Millions of homeowners with hard flooring in their home rely on area rugs for a variety of reasons. They can be used as a way to break up the space or as an ornamental accent piece, but are also helpful in high-traffic areas of your home. Rugs in the 8 x 10 class are the most popular size, and we’ve compiled a list and buying guide to help you find the perfect area rug for your home.
Finding an outdoor rug that looks just as good indoors is a challenging endeavor – especially if you’re looking for something colorful. The Cancun area rug from Fab Habitat is the best option for outdoor usage, but also our top pick overall for an 8 x 10 area rug.
This unique area rug is just as eco-friendly as it is colorful. Each rug is made by hand using recycled plastic from single-use plastic straws. This gives the rugs an interesting look, while also helping to remove tons of plastic from the environment each year. It’s latex-free, and while there’s no backing layer, the Cancun is fully reversible.
Each side of this rug is slightly different, but both are UV resistant and non-toxic. It’s safe to use indoors, and incredibly easy to clean as you can simply shake or hose this area rug off outdoors. It’s portable, thanks to a lightweight design and comes in 11 colors including neutral tones like Sand & Black and with classics like Candy.
Our Verdict
This reversible area rug is beautiful and hands down the greenest rug on our list. While the general style and texture won’t be for everyone, it’s versatile and highly-rated from homeowners across the board. If you intend to place Fab Habitat’s eco-friendly rug on a slick surface, you will need to pick up a non-slip pad to go along with your new rug.
With a history spanning decades, Safavieh has imported millions of fine area rugs into consumers’ homes around the globe. They are the only company that managed to crack our list twice, and while this one isn’t as exotic, the Dallas Collection should be on your radar if you’re into thick, comfy rugs.
This power-loomed area rug will be thick and comfortable beneath your feet. That’s due in part to the soft polypropylene fibers Safavieh used in the construction of this rug, but also because of the pile height. It’s listed at 1.5” for every rug in the Dallas Collection, and they all have a backing layer made from natural jute as well.
While these 8 x 10 area rugs are thick and plush, they are designed to keep shedding to a minimum. The rugs are dense enough to handle high-traffic, although you’ll want to pick a proper vacuum for this bushy area rug. Each has a classic Trellis pattern, and while we chose Black and Ivory, there are nine other color combinations to choose from.
Our Verdict
Shag rugs are incredibly popular, but can be more trouble than they are worth when not well made. We’re pleased to say you won’t have to worry about that with the Dallas Collection from Safavieh, as these machine made rugs are built to last. Consumers reported minimal shedding, and there are some round sizes available in the 8’ to 10’ range as well.
nuLoom is a company our readers will be familiar with, and they happen to be one of the top places to pick up an area rug online. This specialty retailer has a number of rugs that could have made our list, but we chose the Rigo, a hand woven rug made from jute.
If you’re interested in a tough rug that uses natural fibers instead of synthetics, the options are limited. Jute is one of the better options in that regard, and the Rigo was carefully handcrafted by skilled artisans from India. It’s made from 100% jute fiber, and is in the middle of the pack when it comes to thickness at around 0.2”.
The style of this rug allows it to be used in any room. It’s sturdy, but light enough to move around or clean, although there is no backing layer on the Rigo. We highly recommend picking up a set of grippers or an all-purpose rug pad if slippage is a concern. This 8 x 10 jute area rug is available in Navy, Off-White, Natural or Black.
Our Verdict
Jute has been used by area rug manufacturers for decades, and has recently seen a large resurgence as homeowners look for natural area rugs for use indoors. We chose the Rigo because of a combination of style and price. It’s an affordable 8’ x 10’ rug, especially considering its hand-woven, and comes in more colors than other manufactures provide.
There are hundreds of companies online that make area rugs for indoors and outdoors areas including patios and garden areas. Antep is a brand that may not be familiar to many homeowners, but they make some of the more affordable and decorative area rugs in the 8’ x 10’ class.
The Alfombras area rugs come in a collection featuring several different styles. We chose this modern area rug as it’s the most versatile from a style standpoint. It’s available in six different colors from vivid Purple and Gold and Green to this Beige beauty with a multicolored border. This collection hails from Turkey and is made by machines, instead of by hand.
All of the bordered rugs in this series are made from 100% polypropylene fibers. They are stain-resistant and suitable for any room indoors as long as it blends with your décor. Alfombras area rugs have a non-slip rubber backing layer. You don’t need a rug pad to stop it from sliding, although it is lightweight for its size.
Our Verdict
With close to 3,000 positive reviews, it’s hard to ignore the popularity of this area rug. Consumers love the fact it stayed put in place, and the rubber backing can prevent water from damaging the flooring beneath the rug. If you’re not partial to this pattern, there are Moroccan and Floral versions of the Alfombras area rug available as well.
