The Contender

The Contender

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The Contender
The Contender
The Best Laid Plans

The Best Laid Plans

How to Buy a Rug

David Coggins's avatar
David Coggins
Feb 08, 2022
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The Best Laid Plans
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The question I get asked the most is not about tailoring or fly fishing, not about writing or manners, not about Japanese bars or even the best chinos. I’m asked regularly, by men and women alike, about rugs. Where to buy them, how to buy them, what to look for and what to consider.

That’s probably because my old apartment was covered in many rugs. You might say many, many. Or even the most rugs, because every part of the floor was covered. I’ve written about this a few years ago but am updating that list because I’ve evolved my thinking. And also, not to put too fine a point on it, I want to move on to other issues!

Here are some general ideas that I hope will serve you well.

Keep it Simple. If you focus on getting one good rug then you’re saving yourself a lot of work, and I mean a lot, in the future. The process of covering my old apartment with rugs took a few years and many mistakes. I was a maniac on eBay, and strategic at antique stores and estate sales. I don’t really recommend this behavior (though I completely understand it).

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