How to Specify a Rug in a Project Brief

A rug specification works when it names six things: finished size in mm, fibre, construction, pile, colour reference and edge finish. Write those six lines into the schedule and any supplier, Rugberry included, can price and make the rug without guessing.

Most rug problems on Indian projects start in the schedule, not on the loom. A line that says only "wool rug, beige, 8x10" leaves four decisions to someone else.

What should a rug specification include?

A rug specification should include six fields, in this order: size, fibre, construction, pile, colour reference and edge. Each field closes off one decision that would otherwise be made on the supplier's side.

1. Finished size in mm, length first, with a tolerance you can accept.
2. Fibre, written as the product page writes it, for example New Zealand wool, or wool and silk.
3. Construction: hand knotted, hand tufted, handloom or handwoven.
4. Pile: cut, loop or flat, and a target height in mm to be confirmed by the maker.
5. Colour reference: a swatch, a named colourway or a numbered pom.
6. Edge: bound, serged or plain, and whether any fringe is wanted.

Add the room, the floor finish and the furniture plan as notes. They are not part of the rug, but they explain the choices to whoever reads the schedule after you.

How do you write rug sizes in mm?

Write the finished size in mm, length by width, and state it as the size of the rug, not of the room. Rugberry lists every stock size in feet and centimetres, so the conversion is already done.

Stock size	Metric size	Floor covered
5x8 ft	1500 x 2400 mm	40 sq ft
6x9 ft	1800 x 2700 mm	54 sq ft
8x10 ft	2400 x 3000 mm	80 sq ft
9x12 ft	2700 x 3600 mm	108 sq ft
10x14 ft	3000 x 4200 mm	140 sq ft
12x15 ft	3600 x 4500 mm	180 sq ft

Handmade rugs are finished by hand, so a small difference from the drawn size is normal. Put an acceptable tolerance in the spec, and if a rug must sit inside a fixed inlay or a skirting recess, say so in a note.

Why does construction matter in a spec?

Construction matters because two rugs of the same size and colour can differ several times in price and wear depending on how they are made. If the schedule leaves it open, the cheapest reading of the line wins.

The Stratum Knotted Rug in Cinder is hand knotted in New Zealand wool, about ₹1.75 lakh in 9x12 ft, and described as the most durable way a rug can be made. The Grain Wool Rug in Umber is handloom New Zealand wool from about ₹37,000, low and closely textured. The Cabella Wool & Silk Rug in Mink is hand tufted wool and silk from about ₹41,000, with a sheen that moves with the light.

For a formal living room that will hold its rug for many years, specify hand knotted over hand tufted, because the knotted structure is the most durable Rugberry makes. Our guide to hand knotted and hand tufted rugs sets out the trade-off in detail.

How should pile be described?

Describe pile by type first, cut, loop or flat, then give a target height in mm and ask the maker to confirm it for the chosen design. Most of the Rugberry range is cut pile in the region of 14 to 16 mm, but a handloom or handwoven rug sits lower and flatter.

Pile height has practical consequences on site. A door that clears 6 mm of rug will not clear a deep pile, and a dining chair drags on a tall pile but slides on a low, close one like Grain.

If the design is carved, with high and low areas, write both heights. The glossary entries for pile height and cut pile give the vocabulary to use on the drawing.

A schedule line that says only wool rug, beige, 8x10 leaves four decisions to someone else.

How do you fix a colour reference?

Fix colour with a physical reference: a Rugberry swatch, a named colourway such as Umber or Mink, or a numbered colour pom. Screens and printed boards drift, and wool takes dye differently from paint or fabric.

Write the reference into the spec with its source, for example "Grain, Umber, swatch approved on site". When two rugs in one project must match, note that they should come from one dye lot, and order them together.

What else belongs in the brief?

The brief should also carry the floor finish, the furniture layout and any underlay requirement, because each changes how the rug is sized and finished. A rug on polished Italian marble needs an underlay to stop it moving, while a rug on carpet tiles in a study does not.

• Floor finish: marble, vitrified tile, wood or kota stone.
• Furniture plan: which legs sit on the rug and which sit off it.
• Use: a family living room in a Mumbai flat is a different brief from a guest bedroom in a Lonavala weekend home.
• Approvals: who signs off the swatch and the drawing.

Designs that need to change from stock are briefed through the customisable rugs route, where size and colour can be set to the project.

Frequently asked questions

Should a rug size be specified in feet or mm?

Specify the finished size in mm on drawings and schedules, and give feet alongside if the client thinks in feet. Rugberry lists every stock size in both, so 9x12 ft appears as 270 x 360 cm.

Can I specify a pile height Rugberry does not list?

Yes, write the height you want as a target and ask for it to be confirmed for the design. Rugberry does not publish a pile height for every rug, so treat the figure as a request until it is agreed.

Is a hand-tufted rug acceptable for a project spec?

Yes, for most residential rooms. A hand-tufted New Zealand wool rug is soft and even underfoot with a dense pile that holds its shape, and it costs far less than a hand-knotted rug of the same size.

Six lines, written once, save a dozen calls later. Material first.