Not sure about the couches issue - that would depend on the style and formality of the space, and what else was in there. As for the entry hall, unless it is right up against this rug, not sure that it is an issue?

I think both rugs are pretty, but the first one just seems lacking in depth, and the central blue field is kind of blah. The second one has so much more to it, so much intricacy yet not busy-ness. My vote, hands down, would be the second.

I don't know where I read this or heard it, but it was years ago, and it was that an oriental rug does not need to match specifically the colors in your room. I know this sounds counter-intuitive to all the stuff we try to do with our homes, but I guess the bottom line is that they look good in whatever environment you put them. I think the second rug is soul-stirring and lovely. It would look good anywhere, in my opinion.

You would think that with two such different rugs, the choice would be simple but I cannot decide, although my gut says that the second one is wonderful.

Les, thanks so much. I always appreciate your opinion. Although the designer gave me a plan with all silk furniture, I want to bring it down a notch. I want it to be more formal than the family room but I don't want it stiff. I was concerned that those colors would require me to use dark colored furniture but, maybe not.

As for the entry rug, depending on its size, the entry rug could be as close as a few feet away so they do need to look good in the same area. I did find this rug recently and both DH and DS loved it instantly. (They can be so funny sometimes!) It's sky blue although can appear green.

Interesting point sheconquers. I know that I've been guilty of matchy-matchy syndrome so maybe I should try to loosen up a bit. I'm so hoping this rug looks good in our house (and our Seattle lighting) because I do react to it.

Thank you both for your help!

Those two are so different it's almost as if two different people picked them out.

For me, there's no contest. The top rug looks like a very pretty commercial copy of an Agra design.

The second rug has real personality, character and a much more distinctive look.

The second rug would look great with leather furniture if you like that, any of the beiges and browns, that terrific combination of dark brown and pale aqua, or you could go totally neutral with the cream colors, darker brown accents in furniture and highlights of any of the blues in accessories. It has a muscularity that could hold up more of a PB/Crate and Barrel/Mission/Arts&Crafs approach to furniture.

I prefer that but if you're loving white furniture or a cottagey feel, or you want country or vintage then the first one will serve better.
I'd want to determine the general direction before I made the choice.

Meg, I'm rolling my eyes at you! :-)

Good point by Rococogurl. Let's see your furniture so we can make an educated opinion.

What a nice analysis rococogurl. Thank you. That's why I come to this board, for help to see and connect the dots. I know that my rug choice has been pretty varied. I react to colors more than anything else, but pattern is important too.

As far as furniture style, it won't be cottagey or white or country. I do like antiques and vintage, but am still not sure of the look. Traditional but not fussy.

Again, thanks for all your help. Part of me was worried that it's one of those "so ugly it's beautiful" rugs. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it works with our lighting.

Definitely #2, and be sure to use blue and white procelain accents in the room. It'll be stunning.

Oh no, T2G. Why are you rolling your eyes?

The sad fact is that I'm starting from scratch so there is no furniture to show. Can you believe that even with that freedom, it's still taking me so long? I'm just afraid to make a mistake.

Meg, I really like that second rug. It is very rich looking and it seems it would really ground the room. I agree with what rococo said about furniture. Seems like there are lots of choices that would look good. Plus, it seems like it would have more staying power because you would have more choices in the future than with the first rug. I hope it doesn't need too much "work", as that would be the only thing that concerns me - but I have no idea what is involved in fixing rugs. Good luck with the choice.

Second rug -- no doubt at all! Richer colors base -- just wonderful!

I vote for the second rug. It's gorgeous!

If you're not going cottage-y, vintage or country then I'd go with the second rug as it will support more styles than the first. It could take you from very formal to very casual with 0 problem. Glad what I said makes sense to you.

Also there is a visible quality difference for me. Older rugs generally need a little work (consult t2g on that for sure) and it's no big deal provided it's done properly.

A color scheme for the room should involve and revolve around the rug if you're working with a decorator (if it doesn't find someone else).

The only downside of the rug is that once you get it into the house and see it on the floor you are going to realize that it somehow raises the bar on every other rug around it.

So I'd buy that one first and then put others with it to see how they fare.
Don't ask me how I know. LOL!

Second rug is smashing.....first looks like a wanna be.
Oriental rugs don't have to "Match"...but I do like to keep the same feel in a room....but I sure have seen wonderful juxtapositions of new hand made rugs and old traditional.
I think the thing is, keep it all good quality or all not so good. Nothing looks more out of place in a house full of lovely Orientals, than an "Oriental style" Machine made rug. But in a house full of that kind rugs, nothing looks out of place. If the rugs are beautiful, they look fine, until you put them with an old handmade rug.

