Just like wall-to-wall carpeting, area rugs are available in many styles, colors, and fibers. They can be long lasting wool, nylon, or polypropylene (olefin), or casual cotton. Area rugs can even be woven using sisal or sea grass.

There are many styles & feels that can be attained through area rugs. Contemporary, modern, Americana, Traditional, Country, Oriental…just to name a few. Mercers is proud to offer area rugs in thousands of colors & hundreds of styles. Area rugs come in a variety of textures, including looped, cut-pile, shag, or frize. The edges can be fringed, surged, or bound.

Braided area rugs bring a casual country feel to a room and have been popular for centuries and they are just as practical and comfortable now as they were years ago. Add color and warmth to any room with a braided rug. They are hard-wearing, firmly constructed rugs that are easy to care for. Braided rugs are versatile and can be used for anything from a focal point in a living room to a runner in a hall.

Oriental rugs are popular as area rugs. An "authentic" Oriental rug is hand-woven with intricate designs by weavers from countries with a long hand-weaving tradition, such as Iran, Russia, Turkey, and Tibet. Machine-woven Oriental-style rugs offer good quality and style at much less cost. To the untrained eye, there is not a noticeable difference between many Oriental rugs. A professional, however, will tell you otherwise. And while you might not have the experience or training of a professional, here are some tips to help you pick out distinct makes of rugs.

     •Hand knotted rugs are, of course, knotted by hand. The important distinction in this
      type of rug is that the yarns are knotted around the warps that run the length of the rug.
      Typically, the more knots per square inch, the more valuable the rug.
     •Flat woven Oriental rugs do not employ knots. Instead, the warp strands are passed
      through the weft (horizontal strands inserted to form the foundation of the rug) strands
      either by hand or on a loom.

Oriental rugs & braided rugs are just two distinct style of rugs that Mercer Carpet One offers. Be sure to take a look at our selection at any of our three showrooms.

Area rugs come in wide range of sizes and shapes, from traditional rectangles to circles, ovals, and octagons. An 8' X 10' area rug is recommended to accent a typical dining room table. The dining room chair legs should stay on the rug when the chair is pulled out for seating.

If you are looking for something simpler, Mercers can also bind any carpet we sell into an area rug.

Area rugs can be practical. They can add a layer of protection to a hard surface floor, especially in high traffic areas such as entrances and hallways.

Most area rugs should be placed over padding. The padding provides comfort and slip-resistance, making the rug safer. The shock-absorbing properties of the pad extend the life of the area rug.

However, lower grades of padding can stain or discolor the hard surface flooring beneath the rug. Mercer Carpet One recommends SureGrip padding. This padding is guaranteed not to stain the hard surface floor and provides excellent slip resistance.