Have you ever inherited furniture? Household items, art, or rugs? It used to be very commonplace for people to leave family heirlooms to their relatives in their wills because furniture, china, and even clothes were time consuming to make and expensive to purchase. When things began to be mass produced by machine, this tradition became less common. Still, with younger generations finding it harder to get a toehold in the current economy and Baby Boomers downsizing as they approach retirement, many people will inherit household furnishings again and be glad to have them. One question they may have, however, is: What do you do with an inherited rug?
The first thing to consider is how valuable the rug is. If this is an antique piece of high monetary or historical value, you should definitely have it appraised, cleaned, and repaired by a reputable rug professional. You will be able to make better decisions about what to do with it once you know its value. You might decide to make it the centerpiece of your finest room. Or, if your home has heavy traffic, small children, or pets, it might be better to sell the rug or put it in storage rather than risk damaging it. It all depends on your taste, your values, and your situation.
You may find that the rug might be old and not worth a great deal of money but still have great potential. Some people see area rugs with worn patches and assume that a rug no longer has value, but in fact there are a number of things you can do to give an antique rug new life. Replacing the binding on a rug can give it another chance to be beautiful. Some carpets can be cut down to remove damaged spots and then bound again. A hand-woven rug might look terrific again with a new fringe.
Designing a room around an inherited rug can be a little tricky since so many older, antique rugs have a traditional style or look that you may not appreciate or think does not complement modern furniture or art. Don’t despair, though! There are many interior design websites that give great ideas about how to combine old and new together in beautiful ways. Rugs can also be used for other things besides floor covering. You might be very surprised at what a difference an interesting rug can make to a bland room.
Finally, if none of the above appeal, consider offering the inherited rug to a family member or friend or donating it to charity. Libraries and museums will often be interested in accepting antique rugs. Bond Products does not like to refer to a rug as trash, but you know what they say about “one man’s treasure.” Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
