Quality, size, color, pattern and usage are all aspect to consider when purchasing an area rug to add some warmth and style to a room. Here are few tips on how to go about selecting an area rug.

Color -Darker colored area rugs will appear to take up more space and will make your room appear smaller. This does have its benefits though, as it can add instant warmth to a large, spacious room. However if your room is small and the element of coziness is not what you are looking for, then selecting a rug which is lighter in color like white rugs will make the room look bigger.

Size- This is, of course, important. You don't want to fill up a space with a rug that looks out of place due to its size. Measure up the space you have and figure out what size rug will accent the room well, without either dominating the rest of the decor or appearing too insignificant.

Shape -While rectangle braided rugs are the most popularly used, rugs do come in a wide array of shapes that can add interesting dimensions to your room. You can choose from circular, square, octagonal and even triangular area rugs.

Padding -A rug can help reduce noise underfoot and so a good layer of under padding will be essential if this is a concern for you. Even if the rug of your choice doesn't have a good layer of padding, you can always buy it separately and place it under the rug. The noise reduction that ensues will add that extra element of peace and warmth to the room.

Price – A determining factor in the decision making process. The price of an area rug will vary greatly between high quality hand made masterpieces and mass produced, cheaply manufactured generic rugs. Also the material that has been used to create the rug will affect its price; natural fibers will naturally cost more than synthetic ones. Better quality rugs will have a longer life span; cheaper ones may serve a purpose and are easily replaceable. A compromise would be finding a happy medium in between price and quality. Medium price and medium quality should serve well if you are looking for quality on a budget.

Design – A key element of design is making everything blend together perfectly. An area rug should be part of a room's design and should complement the rest of the decor, especially the color theme. Because there are different rugs available, different areas of the home may require a different type of rug. Exotic, animal print rugs can also be used as wall art, for the extra wow factor.

Where to buy – Always try to find the best quality you can get for your budget. There are specialist shops that should be able to help you cross the quagmire between quality, budget, shape, size and color. Don't forget to keep an eye out for a bargain on auction sites or real life auctions where you might just find that perfect antique you are looking for.