If you have recently begun redecorating your home, the last place you are thinking about sprucing up is the outside, but with warmer weather right around the corner, it may be time to invest in new outdoor rugs for your home or apartment. Outdoor rugs can consist of something as simple as a doormat or something as wide-ranging as a patio carpet. Outdoor rugs are used for two main purposes: for safety and to help beautify a balcony, patio, or some other outdoor area.

What is an outdoor rug?

Outdoor rugs are simply thin fabric rugs made of extra durable and weather-resistant material. They can be used as a barrier between the inside and outside world or as a complete covering to hide an aging or cracked concrete patio or balcony. A quality outdoor rug can actually be quite expensive, which is why so many people have turned to online shopping for all of their outdoor rug needs. It is important that you keep in mind the dimensions and the color before shopping, although most reputable online sellers of outdoor rugs have comprehensive return policies in place just in case you make a mistake in judgment.

What are they made of?

Generally, outdoor rugs are made from a durable type of plastic known as polypropylene. This space age material cleans easily with a hose and is fade resistant, even through many summers and winters. Often times, however, these rugs will need to be sprayed down and cared for, otherwise water and mold can build up underneath them. As the old saying goes, the better you take care of your outdoor rug, the longer it will be there to provide the slip resistant footing you need in all of your outdoor spaces.

What to look for when buying one

If you are in the market for an outdoor rug, there are some important things to keep in mind. Make sure you have your dimensions down pat before you head online. You don’t want to have to cut off part of your rug to make it fit an area; it can speed up the rate in which your rug breaks down. You also want to make sure the colors offered match what you want. Most online retailers of outdoor rugs do offer returns, but they can be a bit of a hassle.

Color Choice

There is a reason why the majority of outdoor rugs come in greens and tans. They are inoffensive colors that tend to blend in with the world around them instead of drawing attention to themselves. That isn’t to say that if you want a bright orange outdoor rug, you won’t be able to find it; you may just have to shop around a bit more. Your rug should act as a complementary piece with your patio furniture or with your indoor furniture, unless of course you are “theming” your outdoor area and then all bets are off. No matter which color you choose, you can expect several years of performance from your outdoor rug before you have to toss it.

Things have changed in the world of outdoor rugs

If you were to go shopping for outdoor area rugs a few years back, your choices would be limited to dull browns, expected tans, with the occasional sky blue and grass green thrown in for good measure.

Boy, have things changed!

Today, you will be faced with a multitude of colors, shapes and styles when shopping for an outdoor rug. Why the big change? Americans are staying home more and more these days, and they are putting their money into fixing up their homes, and that includes their patios and backyards. An outdoor area rug is one of the best ways to bring a little color and style into their great outdoors.

Outdoor rugs have kept up with the trends by combining great color schemes—such as various shades of blues and greens, yellows, and the deeper colors such as sunset oranges, rich purples and apple reds—with unusual and eye-catching shapes. For example, you could purchase a yellow outdoor rug shaped like the sun, or a sky-blue rug shaped like a cloud.

In addition, outdoor rugs come in great patterns that go with today’s designs. You could use a colorful stripe, check or even a sophisticated floral outdoor rug to complete your outside décor.

You should look for an outdoor rug that will hold up in any weather, and not deteriorate because of rain or the cold. In addition, if you will use the outdoor rug around a food or drink serving area, have it treated with stain repellent, or make sure that the outdoor rug you purchase has already been treated.

If you are one of the many Americans who are making your backyard an extension of your home, then you will want to be sure that the outdoor rug you purchase will add to the décor of your carefully planned yard. Be sure to check out all of the great sources available for outdoor rugs!

Where to Buy Outdoor Area Rugs Online

One of the best sources for outdoor rugs is Amazon. CLICK HERE to view their range.

Spruce up your outdoor patio or outdoor living area with an outdoor carpet

Outdoor carpet is a great way of completely changing the look and feel of an outdoor area. Outdoor area rugs are perfect for patios, pool areas and children’s play areas or any outdoor area where the soft feel of carpet is needed under your feet.

Outdoor rugs are a simple and affordable way of covering hard concrete areas and the look of an outdoor rug can completely transform a drab and colorless area.

When shopping for carpet for an outside living area, ensure that the carpet or rug is specifically made for the outdoors. In other words, it should resist the sun’s rays to prevent fading and resist moisture to reduce the build up of mold. Polypropylene is one of the materials used in outdoor carpets and rugs because of its durability.

Outdoor carpet should also be easily washed either by being hosed down or if you have an outdoor area rug then it should be hand or machine-washable.

Braided rugs are particularly attractive in an outdoor area and look particularly good under a patio table. Ensure that if you purchase a braided rug that it is specifically made for the outdoors as it will deteriorate very quickly. Outdoor rugs are cost effective and have the added advantage of being easily relocated if required.

Outdoor living spaces like patios and decks deserve the same attention to detail and decoration as your living room or kitchen. There’s more to decorating your patio than just choosing patio furniture that you like. The decor that you choose will set the tone, whether it’s casual, country chic, Mediterranean or modern. Some care and attention can turn your outdoor deck into an inviting, comfortable place to relax and entertain.

