Hi AT,
I am moving into the top floor of a great character house in Vancouver, BC...the only thing is that my landlord has the main rooms carpeted because she lives below and doesn't want the noise. I LOVE hardwood floors...but since I must live without them, is it acceptable to put a nice modern rug over carpet? Or does anyone have a good recommendation for unique, un-ruglike floor coverings that could work with carpet? (the carpets aren't in yet, but they will be beige).
Thanks!
Eva
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I'm no help, but I'm eagerly awaiting answers. I've got the same problem, icky, cheap shallow carpeting everywhere i look in the upstiars of my apartment. I was thinking about using the cheap grass mats you use to go to the beach and lining my floors with them (with some rug grippys), but I don't know if that's the best idea.
Be cautious about grassy mats on top of carpet -- dust and debris falls through them and gets trapped in the carpet. If your climate is damp, you could find yourself wondering why your eyes itch after a few months.
A normal rug should be no problem, though, and a bamboo or sisal rug with a backing should be fine. If using rugs to define your space, I'd go with as much color as you can stand and then pick it up in your accessories. You want the eye to see RUG, not carpet.
Check out the wood-block rug at West Elm if you want a semi-hard floor.
It ranges in price from $50 (2'x3') to $600 (8'x10')depending on the size that you want.
Use bamboo mats in your rooms that have linoleum - kitchen, bathroom, etc. You will have the feel and look of hard wood. The bamboo mats over carpet don't really sit well, but sisal or other natural fiber that's more "bendy" would work fine.
Rugs over carpet are fantastic for rentals because it can save your deposit. It's nice to not have to worry about staining or ruining the carpet. I think it looks fine too and can distract from boring carpet.
I ask only because I have the exact same problem: are you thinking of covering the entire floor with rug or using them as you would a rug with hardwood floors?
Silly question, I'm sure. Be gentle. =)
You know what would be a REAL giggle? Find yourself a faux-bois pattern of rug! I just tried to do a search and failed. Maybe there is no such thing, but that would be fun.
You'd still have all the sound protection and MORE than your landlady wants, but you'd have some witty play on wood.
Yes, by all means, place area rugs over carpet. It's done all the time, especially over very flat pile wall-to-wall.
BUT as mentioned, definitely use the underlining made specifically for placing rugs over carpeting. Not only does it help the rug lie flat, it prevents it from dangerously shifting, AND it prevents any possible coloration transfer from rug to carpet.
Thank you everyone for the comments! i LOVE the wood block rug from West Elm, but they don't ship to Canada...I think I'll try sisal or bamboo rugs that have the larger slats rather than the smaller fibres...thanks again...oops, two thank-you's, starting to betray my Canadian-ness:)
Crate and Barrel also sells a wood rug called Kona. They are a bit more pricey but even more beautiful than the West Elm one. They may deliver to Canada.