5. Safavieh Natural Fiber Collection Seagrass Area Rug
Whether you’re looking for a vintage area rug with a Persian vibe or something a bit more modern, Safavieh has you covered. The company uses a wide range of materials in their rugs, including natural fibers which are what you’ll find in these Seagrass rugs from their Natural Fiber Collection. Safavieh’s Natural Fiber Collection utilizes the finest fibers, and theNF114 series is our top pick from this line. While not as colorful as other options on our list, these rugs are low-pile with a neutral color. With the exception of Beige which blends in, all of the styles have a contrasting cotton border in colors ranging from Navy and Turquoise to Rust. These 8 x 10 seagrass area rugs are power-loomed by a machine and listed with .25” pile height. The backing layer is dotted felt, not rubber or latex, although the weight and size of this rug will help to keep it in place. It’s an indoor area rug, but one that can withstand daily abuse in high-traffic areas of your home.
Our Verdict
The style of this rug won’t be for everyone, but it’s the perfect option for homeowners that want something simple, but durable. Seagrass is an overlooked material, and one that comes with at a bit of a premium, but we were unable to find any significant complaints on this rug. The NF114 is available with 17 different colored borders from Safavieh.
Finding a great room for a kids room can be difficult when it comes to style, but all children’s rugs should have a few things in common. They need to be durable and fun. The Lil’ Mo from Momeni rugs easily handles both of those areas, and has some interesting details as well. Like the rest of the rugs on our list, the Lil’ Mo is sized at 8’x 10’, but available in smaller sizes including a 5’ round variant. This particular rug has a pattern featuring a variety of animals, each of which is hand-carved. While a small touch, it adds more detail to the area rug and makes those colorful animals stand out even more. Momeni designed this rug to be easy to clean. It's a medium pile and listed at 0.37”, so you won’t have any trouble vacuuming or shaking this rug when your little one makes a mess. It’s made from 100% polyester, so it’s resilient but doesn’t look or feel cheap. It’s a hand-tufted area rug, and one that’s received positive reviews from hundreds of homeowners.
Our Verdict
We chose this cute animal themed rug, but there are over a dozen other styles in the Whimsy collection as well. That includes a rug for kids who love sports along with ladybugs, wildlife, farm animals, and this campfire scene.
Rug manufacturers allow consumers to sort through their catalogs in a variety of ways from fabric, to color or style. You can also search by size, and while runners and door mats have plenty of fans, 8’ x 10’ area rugs are the most popular. In this guide, we are going to show you how to find the ones in this range whether you prefer Walmart area rugs or something from the upper end of the pricing spectrum.
Where will your area rug be used?
Before you consider a style or color, think about where and how you intend to use your new rug. Do you need an outdoor rug for your patio or something comfortable and cushy for a bedroom? While those are two extremes, there are certain classes of rugs that are designed for specific areas around your home.
Outdoor rugs should be made from weatherproof synthetic materials or natural fibers that can withstand the elements to a degree. Jute is one such material, and you’ll find plenty of indoor models made with this fiber as well. If you plan to use an area rug in a damp area like a bathroom or kitchen, you’ll certainly want to consider the fibers beforehand.
Facts about Fibers
Homeowners that only intend to use their rug as an accent piece instead of walking across it may not be overly concerned about the fibers used. If you care about the lifespan of your new 8’ x 10’ area rug or plan to use it in a high-traffic area, you’ll definitely want to pay close attention to what it’s made from.
In our research, we found that the two most popular materials commonly used by rug manufacturers are wool and polypropylene. Wool rugs are more expensive, but have a feel underfoot that can’t be replicated by synthetic material. Medallion-style area rugs are one of the more popular styles made from wool, but you can find casual, tribal and traditional styles as well.
Polypropylene is the complete opposite of wool as it’s synthetic and considerably cheaper. It can be just as resilient, however, especially when combined with natural fibers. You’ll also find some colors and patterns on polypropylene rugs that aren’t available with wool blends. Other popular synthetic materials found in area rugs include nylon and PET polyester.
As for natural fibers aside from wool, cotton is often blended with other materials but rarely used by itself. Cowhide or leather rugs are a unique option that go well with rustic rooms while jute is popular and can handle medium-traffic with ease. Seagrass and sisal are a little tougher, although harder to find from some brands.
Area Rug Construction
Now it’s time to talk about a few important features found on area rugs. Each of these specifications are something found on almost every rug sold today, and can have a significant impact on your buying decision.
Backing Layer – While the fibers we’ve discussed are on top of an area rug, the backing layer should not be overlooked. This part of an area rug helps to hold those fibers together, while adding stability. Carpets are double-backed, but some high-quality rugs are as well. With thinner rugs, a good non-slip backing layer can make a significant difference with bunching.
Construction – Every area rug falls into two main categories when it comes to how they are made. They are either machine-made or crafted by hand. Handmade rugs carry a premium, but there are more options to choose from like Hand Knotted, Hand Woven or Hand Tufted just to name a few. These rugs usually rely more on natural fibers whereas synthetics are more popular with machine-made rugs.
Pile Height – When you hear the term pile height, this tells you how tall the fibers on an area rug are from the top of the backing to the tip of the fiber. Long pile area rugs are often in the shag category, and while comfortable, they can be challenging to clean. Low-pile rugs are easier to vacuum, but not as soft while medium-pile rugs provide the best of both worlds.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s more to choosing a great area rug than simply walking into a store and picking one up off the rack. While there is no shortage of styles, the brand behind your rug is important along with factors like the construction and fiber. If you’re interested in learning more about some of the top rug manufacturers in the field, be sure to check out our brand reviews.
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