Linda C

meg, rolling eyes at the title of this thread LOL, that's why. And because choosing a rug IS really difficult. Even more so if you're trying to do it online or by having rugs shipped back and forth.

what type of work does the second one need?

if you don't have furniture, then hands down, the second one is perfect. The first one and all like it will never have the clarity the second one does.

The second rug is beautiful, but the problem I see with it is that it's an older rug and has that Old World character about it. What I've seen you doing with your house is more contemporary and transitional. Not that old and new don't mix, it just seems this one is on its own in the mix and I wonder how it will blend overall with your design and other furnishings. It's just a totally different look and feel, imo.

I didn't read all the other posts, but I like the second one better. I'm usually guilty of not seeing the forest for the trees in decorating, and this is no exception. The first might be the thing to tie it all together. But I don't really like the way the border and center of the first rug are so different, and I don't really like the big area of blue in the center period. Somehow it doesn't seem to fit an oriental rug color scheme. The second one is my choice. It has more character being old, anyway.

I love the second one too. I think it would work with both modern and transitional.

Skylar

I love the second one, no question. Don't worry meg, you are not alone. Picking a rug is a very difficult decision. We get completely emotional about it. That rug has to sing to us to make it in the house! It is one of my favorite kinds of shopping, though!

We are kind of stuck with that formal-vs-informal rug situation at the moment. But we are working it out by placing the better made rugs in more formal areas. All are handmade rugs, but some have more intricate detail than others. We have the nicer ones in the dining room (which will be more formal), library and husband's office and the less intricate rugs are in the family room and entry hall (lots of messy traffic there). It is not a terribly open floor plan so it works, IMO.

Good luck! I know it is difficult. I also have a hard time trying to figure out which furniture goes. We've copped out so far and gone leather or neutral. Someday when I have more time to devote to such matters I will take the plunge into patterns.

Looking forward to hearing how they look in person!

Just to make things more complicated.....

I too love the PICTURE of rug #2. No question, etc., etc. But there is no substitute for putting it in the room and "feeling it". I agonized forever over a DR rug (just ask Rococogurl) but ultimately I ended up with a rug more like number 1 than number 2. All the dark (old) rugs just sucked the light out of the room. My (new) rug, rather like #1, gives me pleasure every time I walk through the room. Take your time is my advice. Enjoy the agony.

Definitely the second rug!

Both nice rugs, but I like the second one better. The downside for me would be (based on my searching for and looking at rugs) the second rug would probably be waaaay more expensive than the first one. If the cost is within your budget I would definitely try out #2 to see it in person.

Wow! I don't think I've ever seen such a clear concensus on this board before. You must all really want to put me out of my misery! Thank you!!!!

Rug buying is definitely a process. I don't know how anyone could do it relying only on their computer. I've been looking for months and months in a few different cities much to DH's chagrin. But I think I'm ready to take the plunge and tell the store to ship it.

Once I know it looks good in our house and lighting, then we'll figure out whether I'm going to ship it back to have some work done or have a local restorer work on it. (He's going to check it out in any case.)

While I had initially rejected the rug because I thought it was "falling apart," it turns out that they're foundation tufts (?), some of which can be trimmed or pulled to the back side. There's also a moth hole that needs to be re-woven, and the ends and edges need some work. And finally a good cleaning.

Squirrel: I'm slightly confused about your comments because I think I've always described my style as more traditional/transitional--although admittedly some of our earlier choices such as cabinet hardware and pendants were more on the contemporary side of transitional. The sink faucet, too, for that matter. But everything else I've been looking at seems more traditional to me.

I'm pretty sure that this is the kind of rug that will be great with what I have in mind--whatever that is, as it changes frequently.

Thanks again everyone!

Meg, sorry, wrong word I guess. I think of transitional as a contemporary style of traditional! :) The rug has an antique look, which gives it a different character, imo.

Hi Squirrel,

Got it. Who knows where the lines are? All the labels have me confused. I just know what I like--usually. But occasionally a really contemporary piece will speak to me. Candace Olson recently put very contemporary lighting in a thoroughly traditional home just to add some balance--and it worked. Of course I'm far from Candace Olson. LOL

Meg,

What is the name of and where did you find the rug in your second post -- the entry rug? I love that rug!

Of the two rugs in your first post, they are very different in feel -- the first one has a quiet, calm (some might even call it somewhat blah) feel and the second one is much more dramatic and almost heavy. If your furniture has more graceful lines (like Empire style), the second rug could overpower it. As others have said, it depends on your furniture. IMO, however, none of them have the wow factor (for me, at least) of the rug in your second post -- the entry rug.

