Summer is the perfect time to buy area rugs

Not all rugs are cut from the same cloth. There's Braga and Bengal, flokati and floral. From wool to bamboo, chenille to cotton, selecting a rug to liven up a living room or add a funky-cool feel to a flat foyer can be a daunting — if not downright mystifying — experience.

The challenge quotient increases when you're on a budget. But often, the time of year can work to the buyer's advantage. While it may seem strange to buy a rug in summer, think of it as stocking up on sweaters in July and getting them for half-off or more.

Many rug dealers offer year-round specials, but lots of rugs are on clearance this time of year.

You can find a high-quality, visually appealing rug for as little as a few hundred dollars if you shop around.

As cost often drives a purchase, rug dealer Rati Shah, owner of Shalimar Oriental Rugs (217 Second Ave. S., Seattle), urges first-time buyers to "not buy with emotion," and instead purchase after careful consideration and research.

In other words, think of a new rug as an investment, not an impulse buy.

Here's how to stretch your rug budget to get the most for the least:

Low price doesn't have to mean low-end

Egberts in Belltown (2231 First Ave., Seattle) is perhaps best known for its exquisite and stylish home furnishings and funky decorating accessories. But the shop also offers a solid assortment of area rugs.

For under $300, you can take home a Danish rug (4 ½ feet by 6 ½ feet) and "get 10 to 15 years out of it," manager Rob Whitson says. "Some in that price range, you get two to three years out of it."

The flat-woven Danish rugs ($285-$485) are of a tighter weave and are ideal for high-traffic areas.

Egberts also offers Moroccan rugs, richly woven and ornamental one-of-a-kind rugs best for display on the walls rather than on the floor, Whitson says. Considered collectors' pieces, they start around $1,000 and top out at about $7,000.

If you're looking for a custom-size rug, Egberts provides high-quality Nepalese rugs (Whitson calls them "heirlooms rugs") by the foot, from $20 per square foot up to $80 per square foot — and beyond.

"If you can afford it, go with the higher quality," which generally means higher price, Whitson says. "I'd advise looking for something with a lot of body and consider rugs of some woven strength and quality."

Many department stores carry a selection of rugs. The Macy's Furniture Gallery showroom in Lynnwood (2909 Alderwood Mall Blvd.; www.macys.com for other locations) houses hundreds of rugs, from geometric to floral and contemporary color-block motifs, and from neutral to bold tones and patterns.

Macy's prices depend on style, size and weave, but if you're resourceful, you might find a 4-foot by 6-foot rug on clearance for as little as $100 (the prices go up to a few thousand dollars) or a 5-foot by 8-foot rug starting around $300.

While many of the rugs can be purchased off the floor, others are by order only, with free delivery.

Limitations and expectations

At Shalimar Oriental Rugs in Pioneer Square, you will find a veritable warehouse of carpets of all shapes, sizes and prices. Stacks and stacks of rugs from India, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan offer a huge range of budget-priced options.

While there are many pieces that run several thousand dollars, a little digging can produce good results. There are many varieties of area rugs in the $450 to $1,000 range, amid more expensive pieces.

Budget and size are crucial starting points when purchasing a rug, Shah says.

"Whether you are a millionaire or a $1,000-spender, the size, amount of money and design are important," he says.

It's also important to shop around for the best price, Shah says, and look for the earmarks of quality, such as how fine the wool is and how the piece is constructed.

"You can buy a nice piece that will last you forever. You can take it with you when you move," he says. "It becomes a sentimental piece."

Cyber-shopping

If you prefer to shop online, options abound. Many home-furnishing retailers offer rugs on their Web sites for the budget-minded.

Cost Plus World Market (www.worldmarket.com) offers an online gallery, but purchases must be made in stores. This site can give you a sense of what a quality, hand-made rug — sewn from wool or cotton — will cost and is ideal for those with limited funds.

For example, a 5-foot by 7-foot flokati wool rug, crafted in Greece of 100 percent wool pile, is a bargain at $149, as is a Bengal woolwoven rug for $149-$299. It also has higher-end rugs, such as a 6-foot by 9-foot "Sona" floral design for $449 .

Pier 1 Imports (www.pier1.com) sells rugs in-store and online, from accent rugs and runners that start at $8, to jute rugs ranging from $49 (2 feet by 8 feet) to $169 (6 feet by 9 feet), to an 8-foot by 11-foot color-block rug on sale now for $598 from $850.