How to place rugs properly?

Area rugs and carpets can fade under ultra-violet (UV) light. If the windows are not treated with a UV film or the glass doesn't have a UV filter, the rug or carpet will eventually fade based on how much sun it gets. You can put your rugs anywhere you like in a room. Just be aware of where the sun falls. You can put film on windows, yourself. It isn't that tricky or expensive.

if your mom is elderly, I would not add rugs since they are the largest cause of falls in older folks- (60's and up)

http://yespleaseblog.co/how-and-where-to-place-rugs/

Hi Louise,

here's a link I found that may help you with planning the size, etc.

https://www.marthastewart.com/8083089/bedroom-rug-placement-tips#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20spot%20for,before%20the%20nightstands'%20front%20legs.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the sunlight. it would likely take years for the sun to affect a rug. You could make a note to yourself to "rotate" the rug for your mom every 6-12 months.

I bet she will love that you did this for her birthday! My daughter gave me an area rug for my living room one year & I absolutely loved it. Was something I wouldn't have had the nerve to try, but it is beautiful and I'm happy when I see it.

I agree with one of the other commenters it takes a LONG time for rugs to fade in sunlight. When you do get a rug for her look for the kind that are made specifically to NOT fade in sunlight. That's a wonderful gift for your mom!

You put an area rug where ever it makes you happy. Curtains can be drawn at the sunniest part of the day. A rug sections off an area to make it stand out or to create a comfortable place to walk.

First is “tactical” placement of your rug. It sounds obvious, but when you put your rug down, limiting the amount of direct sunlight it is exposed to makes a huge impact on how much UV light can penetrate it. While effective, this is the most constraining solution to sun fading. Sometimes you really want your rug in an area where a lot of light comes in, which is perfectly reasonable.

In that case, we recommend drawing your shades when you aren’t home. It’s nice to have a lot of light in your house, but if you’re out at work, or not really spending time in the space where your rug is, the simple act of drawing your shades goes a long way towards preventing fade. Fortunately, if drawing your shades isn’t an option, there are still solutions.

“Low E” (Low Emission) glass is a specially designed type of glass built to filter the amount of UV coming into your home, while still allowing all the light you normally see into the space. Most “Low E” glass filters out about 95% of the UV that would otherwise make it in, and has a huge impact on lifespan of your rug and its colors. “Low E” glass also has the added benefits of keeping energy costs down, letting less heat in during the summer, and less heat out during the winter. The downside of Low E-glass is that it could require replacing your windows, a potentially expensive prospect. There is, however, a much less expensive alternative.

Low E-Filters can be purchased for your existing windows at a fraction of the cost of Low E-Glass. Coming in clear and semi opaque shades, Low E filters are literally applied to the surface of your existing windows. While not quite as effective as Low E glass, they are still a great way to reduce the UV rays coming into your home. They can even be combined with Low E glass to create a doubly-effective barrier.

Direct sunlight will eventually fade rugs, but you can counteract that by closing the drapes during the sunniest part of the day.

Here's a video that might help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITb2jBN335g

Hello. Another consideration to think of is also the hardwood floors can fade in sunlight. We have experienced this problem lifting up the rug and seeing the hard wood oak faded in less than 5 years

To prevent it from fading you could put up heavier curtains and just open them when you're actually in the room or when the sun isn't as harsh. Also, what side of the house does the bedroom face? Some sides get more intense light.

Any sunlight that is shining directly on the area rug will not fade it any faster than it will fade any linens or other fabric items in the room that are also in direct sunlight.

Put the area rug where you feel it will be most enjoyed by your Mom.

Hello Louise, honestly it takes a long time for the sun to fade rugs. I have had the same one at the back door exposed to the sun for 10 years and it still looks great!

Hope this link helps you with the area rug placement

https://therugtruck.com/blogs/news/top-6-bedroom-rug-placement-tips

If you put in direct sunlight, it will fade. Drapes can be hung to block the UV rays.

They do sell fade resistant rugs and I've had area rugs in the sun all my life and have never had them long enough to fade, so it must take a very long time.