I am a mid-quality (I guess you'd say) person. Your tastes may change in a few years (or even sooner) and you'll be happy not to try to find another use for a rug that you feel is too expensive to get rid of. I have found several area rugs for my dining room and living room and within one year, they were destroyed by flooding from a hurricane. Now I LOVE my new rugs even more than the first rugs and while I won't say I was happy about that hurricane, I now look on it as a blessing in disguise :) I did use a specialty rug/carpet shop (happy to keep it local and family owned) but I have found the same rugs on line from rugsusa and also on lowe's on-line and they are beautiful (imho) and I get many compliments on them.

I think the first thing I would do would be to do a search on your local Craigslist for area rugs and see if you might get lucky. You can save the search and have email notifications sent to you when wool area rugs are listed in the size you're looking for so you don't have to manually check all the time. You could do the same for eBay, where you might pay more for shipping but would have more of a selection.

If you're not in a big rush, you can peruse what's out there and maybe find something used that you love. I've found some gorgeous rugs (much nicer than the ones I've bought new) on eBay at great prices. Some are not great prices (at least not if you're looking for something under $1000), but many are. Another benefit of buying used at reasonable prices is that you can likely resell them for a similar price down the line if your tastes change. Good luck!

Because of the lanolin it contains, wool is naturally resistant to stains and spills. So it has a layer of protection that other fibers, natural (like cotton) and synthetic, don't have. Also, a lot of the synthetics, like olefin/polypropylene, actually "grab" on to dirt which makes them hard to clean and also makes them look dirtier and dingier sooner.

So if you spill something on a succession of cheap rugs, you'd actually end up spending more than if you bought a good rug from the start. And if you get a good wool rug in a darker color and with some pattern, after cleaning up stains shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Not sure what your style/taste is, but this wool, hand knotted rug is approx 8'x10' and $649; this one is 7'x10' and $719. You can search by size, matierial, style, etc. The company, esalerugs, is quite popular on GardenWeb and offers both free shipping and free returns, which is important because a lot of people need to see the rug in place at home. I live in Canada so haven't used them myself, but I can speak to good quality wool rugs looking great over the years and synthetic rugs looking crummy in a very short time. I've learned over the years from reading blogs like The Rug Chick; she and her family run a rug-cleaning business.

People buy rugs that are in their budget. I’ve had expensive rugs and inexpensive ones, and carpet cut and bound for stair runners, which can be expensive or not. You can also get carpet remnants which will be marked down. As Janie wrote, an expensive rug can discourage you from changing your decor if your taste changes. It can also hold up better and clean better than less costly ones and last for decades with reasonable care. I have a good rug that I like, but don’t love, but I’m keeping it because replacing it with similar quality would be too expensive. Decorating around it has been a challenge.

Young kids and pets can be hard on rugs, so consider that too.

ETA: used is good advice from others.

Auctions are also a good place to pick up quality used rugs. Just do a smell test first! A good rug will last eons.

If you are young and your taste is still evolving, I would visit esale and concentrate on inexpensive poly rugs. There are many stylish choices and the price won't make you cringe if you change your mind about your style in a few years.

If you are confident about your sense of your style, then go ahead and purchase a rug that is a bigger investment.

Good rugs are beautiful but TBH I think most people that walk into your home won't notice the difference between a $1500 rug and a $250 rug.

Also, make sure you get a rug that is sized properly. An expensive rug will never look good if it is too small for the the room.

Janine:

You don't buy "high quality" rugs? What kind of rugs do you buy; wool, synthetic, handmade, tufted, etc.?

What do you folks think about these non-wool, non-woven options: synthetic, wool blend, tufted, jute, or a cut and bound piece of carpet? Which of those do you think is preferable?

Most wall to wall carpet comes in 12' widths. If you're needing an 8x10 area rug, it will be cut from a 12x8. You'll purchase the entire piece. Any fall off is yours to keep and do with as you wish. Carpet is purchased by the square yard (sq yd) from the manufacturers but some companies may have it priced by the square foot.

