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Designing With Rugs: Nothing Beats A Try Out Planning will help you select the right rug for each room and purpose. But, ultimately you may want to "Try Out" in your home for a few weeks.

Dover Rug's "Try Out" program works like this:

• Come to a Dover Rug gallery and select the rugs – let's call them the finalists -- you would like to"Try Out" in your home.
• Dover Rug will deliver the rugs at a time convenient for you and place them right where you choose.
• The rug you select can be installed and left in place to "Try Out" on" for several days.
• If after "Try Out" you decide the rug isn't right for you, Dover Rug can deliver more rugs to your home or promptly pickup rugs at no obligation.

To arrange an in-home showing of rugs you select, call 508-651-3500

Here are some helpful hints to help you size-up your needs:

Living Rooms and Family Rooms
Size matters, just ask any experienced interior designers familiar with Persian and other patterned rugs.

If your goal is to find one large rug for the living room, choose a rug that, when centered on the floor, leaves a symmetrical border on all four sides (keep in mind that edges of hand-woven rugs are never perfectly square – it's part their appeal). Designers recommend allowing sufficient space between the edges of the rug and the baseboards.

Central medallion patterns often work best in large and reasonably symmetrical formal rooms. The medallion itself defines the room's center, around which furnishings may be grouped. Fireplaces, large chandeliers and other permanent and prominent features should be taken into account.

If there is no obvious "center" to the room, designers often recommend a rug with a "symmetrically neutral" repeating pattern, a Bokhara for example:

If you're adventurous, use two or three rugs to give areas in of a large room a slightly different look and feel. The rugs needn't match – shouldn't match. Savvy designers will tell you that using a several exquisite rugs can bring real warmth, color and excitement to a intimidating formal room.

Dining Rooms
There's no better choice for a dining room than a durable, tightly knotted rug from Asia. Be sure to choose one large enough to provide space for diners to move their chairs back without sliding off the edge of the rug. Most rooms require a rug at least 8 feet wide. But, measure your fully extended dining room table, then add two feet to all four sides to get the minimum dimensions for your rug.

Bedrooms
Understandably, many people are reluctant to hide , say, a dramatic medallions under a bed. So, consider a rug with a repeating pattern or more contemporary design. Dover Rug's "Try Out" policy is for choosing the rug that's just right for your personal boudoir.

Kitchens, and High-traffic Areas
Not too long ago archeologists dug up an intact Persian carpet that had been accidentally frozen way, way back in the Sixth Century A.D. Enough said? Their virtual indestructibility makes fine rugs from Asia perfect for kitchens, hallways and other high-traffic, high abuse areas. Plus, whenever necessary they can be rolled up and taken off for a thorough cleaning and repair. No more sneezes!