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How to buy Rugs for Babies

Designing and setting up the baby’s room is an important act of preparation. And while most parents-to-be find it thrilling and inspiring, with all the decisions to be made and all the money to be burnt, it can easily cross the red line between exciting and stressful.

The most stressful parts are, of course, choosing the defining pieces that will set the atmosphere and mood of the room.

Like rugs.

Sure, you want the room to be safe, the environment to be harmonious, the design to be engaging yet relaxing and soothing. But these are bold ambitions if you are not an interior designer by trade, and like first-time parents, have zero experience with babies.

Focus on what’s important

We’re here to relieve some of that pressure, though: as far as science is concerned, newborns are not particularly design-savvy. In the first few years, they have very different tastes than the people you follow on Pinterest. 

So you can get away without necessarily following the latest rug trends or fashions.

Yes, you still want your baby’s room to look beautiful. But it usually helps to have your priorities and the baby’s interests in mind instead of aiming for some kind of design-magazine-perfection.

When it comes to picking the perfect rug for your baby’s room, there is no one size fits all approach.

But starting with the “what’s important to me?” question is usually an easier (and the right) way to pick a rug than going directly for the color or size choices.

So let’s get started!

Materials

Your baby will spend a lot of time on the rug you choose. You will spend a lot of time there, too.

So picking the right material is really important.

As always, there isn’t just one right solution, and there are a few options to choose from. 

But before we get there, there are also things that are non-negotiable.

Non-toxic materials

Rugs are either made of natural fibers, like wool, cotton, jute, and the likes, or synthetics like polyester, polypropylene, even latex. 

There are pros and cons to each and every one of these, and we’ll get to them in a sec, but for now, let’s start with the most important principle.

You want to stay away from toxic materials. Especially in your baby’s room.

It’s not necessarily the raw materials that matter. Natural materials are perfectly fine, but so are most of the widely-used synthetics. It’s the materials used in the production process (think glues, dyes, flame retardants, etc.) that make the difference.

Since you cannot expect to monitor and oversee the entire production of your rug, you only have one realistic way to stay on the safe side. Buy from reputable producers and reputable vendors.

Yes, these will cost you more, but you can rest assured that these rugs will be safe from any toxic chemicals and harmful materials in return.

Rugs made of natural or synthetic materials

Rugs made of natural raw materials, mostly wool and cotton, are popular for a reason.

Since these were the materials used for rug production for a number of centuries, many think that this is “how rugs are supposed to be”.

Today, a 100% natural rug is almost equivalent to a premium-quality rug. Which has its own pros and cons.

  • Pros
    • Natural raw materials truly have a feeling no synthetic fiber can compare to.
    • Natural materials are less likely to trigger allergic reactions
    • Natural rugs are non-toxic by default
    • Many natural rugs are handmade. The traditional artisanship adds an extra layer of value to the rug.
    • High-quality natural rugs are extremely durable.
  • Cons
    • While some wool rugs are washable, natural materials are, in general, more difficult to clean and maintain than synthetic ones.
    • Even the softest natural materials feel tougher on the skin than high-quality synthetic materials.
    • Natural raw materials are a lot more expensive than even the highest-quality synthetic fibers.

Our recommendations

As we’ve established before, there’s no one-solution-to-rule-them-all for a baby’s rug.

Especially so, as there are usually contradicting requirements to fulfill.

  • We want the rugs to be as natural as possible (because what else should we want for our baby?)
  • Yet, we want it to be super soft and comfy (synthetic materials are usually much better at it than natural)
  • And, since we’re talking about a baby, we also want the rug to be easy to clean, preferably machine-washable, because, well, for obvious reasons (again, you can’t compete with a high-quality synthetic fiber in this respect).

That, and we haven’t touched upon design yet!

We won’t be able to make a decision for you, but we can definitely help you with making recommendations for all three of these considerations.

You can’t go wrong with any of the rugs below.

Best Natural

Kaarol Washable Rug

Handmade from 100% cotton, this rug has been inspired by Spanish weavings called Ojo de Dios (translates to the eye of God).

