Creating a Cosy Outdoor Oasis: Everything You Need to Know About Outdoor Rugs

June 20, 2024 Laura Vaughan

Do outdoor rugs make sense? This is precisely the question that many of us will be pondering after spending a nice weekend preferring to lounge on an outside sofa over the living room. To achieve that opulent outdoor living room vibe, there are lots of options for outdoor rugs. However, is buying an outdoor rug actually a wise or useful decision?

Outdoor rugs have grown in popularity over the past several years and are now practically a need for any garden item. As a result, the selection of colours, patterns, sizes, and shapes is greater than before.

One of the great things about outdoor rugs is that they allow you to employ more colour and pattern outside the house, or you can use them to carry indoors into the outdoors.

Play around with colour and pattern; the room's lightness and openness will allow you to use more colour than you might typically feel comfortable with. While flowers, bright red accents, and sunshine yellow are all very hot right now, Mediterranean-inspired blue and whites may have a significant architectural impact.

Apart from trends, are outdoor rugs a wise purchase? They are also a quick way to breathe fresh life into a worn-out patio, particularly if the irrational paving in your garden is a bit too "crazy." They may also assist you in setting up a casual seating area for a movie night with friends outside or a place where little children can play more easily.

What's the purpose of an outdoor rug?

A beautiful approach to give outdoor areas some flair and a cosy atmosphere is with an outdoor rug. You may utilize an outdoor rug in a variety of ways, such as creating a comfortable seating area, extending the feeling of your indoor living space to your balcony or patio, or even just laying one out on the grass to have a picnic or lie on.

Outdoor rugs provide a dual purpose of aesthetics and utility. They create consistency between an indoor and outdoor layout, add comfort underfoot, and complete an outside look by tying in a desired hue or pattern.

The divide between the interior and outside might be lessened by using an outdoor rug within. Utilize them to develop an open-concept design strategy that significantly expands your living area. They are perfect for high-traffic areas because of their durability and ease of cleaning, and they may also provide a conservatory or sunroom with a cosy finishing touch. Another effective way to prevent dirt from being tracked inside your home is to lay an outside rug or runner close to your patio doors.

Are there any drawbacks?

Because of their placement, outdoor rugs usually see greater wear and tear; yet, the materials they are composed of make them durable enough to endure the weather. The sole drawback would be if you didn't select an outside rug. It might easily fade, become soiled, and become wet.

Cleaning outdoor rugs is simple: simply hose them down and let them dry in the sun, ideally flat. Use a mild detergent to gently scrub any areas that have mould or mildew (start with a patch test).

Layering your rugs is a great way to cover a larger space if you need a larger rug for your patio. This method is applicable both indoors and outdoors.

What is the ideal size of an outdoor rug?

It all depends on how big your outdoor area is. If your yard is larger, a large rug will make a real statement. Runner rugs are a terrific option for smaller settings. Pick an outdoor rug as large as your budget and available area will allow.

Remember that rugs don't always have to be rectangular in shape. This year, rugs with rounded or uneven shapes are very fashionable and will provide an outdoor area a fresh look and feel. They are particularly useful for zoning a sitting area without taking up a lot of room in little garden ideas and patios.

What kind of material works best for an outdoor rug?

In addition to being reasonably priced and providing a wide variety of patterns, polypropylene is stain-resistant and minimal care. Similarly, polyester provides comparable advantages. While nylon stains more readily than polypropylene, it is one of the more costly synthetic rug options and does hold up well to heavy activity. Olefin is softer underfoot and offers all of the aforementioned advantages.

Are you trying to find anything natural? For an outdoor rug, jute is a nice option, albeit it doesn't enjoy really humid temperatures. Try it on a patio or covered porch.

Can you place an outdoor rug next to a BBQ or fire pit?

No, the same rules that apply to placing a rug indoors also apply to placing one outside. Make sure your rug is away from any firepits where sparks may fly. Grease splatters from BBQs can be difficult to remove from rugs.

Why not use paving stones to create the same effect if you like the idea of an outdoor rug but are concerned about being too close to a fire pit? Alternatively, you might paint your own rug pattern onto slabs.

Is it okay to leave outdoor rugs outside?

If they are made of natural fibre, you may wish to bring them inside during very rainy weather, depending on the material. Select a material that is stain- and water-resistant if you intend to put your rug outside all year round.

Just as you would raise an interior rug to hoover below, be careful to periodically clean the patio or deck under the rug.

How to Maintain Your Outdoor Rugs:-

Eliminate dirt often:

Outdoor rugs get a lot of dust and debris because of the wind and heavy foot activity. Your rug may appear faded and worn out if you don't routinely clean it because dust will settle in it. To get rid of any visible dirt or debris that might get woven into the fibres, you should shake it out at least once a week.

As soon as spills and stains occur, wipe them up:

When spills and oily stains embed themselves in your carpets, they become more difficult to get rid of. Use home cleaners to wipe them as soon as either of these two occurs. If you let them sit for too long, they may get damaged and stained permanently.