Do the smile test: folding the rug back to see how dense the yarn is will give you a better sense of the quality of the rug: lower quality (left) vs. higher quality (right). RELATED LINKS Find Your Style More Smart Tips: Home

Selecting the right area rug for a room can be challenging. Jeanine Clark, an interior designer who specializes in practical designs that are functional and beautiful, gives pointers on choosing rugs for their quality as well as their looks:

• Choose your aesthetic: Color and pattern are the first things that should draw you to a particular rug.

• Watch out for bleeding: Look closely at the individual pieces of yarn. If the colors are bleeding from one to the next, it's probably not high quality.

• Choose natural fibers: Wool and silk last longer and feel better underfoot than synthetic fibers such as nylon.

• Check backing—do the smile test: Fold the rug so you can see the backing. The less backing you see, the higher the yarn density and the better the quality.

• Take it for a test drive: Many rug dealers will bring several selections over to your house so you can actually see your "finalists" in the room. Ask the salesperson whether this service is offered, and take advantage of it when possible.