The Rug Company know a lot about beautiful rugs, and here they have put together a rug buying guide to make sure you get the perfect rug for your needs.

To begin: Buy a rug you love not one just to suit a specific space: you will be able to move a rug you love from room to room and home to home. Don't impulse buy – where possible always try a rug at home before buying it.

Materials: Decide on a quality that matches the purpose of a particular rug: hand knotted rugs are the finest quality and will last a lifetime. Hand tufted rugs are not so hardy and could be used in more changeable spaces like children’s bedrooms or rental properties.

Pattern: Pattern characterises a space so decide whether you want the rug to blend into the rest of the room or whether a bolder statement is needed. A borderless rug will also give the feel of a flowing space.

Size: Rugs define space within a room. Larger rugs will give the feeling of a big, unified space and smaller ones help you break up a room if need be. Before buying a rug, lay pieces of newspaper on the floor to work out the ideal size.

Price: Understand the pricing of a product: many factors such as material (quality wool or silk), knot count (in hand knotted rugs), and who designed the rug will affect the price and also the long-term value.

A Rug for Room: If possible use a rug as the starting point for the decorative scheme as it's easier to match paints and fabrics than the other way round.

Sitting Rooms: In areas of high traffic, or if there are a lot of children and pets around it's worth choosing a pattern that hides daily wear and tear.

Dining Rooms: Rugs for a dining table should be large enough so that you don't catch your chair when moving. Add at least two feet to the length and four feet to the width of the rug. Also consider how often the room is used: a pale rug might look fantastic but remember the possibility of red wine stains!

Bedrooms: Avoid using several small rugs around the bed as they break up the space too much. If possible use one large rug, and if this isn't possible try a rug at the foot of the bed.

Hallways and Stairs: Bright patterns always cheer up a hall. Underlay is essential in this instance as it prevents rugs from rucking or moving.