing the overall cost. If you’re shopping for rugs and you live in Arizona, the cost is greatly reduced to you because you can just come pick up the fine rugs you want from our Scottsdale store! We also ship rugs anywhere in the U.S. and most international locations, but it will still be a deal compared to what you’d pay working with a typical retail store.
Rug Pads Are Unnecessary
When you’re buying area rugs, it’s actually a good idea to get a custom rug pad for each one. Some rug stores won’t do it because it’s not a big moneymaker for them. But if you’re placing your rug on a hard surface, rug pads prevent the rug from slipping and make it feel better to walk over. Plus, it enhances the life of your rug and helps retain the rug’s value. It’s a small investment that pays off, especially when you get one when you purchase the rug.
Have other questions about fine rugs? Talk to our rug experts about origin countries, history, materials, or any other questions you might have.