The colors are vibrant, and the patterns are engaging, but it can make a design statement without demanding all the attention to itself. It makes an ideal centerpiece of both a baby girl’s or a baby boy’s room.

This rug is not only fully natural, but also machine washable, so it brings you the best of both worlds if you like.

Check price on Amara

Bunny Rug from Safavieh’s Kid Collection

Safavieh is one of the most reputable family brands that sources rugs from all over the world (mostly from traditional rug-producing countries like Turkey or India).

This particular rug is hand-tufted in India using a 100% wool pile.

The great thing about big brands is that their rug designs are usually available in a number of shapes, sizes, and like with this rug, there are also different color options to choose from.

No two babies are the same, and no two baby’s rooms should be either.

Compare the prices of different vendors at Safavieh.com

Oyoy Lion Rug

Not everybody is into baby pink or baby blue.

For those of you who want to design a cute baby’s room without the “mandatory” baby colors, this Lion Rug seems to be a perfect choice.

Made from cotton and wool, using a playful but not cheesy design, this rug will fit well in any baby’s room.

This is a rug that not only your baby but also all your child-at-heart adult visitors will adore.

Check price at Amara!

Best Soft

Nelda Trellis Kid Shag

No natural raw material will be able to compete with the plush feeling of a high-pile polyester shag rug.

This pink and white rug is as soft as the skin of a baby girl, so the two will make a particularly great match.

NuLoom is a great brand that boasts exquisite designs and premium quality, and this rug is no exception.

As with rugs by big brands, this one is also available in a number of size and shape options.

Check price at NuLoom

Allard Striped Shag

Vivid, engaging colors, extremely soft and comfortable feeling, and an overall lively atmosphere. This striped shag looks almost too great to hide in the baby’s room!

On the other hand, it checks all the boxes needed to make a great rug for any baby to start crawling on it.

This Polypropylene rug was made in Turkey, and while it’s easy to care for, it’s still luxuriously fluffy and plush.

It’s also available in a number of shapes and sizes.

Check price at Walmart!

Hand Tufted pantone

We love this rug because is almost as unique as a piece of art.

Who said rugs have to be rectangular or square in shape?

This rug will turn your baby’s room into a playground from moment zero. It is not only super-soft and comfortable, but it also grants the room an artsy and exclusive touch.

One note of warning, though: prepare for this rug to shed in its first few weeks (which may be normal for some rugs). So it might be a good idea to ‘pre-use’ it a bit, with plenty of vacuuming before your baby starts crawling on it.

Check price at NuLoom!

Best Washable

Jungle Safari Multicolor Rug

When it comes to machine-washable rugs, Ruggable is a brand that plays in its own league.

Made of a detachable rug pad and a rug cover, these rugs are extremely easy to maintain.

This Jungle Safari Rug, tinted in watercolor hues of blue, green, and yellow, this rug features cheerful animals, this is a rug that all curious children will love.

Check price at Ruggable!

Spectrum Rainbow Rug

Composed of seventeen different, saturated colors with a watercolor effect, this dreamy, playful rainbow rug not only sends the right message to be open to a colorful and diverse world but also mesmerizes and entertains.

Available in various size and shape options this rug is an optimal choice if you don’t want to go down the unicorn-dinosaur-sloth-llama highway that defines today’s kids’ room design.

Check price at Ruggable!

Sleepy Sheep Soft White Rug

Finally, here is a rug if you are not into vivid, saturated colors, like 98% of parents-to-be.

This Sleepy Sheep Soft White Rug will be the perfect place to cuddle during storytime. 

The hand-drawn, fluffy sheep, in neutral colors, bring a touch of sweetness and calm to any baby’s room.

If you think the rug will serve more to soothe and relax your baby than to provide it with further engagement, this is the one for you.

Conclusion

This concludes our list of recommendations. You now have plenty of specific options as well as plenty of pointers in terms of what to look for when picking the right rug for your baby’s room.

We hope that whichever rug you choose, you and your baby will have endless hours of fun on it.

Zsolt Balla is the founder of Rug Around the Clock, a site dedicated to recommending you the best rugs for every possible walk of life.\

Top photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.