A Designer’s Guide to Specifying Custom Rugs for Projects
What a custom rug specification should include, from finished size and pile to approvals and lead time, so a project rug arrives as drawn.
A custom rug spec needs to answer every question the maker would otherwise have to ask: exact finished size and shape, fiber, colorway, pile height, edge, pad, quantity, approvals and the date it must be on site. Leave one out and the rug either waits in a queue or arrives as somebody's best guess.
We are interior designers as well as rug makers, so this is the list we use on our own projects. It works for residential, hospitality and contract jobs alike.
The line items to put on the spec sheet
- Finished dimensions: in feet and inches, with a note of whether they are overall or field only.
- Shape: rectangle, rounded corners (give the radius), oval, circle or a custom outline with a drawing.
- Fiber: for us, New Zealand wool or ECONYL regenerated nylon.
- Colorway: by name, and for a bordered design, both colors. For example, Thick in Jet / Cashmere.
- Pile height: in millimeters. Our standard is 14 mm (0.55 in); 10 to 70 mm by request.
- Pad: type and thickness, and who supplies it.
- Quantity and room tags: labels that match the floor plan.
- Delivery: address, receiving contact and the required on-site date.
Measuring for a finished size
Measure the space after flooring is in, or work from approved drawings and confirm on site later. Note anything that interrupts the floor: floor outlets, vents, thresholds and door swings. A door needs clearance over the rug and pad together, so measure the gap under the door before choosing pile height.
For rooms with built-ins or irregular walls, send a dimensioned plan instead of a single number. If a room is out of square, say so. It is much easier to plan for it before weaving than to explain a gap afterward.
Samples, poms and sign-off
Color approval should happen with a physical sample in the actual space, under the project's lighting. Order samples and color poms early, and show the client at least two options so the decision is a comparison.
Record the approval in writing with the colorway name, the sample reference and the date. On a large project, keep the approved sample on file. If anyone questions the delivered color months later, that sample is the reference.
Building lead time into the schedule
Made-to-order rugs take time. Delivery in the US is typically 4 to 6 months from order confirmation, often shorter for Europe and Asia, and every MAJLIS quote includes a delivery estimate. Work backward from the install date and add a margin for site delays.
In practice that means color and size need to be approved during design development, well before the furniture lands. The rug has to be on site before the furniture, since everything else is placed on top of it.
Pricing and the trade program
Clients ask early what a rug will cost. MAJLIS Studio shows the price as you design any size or shape, which helps when a budget has to be confirmed before samples are approved. As a reference, an Intense rug in wool at 14 mm starts at $3,200 for an 8 x 10; ECONYL adds $5 per square foot; shipping is free within the continental US.
Designers and architects can join our trade program for trade pricing, samples and tear sheets for client presentations. For hotel, office and multi-unit residential work, our contract team can help with larger quantities.
If you have a plan and a date, send both. We will come back with sizes, a price and a delivery estimate you can put straight into the schedule.
