When you think about area rugs, most often you think about entryways, halls, and large rooms. But there are many places throughout the home where you can put an area rug, and there are also places where only certain types of area rugs should be used. To determine what type of area rug that you need, you will want to look at your home, the traffic that you get through each area, and what type of surface is on the floor.

For homes with hardwood floors, it is essential that area rugs be bought to place under the furniture. The bottom legs or furniture can easily scratch the surface of a hardwood floor, so area rugs not only serve to breakup the monotony of the hardwood floor (especially in large rooms) but it also serves an important function to protect your wood floors.

Dining rooms are another area where area rugs are often found. This is because of the incidence of food spills and stains in a dining room that is used often. This is why you should have an area rug, but this is also why you should purchase an area rug that you don't mind cleaning more often. A dining room area rug also makes a great statement on style, setting the dining table and chairs out into the center of the room.

If you have a children's playroom or family room, this is another great place to put an area rug. For these high traffic areas though, you will want to purchase a rug that will stand up to the constant traffic or family and invited guests. Berber is a great type of carpet that can stand up to this wear and tear. It can also be a better choice when you want stain protection for your area rug.

There are also areas in your home where area rugs will not really make sense. Because area rugs generally cover a good portion of a room, you will not want to put a large area rug in a small room. Make sure that the area rug you choose is in proportion to the size of the room. You will also not want to put an area rug in a kitchen. A kitchen is know for all of its spills and food slopped everywhere. It would be counterproductive to put an area rug in a kitchen when you would have to get it cleaned every couple of months just to keep it looking nice.

When you choose an area rug, make sure that you choose colors and styles that will fit the room that you are putting it in. Style is just as important as function when it comes to area rugs, so you will want to think about all of these things before you go shopping for an area rug. But once you do go shopping for a rug, you will find that there are many styles and sizes to choose from that will fit your needs.