Kitchen rug buying guide

An essentially practical accessory, kitchen rugs are designed to limit household accidents. Some models have a special non-slip coating to stop them moving around once they're on the floor. A kitchen rug can also be used to protect the floor from splashes and spills.Additionally, a kitchen rug can be used to separate areas if you have an open plan kitchen combined with a living room. Last but not least, kitchen rugs can be used to decorate your space.

Where to place a kitchen rug

If you want to maximise safety and hygiene, you should place your kitchen rug under a worktop or sink, or anywhere else where there is a high risk of spills.If you're looking to add to your kitchen decor, place your rug in a strategic location such as the kitchen entrance, or in front of a sideboard or cooker.

Materials

Kitchen rugs come in various materials, such as:

• latex - durable, absorbent and non-slip;

• flexible plastic - absorbent and easy to clean.

These rugs often have a textile upper surface (such as cotton), which is easy to maintain and usually machine washable.

Size

Kitchen rugs vary widely in size, depending on the model you go for; common sizes include 40 x 60 cm, 50 x 80 cm or 50 x 250 cm.

Design

Whether you're looking for squares or stripes, animal or floral prints, or a simple block colour, there's a huge amount of choice out there. This means you'll have no trouble finding a kitchen rug to match the rest of your room.

Style

You might want your kitchen rug to match your kitchen bin or any furniture units you may have. Alternatively, you can choose a rug that simply ties in with your general kitchen colour scheme, in terms of the wallpaper or tiles.

To find out more about kitchen design, check out the following guides:

How to organise a small kitchenHow to create an open-plan kitchenFitted kitchen buying guideKitchen sink accessories buying guide