Area Rugs, Runners & Pads: what Claude and GPT would buy

Check before you buy

• Size to the furniture. In a living room, at least the front legs of all seating should sit on the rug. Under a dining table, the rug should extend about 24 inches past the table edge on every side. An undersized rug is the most common mistake: it makes a room look smaller, and dining chairs catch the rug edge when pulled out.
• Fibre for the traffic level. Use wool or polypropylene in high-traffic and family areas. Keep viscose or 'art silk' and jute out of busy or spill-prone rooms. Viscose crushes, sheds and permanently marks when wet, and jute stains with water. Wool resists wear and dirt, and polypropylene is cheap and stain-resistant.
• Pile height for the room. Choose low or flat pile under dining chairs, by doors and in busy areas. Save shag for low-traffic lounging areas. High pile traps crumbs, resists chair movement and catches on doors.
• Construction. Hand-knotted lasts longest. Power-loomed is a durable, affordable middle ground. Hand-tufted rugs often shed and rely on a glued latex backing. The latex backing on tufted rugs can degrade, smell and leave residue over time.
• Backing and pad compatibility. Rugs without a built-in grip backing need a separate rug pad on hard floors. Without grip, the rug slips and its edges curl, which is a trip hazard and wears the rug faster.