THE BLOG

Why is choosing a rug based on photos online always so challenging?

Photographing rugs to be representative of their actual colors is really difficult. Adding filters to try to match the colors only distorts the colors even more. We often have to take multiple photos of a rug in different settings and lighting to get the rug to match as close as possible with the colors we see in person. Here is a recent example of us trying to photograph one of our vintage rugs at Cottage + Key…

As designers, we’ve faced some challenges when it comes to sourcing rugs for our clients. It’s crazy how different they can look in person compared to those online photos! So, we’ve come up with a clever solution to tackle this issue. What we do now is order samples of as many rugs as we can. This way, we can show our clients how the rug actually looks, not just how it appears on the internet.

While seeing the rug displayed in other people’s homes might provide some insight, keep in mind that colors can appear differently in each environment. Factors like the type of energy-efficient film applied to your windows during manufacturing, the color of your walls, and the hues of your light bulbs can significantly influence how the rug appears in your space compared to someone else’s home.

Seeing the colors in natural settings really makes a difference, and we also get a better feel for the overall quality of the rug. It’s like killing two birds with one stone! Our clients absolutely love it because they can make well-informed decisions and end up super satisfied with their choices.

Feeling stuck and having no luck finding the perfect rug for your space? Well, you’re in luck because we’re here to help! We’ve put in countless hours exploring the top rug manufacturers’ offerings, checking out all the different types of rugs (vintage, hand-woven, machine woven, natural fibers, etc.), and diving into various price points to find you the best bang for your buck, no matter your budget. Send us a message to get started!