The UK’s only premier specialist fair for authentic period rugs and textiles, London Antique Rug and Textile Fair (LARTA) opens in Marylebone tomorrow.
Anyone in the market for a luxury rug should head to the “souk-like” event where 12 specialist exhibitors will be dispalying wares originating from Anatolia and Turkey, the Caucasus, Persia, Central Asia, India and China as well as Europe and Africa and dating from all periods up to the early 20th century.
Rugs, runners, embroideries, tapestries, kilims, decorative textiles and tribal artefacts such as woven baskets and bead-work will show off the skills of woven art and tribal design traditions.
These are not casual purchases so before choosing a rug or carpet to decorate your home, it is worth considering the room you wish to display it in, the size of the rug and how and where to place it.
Bear in mind that it’s generally easier to furnish with repeat designs than with a carpet that has a central medallion design.
When looking for a rug for decoration, be sure to have your room dimensions with you.
In the sitting room
:: If you want to cover as much of the floor as possible, choose a rug that is large enough for all the legs of a sofa and the facing chairs in your main conversation area to sit on the rug. For classical proportions in an enclosed room (rather than open-plan), you want about 18 inches of bare floor left around a rug. In a small room reduce this to about eight inches.
:: A small rug should sit in front of the sofa and chairs, either with no legs on the rug, or with just the front leg or legs of the chairs sitting on it.
For a dining room
:: A rug should be large enough that all chairs can be moved back from a table without leaving the rug edge. Better to have no rug than one your guests snag their chairs on whenever they draw up to the table.
:: If you have a rectangular table, use a rectangular-shaped rug. If you have a round table, use a square or round-shaped rug. If you have a square table, use a square shaped rug.
Bedroom rug placement
:: If you want the rug to sit under the bed, extend the rug 12-18 inches around it; at least 18 inches for a king or queen-sized bed and at least 12 inches for a double or twin bed. Depending upon the size of the room, extend further if you want, but not less: the rug will look insignificant if covered mostly by the bed.
:: A smaller rug can be very effective placed at the foot of a bed. The rug width should extend beyond the width of the bed to feel balanced.
LARTA takes place from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 April 2015 at The Showroom, off Church Street, Marylebone London NW8. For opening times and further information visit larta.net
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here