12x8 = 10.67 sq yd (96 sq ft)
$30 yd carpet ($3.33 sq ft) could cost around $320.10
Binding of the edges will vary depending upon your location and priced by the linear foot (lf). We bind our rugs for $2.75 lf
For an 8x10 rug, it's 36 lf - Cinar's price of $99.00

So total with tax (for Cinar, not including other locations)
$453.68

This should give you and idea of what to expect when visiting other carpet stores in your location.

As a rule, stay away from "tufted" rugs with latex backing and glue. Those are the ones that tend to have unfixable, unpleasant "smell" problems.

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/i-feel-so-sad-have-to-get-rid-of-beautiful-area-rug-dsvw-vd~2683383[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/i-feel-so-sad-have-to-get-rid-of-beautiful-area-rug-dsvw-vd~2683383)

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-question-why-does-my-new-rug-smell-956

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-questions-1038-26947

https://rugchick.com/2009/08/21/this-rug-stinks/

https://rugchick.com/2010/07/06/rugs-that-stink/

https://rugchick.com/2011/12/17/pottery-barn-rugs-to-run-from/

If you are just starting out with home decorating, I would suggest staying to the middle of the road or not high priced selections. Tastes change, as do lifestyles, and what appeals now may not be your cup of tea down the road :-) Places like Home Goods, World Market, even Pier One offer attractive, durable bit not overly expensive rug choices. I;d start there to see if they offer anything you like within a reasonable price range before investing in a top dollar rug.

Consider looking at World Market, Pier One, Home Goods -- Pottery Barn's clearance rugs (go in the stores and even ask if they have any marked down that are not out -- learned that from a manager at our store, though I had to order mine). I have bought large room sized wool rugs for under $200. With growing boys, pets and a lack of desire to commit that much to a rug, I'm not willing to spend $5-10K if I can find something I like as well for less. The first rugs I bought were wool and about $200 each-- bought at different times, but turned out to be the same rug in different sizes for my FR and breakfast room. One son has the larger in his apartment and the other son had the smaller one -- coming up on 20 years later.

And a tightly woven wool rug will resist spills. They are far more cleanable than some of the synthetics.

Maybe I'm in the cheap range, not even mid quality LOL - I am a synthetic gal I guess. My area rugs have all held up beautifully in both the stain and wear departments.

This is what I have under my dining table - I did pay a bit more for it since I got it at a local small shop, but I just adore it! https://www.homedepot.com/p/Concord-Global-Trading-Thema-Lakeside-Teal-7-ft-10-in-x-10-ft-6-in-Area-Rug-29367/300822141  It is polypropylene and polyester blend, feels very nice and soft on bare feet.

I have a polyester plush shag in a bedroom which the visiting grands just adore and they love to roll around on it!

And I have a bound piece of broadloom in the living room which is very thick and cushy and just beautiful, but I am sorry to say I don't remember what the material is.

Every rug that I have seen that is not expensive is either synthetic, a blend, or tufted. I will check some of the stores that have been suggested but so far I have not found any "affordable" rugs are woven wool.

I have a couple of rugs that are almost 100 years old and several that are 50. All are worn, and a couple are threadbare but they still look good because they are hand woven wool and they have lasted three or two generations of ownership and may move on to the next, through various changes of taste. I got these for free, but it's taught me to buy better rugs when I do buy.

I also think in general that one may develop a permanent and more mature taste if one buys things that one is committed to rather than treating everything as disposable or replaceable.

Look on Craigslist, Chairish, etc. for a secondhand or vintage wool rug as was suggested above.

Also, if you give your budget and style/color preferences, people here can suggest possibilities for you.

If you have Home Goods nears you, they have really good prices on rugs.

[Here's[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/aktillery-pleasedont-hate-me-dsvw-vd~3371776) one of many threads about artillery's beautiful synthetic (poly) rug. Seriously, so many people seem to be happy with these rugs, and they truly are reasonable. Wool rugs can last forever, sometimes generations, but I agree that's probably not what you want now. I have a Karastan machine woven wool that is beautiful and doesn't shed, but it cost $2000, on sale. You can find them on eBay sometimes for less. I have three hand tufted wool rugs from Pottery Barn, and while I like them, the shedding was bad and the colors fade within five years or so. I have a hand-knotted oriental that is truly indestructible, but I'm not as fond of the colors as I used to be. I have a hand-knotted oriental that was my great-grandmother's, over 100 years old, and it's still beautiful.

