Rugs Vs Carpets

As wardrobe is to closet, so is a rug to carpet. The debate between rugs and carpets come up in conversations where many people use the words interchangeably, when in fact, they mean different things.

Historically, the term rug originated from Scandinavia and was used for the first time somewhere in the 15th century. In America, a carpet is a floor finish glued to the floor and usually covers an entire room, wall-to-wall. The easiest description of a rug is that it has a bound edge making it easy to move freely around the floor and maintain. Although the rug and carpet differ in size, both have similar components – that is, a layer of thick cloth that is normally woven by using organic fibres such as cotton, silk, wool or jute (a vegetable fibre that can be spun into a strong, coarse thread). There are almost limitless ways to create a rug or carpet and how they look is often dependent on the part of the world from which they came as well as when they were woven.

Carpet, on the other hand, has a Latin origin and was not used in English until around the 13th century.

In recent times, there has been a high demand for carpet tiles, and this has been extremely important in the growth of the commercial construction industry in different parts of the world. Carpet tile is a go-to for use in commercial spaces, skyscraper constructions, universities, and corporate offices where the normal wall-to-wall carpet suffers from harsh and excessive wear.

At Lisa Interiors, we consult with major multi-nationals in assessing the floor requirements of their design projects at different scales and recommend carpet tiles for the following reasons;

1. Individual tiles can be removed and replaced for cleaning if they get damaged.

2. For floor designs that have multiple colors and arrangements, creative patterns can easily be achieved.

3. Carpet tiles are manufactured with good stain-resistant properties.

4. The edge-to-edge transition of carpet tiles is seamless because of their thick composition.

5. The seams are easier to conceal and straighter edges can be achieved when joining different patterns or colors of carpet tiles.

However, some of the downsides include the following;

1. They can become unstuck, and curling or lifting at edges can create a trip hazard.

2. They can be more difficult to remove than rolled carpet which can be easily lifted.

3. They can make access to underfloor service chambers more difficult.

4. They are generally not suitable for areas where they may be exposed to moisture.

5. Carpet tiles can be a costlier option of floor finish.

Please contact us at Lisa Interiors for further inquiries and/or collaborations on floor finishes for your design projects.