How to Choose an Outdoor Rug

Decide where you want to put your outdoor rug. Consider your porch, patio, deck, gazebo or pool side as possible locations, as well as inside your home in your kitchen, family room or other high-traffic areas.

See how your outdoor rug will work in harmony with your outdoor living space. Make sure your rug will not cause safety problems with features you already have outdoors --- such as a water fountain, for instance. Look at the size, design and color of your rug to see if it distracts from any outdoor features you want to be a focal point, such as a fireplace.

Measure the area where you intend to place your outdoor rug, using a steel measuring tape. Buy your rug approximately 3 inches smaller all around than the surface area of your patio, for example, so you can clean underneath your rug, as well as have a border around the carpet.

Decide if you want your outdoor rug to be the focal point of your patio or deck or to be blended into the background. Choose a bold color or design for a focal point, and arrange plainer outdoor furniture in groups off the rug so most of the rug's design can be displayed. Select a subdued color or design so your rug takes a back seat if you have furniture or another outdoor element you want to be the focal point.

Mix things up --- try an outdoor rug in a shape other than rectangular, such as a circle, oval, square or octagon.

Make sure the outdoor rug you choose has ultraviolet (UV) protection and is resistant to mold and water.