Ah, Kitchensusie. That rug is really amazing, isn't it? And it looks better IRL. I don't know why the rug store woman didn't show it to me as it's exactly the colors I was looking for. (I just happened to see the border sticking out of a pile of samples and swooned.)

I have been toying with getting that rug for the livingroom since the colors look so much better in the livingroom than in our entry, but I worry that the overall pattern might be too busy. Plus that would be yet another room with a different kind of rug.

I don't have much info for you except that it's a Tibetan hand-knotted rug. That particular sample is wool and silk, and 100 knots at a whopping $150 per sf. ft. It's also available without silk, 100 knots ($121 sq. ft.) or 80 knots ($96 sq ft). I think my designer is "offering" a 20% discount.

It is considered custom. If you order those colors exactly, it will take four months, regardless of the size--unless there's an uprising. (An exact quote from the rug store lady.) If you tweak the colors, it will be a six month wait.

Duh! I just read the label. It says something about a joint venture between Nepal Carpet Enterprises and Noreen Seabrook Marketing. There are lots of numbers:

PO#: SP-011906-S
Rug #: 1646-J-5976
Design & Color: 0438/Windsor Blue
Quality: STANA
Design Name: RANI TARA
Woven with: Tibetan wool & C/silk

If you happen to find it elsewhere, I'd be very interested in knowing what you find, especially if the prices are lower. (I have found prices much lower than the design center so part of me hesitant.)

The thing about rug hunts is that the longer you do it, the more you end up spending. Like buying a house.

I have a rug that looks like the blue one, love the rug but a nightmare to decorate with, wish I had picked the red toned rug.

Hi Mollie,

Are you saying that you have a rug like the first one in my first post, the one with the blue field and reddish brown border? In my mind I would think it's easier to decorate around but that's because I've been carrying around a bunch of fabrics and I had a few that seemed to go nicely with it. What are you trying to find?

The second rug is on its way as we speak!

Just wanted to post an update: Well, the rug is here and, notwithstanding that it's nighttime, it looks pretty good in our livingroom. I have it placed so that when you walk into the room, you're seeing it from the light side. I fear that the dark side will be just too dark. (I've taken photos but they just don't do the rug justice.)

DH will be home soon and he hasn't even seen a photo of this older rug. If he says something negative I just may deck him. But, seriously, I hope he likes it! The designer is supposed to see it tomorrow afternoon. And, in the meantime, I'm going to bring it to the local rug restorer to get his opinion.

Meg
I feel your pain - you'll "get there" -

I too love #2 and it speaks louder than #1 - I'm not sure where you are & rugs are but many reputable dealers will let you take the rug home & try it out - esp if they are thinking/believing you will be furnishing this room as well w/them

Many dealers also have the rugs available for you to purchase right there - so you know exactly what you are getting - these are handmade so can vary - also - it seems standard discount of 50% from tagged price and go from there. Unless you need an odd sized rug I would be more inclined to purchase what is available.

These rugs are works of art and an investment - don't worry yourself that you are taking your time...

Here's a link that may be helpful - I'm bringing you to their antique rug site - but do look at there offering on new rugs

Good luck

You are virtually building a palette from a rug - so your choices are nearly limitless -

I would definately want an estimate on the proposed work before deciding -

Here is a link that might be useful: safavieh rugs

Thanks jejvtr,

I've looked at a couple Safavieh stores, and also saw some of their new rugs at other rug stores, but have never seen their antique rugs. Probably out of my price range! Their new rugs are very pretty so their older ones must be real knock-outs.

DH just came home, looked into the livingroom and didn't say a word. (I was spying from above so he doesn't even know I saw him looking.) That's probably worse than saying he dislikes it. I refuse to pull it out of him. Honestly they can be so annoying sometimes. I was hoping to get the kind of reception that I got when I brought home the sample of the Tibetan rug shown above--rug #3. DH and DS both exclaimed over THAT sample. Oh well. Guess it's my vision alone here.

So much for waiting until he said something. I finally asked DH what he thought about the new older rug. He asked me what I thought, then quickly said that he loves it. When asked why he didn't say something, he said he wanted to see how I felt first, and that it's a scarier rug than the Tibetan sample, whatever that means. DD pronouced it "so ugly" but she's 11 and can't be expected to know better. DS, who is 14, likes the Tibetan better but at least isn't derogatory--at least not to my face.

I can't wait to see how it looks in the daylight.