All the same principles that apply to interior decorating apply equally to designing your outdoor spaces. One of the basic principles of interior design is to define the areas of an open room with carpets and area rugs. This is a principle that’s only recently coming into use outdoors as new materials like polypropylene are developed and refined.

Long gone are the days when an outdoor carpet meant one of those grassy-green plastic mats that never looked like real grass no matter how well made it was! The availability of such materials as olefin, polypropylene and other acrylics has moved the concept of decorating with area rugs outdoors.

Your choices for outdoor rugs today are as varied and attractive as carpets you might choose for your living room or family room. Choose a pattern that accents your patio furniture or contrasts with it. Define a conversation area of benches with a subtly patterned Oriental look-alike. For a more unusual look, try the reverse. Outline a seating area with patterned runners in an outdoor weave and leave the floor within bare.

There are many designs of rugs for children’s rooms, and many of them are as at home outdoors as indoors. If you have young children, give them their own space for outdoor playing on your patio. Just define a safety-railed corner of the deck with a bright rug in one of the popular patterns for children. Here is just a sampling of the choices available:

* An outdoor rug patterned with a checkerboard or hopscotch grid
* A street map in bright colors to build a city on or play with cars
* An outdoor rug with a woven pattern of crayons, ABC’s or numbers.

Caring for an outdoor rug can be as simple as hosing it down with a garden hose. Outdoor rugs are an inexpensive way to add warmth and drama to your patio or deck. Take full advantage of the wide variety of patterns and styles to make your outdoor living area as beautiful as your indoor rooms!

Why treat your patio any differently than any other room in your home?

Beautiful furnishings, themed decor and traditional decorating accents can make your outdoor space a welcoming room that your family and guests will enjoy spending time in. In fact, a patio and backyard can often be more than one room, with different areas clearly defined by the furnishings, décor and patio rugs.

The traditional decorating tips for making the most of large spaces apply as well to the outdoors and your patio as they do to any large room in your home.

One of the most common decorating tricks to help set off an area of a room is to use an area rug to define the space. While the idea of using an area rug outdoors may seem strange at first, there are many designs and styles of patio rugs that are durable and weather-resistant. What sort of fabric should you look for when choosing an outdoor patio rug to brighten up your outdoor living space?

Wool Rugs

Avoid wool rugs for outdoor patio areas. The natural moisture outdoors can collect in the fibers, encouraging mold and rot, and contributing to a musty smell. In addition, the UV rays from the sun will break the material down and fade colors quickly.

Sisal, Jute and Sea Grass
 
Sisal, jute and sea-grass may seem like good natural alternatives. After all, the plants grow outside! Unfortunately, the woven fibers don’t withstand weather very well. Even if your patio is completely enclosed, the likelihood of high traffic makes natural materials like sisal and jute a poor choice for a patio rug.
 
Cotton

If you want to use natural materials, cotton is one of your best choices. If the rug is small enough, you can toss it into the washer, or have it professionally cleaned, and if the day is sunny and the rug is light enough, you can dry it outdoors on the patio. The best choices for cotton patio rugs are those that have no pile, or that are tightly woven and flat, like a dhurrie rug with a colorfast design. The sun and weather will fade the colors rather quickly, though, so these are best on a covered patio or porch.
 
Polypropylene/Olefin

By far, the best material for an outdoor are rug is the synthetic polypropylene. First developed in the late 1940s and used for furniture upholstery, polypropylene has grown up to be one of the most versatile carpeting materials available. It dyes well, allowing bright and subtle patterns for accent, and modern manufacturing techniques have created versions of polypropylene that mimic many natural materials, including jute and sisal.
 
Patio rugs made of polypropylene are resistant to fading from the UV rays of the sun, which make acrylic rugs a poor choice for outdoors. It dries quickly, as the individual fibers are not absorbent. The same quality makes it easy to clean a polypropylene patio rug. You can simply hose it down with a garden hose and allow it to dry. Sturdy and attractive, polypropylene patio rugs are your best choice for a high traffic outdoor area.

Beautify your home with quality rugs including braided, oriental, Persian rugs, bathroom rugs and more

Rugs are a great way of changing the look and feel of a room. For a reasonable price you can change a drab and boring room and make it into something more colorful and interesting.

Rugs come in a huge range of styles, colors and designs so there is no reason for not finding the perfect rug for you. You can purchase braided rugs, oriental and Persian rugs as well as rugs for specific rooms or areas of your home like bathroom rugs, kitchen rugs, outdoor rugs and kids rugs.

Rugs are an expression of your style and as rugs come in so many different designs, from traditional to contemporary; you can choose something subtle or go for the extreme with bold dramatic colors and geometric designs. The choice is yours.

An area rug can be placed in almost any room of the house and is a great way of protecting high traffic areas or your expensive wall-to-wall carpet. Rugs can completely transform rooms especially those with hard wood floors.

If you really want something special then you can purchase a Persian rug. These rugs are hand-made and always look stunning in any home. They have a look and feel that just can’t be beat.
Braided rugs are another beautiful style of rug. Braided rugs are made from fabrics or yarns and are woven together in spectacular designs. Braided rugs are versatile and will suit almost any room of the house including kitchens and bathrooms.