From ecarpetgallery which also offers free shipping and returns, this is an 8'x11' hand-knotted wool rug for $474. But without knowing your style or color preferences, it's just a shot in the dark.

By all means don't spend too much and change things up in a few years if you want. But if you get a good quality rug, you'll be able to sell it (and put the money toward a new rug) or donate it, rather than adding to a landfill.

Thanks, Becky. I kind of like the rug you found but I'm not sure. The yellow may not be subtle enough for me. I don't know much about decorating.

Are there synthetic or blended rugs that are not tufted?

Becky:

I’m not sure what I want spend. If I was more sure of what I wanted I might be willing to spend $1000+. I thought rugs would only cost around $100-200. As I look at what’s for sale the amount that I think that I may have to spend keeps increasing: $400, $500, more?

I have never bothered to decorate my apartments before so my ideas on what I want are not so well-formed and may not be the best.

My living room furniture is solid black. I think I might want a colorful patterned rug to make the room more lively and varied, although I worry it might seem garish. It was suggested to me that I just get some colorful pillows for the sofa rather than needed to get a colorful or patterned rug. I have considered a reddish or bluish rug. I like oriental-type patterns. I don’t want a rug that is too light in color that might show dirt.

I need a rug for the living room area (5 X 8) and for the dining room table (8 X 10). I was thinking of getting a solid color for the second rug. I read that having a patterned and solid rug is one way to coordinate rugs.

why, yes, there are

(sorry I'm usually linking to Anthro because they have less options..easier to find examples in the matter of seconds)

inside-outside for example

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/dawson-indooroutdoor-rug?category=rugs&color=095

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/rhombi-indooroutdoor-rug?category=rugs&color=006

machine-woven

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/wicklow-rug?category=rugs&color=095

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/antioch-rug?category=rugs&color=095

flat woven wool and viscose

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/goa-rug?category=rugs&color=045

nice pattern, actually, review are so-so..polyester

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/alchemy-rug2?category=rugs&color=095

I saw some machine-made rugs with no backing on the Home Depot website. Is that better than a tufted rug with a latex backing?

I saw some hand-knotted wool rugs for $562 and $618 on the Home Depot website. Does that sound too good to be true? Maybe they are not good quality?

OK....so I'm seeing that $1000 per rug is too much for your budget. I'm also seeing that you want "quality" as well. I'm also reading that you don't know much about decorating. This sound about right?

OK. Lets have some FUN! Find a friend or family member who has "great taste" (in your eyes) and who knows how to throw a room together. Excellent. Ask him/her to take you SHOPPING. Start with the basics. Start with what you LIKE. Find out what you do NOT like. Yes. Find out what you do NOT like. The "No's" are just as important as the "Yes's".

Set a BUDGET. Figure out the SIZES that you NEED. Write them down with with a note for the USE (dining room, sitting area, entry way, etc). Load some photos of your FURNITURE and your SPACE on your phone and take all of it shopping with you.

Purchase the best possible rug in your budget range. Make sure you like it. Get your "personal shopper" to tell you WHY it works for you - and write down the ANSWERS.

Learning how to decorate is just that...a LEARNING experience. Just like in colleague, we took notes, made rough drafts and then presented our papers you can do the same with decor (in fact you can go to school to become an interior decorator). It is a learned skill. So you might as well set about learning the skill with someone you know and trust and admire. Once you obtain the skill, you can then depend on your own taste to get you through the next dilemma.

Beckysharp, LOL, we have a very similar rug in our LR. I'm actually looking to replace it because it is looking a little worn on the edges.

Now that I am off teaching full time, I plan to stop at esale rugs, since their showroom is about 15 min from my house.

I am generally a very inexpensive shopper. I look at rugs as follows If i want rub your toes in them, go local. for style i go online. esale and rugsusa both have cool inexpensive rugs. I use those in my living room, i can achieve a look that speaks of me not the jones' next door. with old wood floors i use a <$50 locally bound rug for my dining room. This way i can donate to puppy haven after a year if i must. my bedroom gets a thick local bound rug, the kind that are like walking on clouds. once again they cost very little, but make you feel like an angel. because of my prices I can get new rugs every year if need be. since you are just starting out i think it would be good too