Sheepskin rugs have been in use since humans first domesticated sheep thousands of years ago, but they have recently been experiencing a surge in popularity. Their natural appearance, simplicity, and sheer warmth have made them a clear choice for many homes, especially when the owner values natural materials. People who have never owned a sheepskin rug before may not realize that they can also be versatile and practical additions to any room. If you are considering the purchase of your first sheepskin rug, it’s worth taking a little bit of time to understand the ways that you can put them to use.
Insulation
Evolution made sure that sheep had plenty of insulation to protect themselves from the cold, and humans have always made a point of breeding sheep to make their wool even warmer. That means that you can easily use a sheepskin rug to provide some protection from the cold. This works well in rooms that have tile floors, or along exterior walls that can get cold during the winter months.
You can also use sheepskin rugs by hanging them from the wall. This provides even more insulation for the room, and you can prevent cold air from getting into the building by hanging a rug over any drafty areas.
Padding
Most people who buy sheepskin rugs come to appreciate them for their texture. They are must softer than most artificial rugs, with a plush quality that feels wonderful on bare feet. You can take advantage of that to make rooms much more comfortable for people who are not wearing shoes. You can often get the best results with this method by laying a rug out near your bed, so that it is the first thing that you step on when you wake up in the morning.
These rugs also work fairly well as cushions or throws on top of uncomfortable furniture. The extra layer of padding is normally sufficient to make up for a hard or rough seat, and the aesthetic improvement can make an old and ugly chair look good as long as the rug is on top of it.
Bedding
You can take advantage of both the warmth that these rugs offer and their comfortable texture by using them as bedding. You will probably want to use it as the uppermost layer on the bed, but some people do prefer to use it as a lower layer, and you should experiment to find out which option you like the most.
This is a great technique for people who use folding beds and want to save time and space. When the bed is folded out for sleeping, the rug can serve as a blanket. When you put the bed away, you can use the rug as a throw on top of it or as a rug on the floor, depending on your needs for the day. That cuts down on clutter in your home and means that you have less things that need to be cleaned.
If you have pets, they will also appreciate the rugs as a type of bedding. Most animals will love to sleep on them, since they are both soft and warm. You need to be careful about allowing that, since energetic pets can damage the rugs, but they are a great choice for pets that can stay calm and keep them in good condition.