Chair Mats

One thing often overlooked with the purchase of a new chair, is the impact its feet will have on the floor beneath it – with no floor really safe from potential damage at the hands of thin chair legs or wheels. One of the most common things we get asked by members is how they can protect their floor without a really unsightly square of material or fabric to soften the blow, a particular concern to those with modern styled homes where they aim to keep everything as minimalistic and neutral as possible. Of course, most homeowners know they cannot place mats under every chair in the home, but particularly heavy chairs or those with wheels, such as the wheeled chairs found in home offices, can do more damage than others and can have cause for protection.

Chair mats are the obvious solution for protecting the floor from the potential harm from chair legs or wheels, with the following being the best designs for a modern home, a rustic home, and a home full of colour.

Chair Mats for a modern home

When it comes to any kind of stylistic or furniture related decision for a modern home, the most important thing to remember is to keep extra colour to a bare minimum. As such, the ideal solution for a modern home is a chair mat which is as clear as possible, sitting atop your hardwood floor or carpet and providing a protective layer between the chair and the floor. A clear mat is particularly ideal as it allows the original colour to show through, only altering the texture – something which modern homes often seek to do to add visual interest as an alternative to colour.

Those with home desks and home offices will find smooth clear chair mats particularly useful in a modern home, because they look stylish and protect the floor while also supporting a comfortable workspace with ease of movement.

Chair mats for a rustic home

This is where you can get a little more creative with your chair mat, looking at options which encompass a little more rustic fabric and material solutions rather than the clear mat for a modern home. One of the best solutions is a woven mat which can sit underneath the chair and create a visual statement as well as protecting the floor – with most home owners selecting a neutrally coloured mat in order to make sure it doesn’t detract from the look of the chair itself.

If you don’t want your mat to stand out but want to maintain the fabric feel of your floor, create a chair mat from the same material as the floor itself – acting as a go-between which may become a little damaged itself over time but will protect the actual floor beneath it.

Chair mats for the colourful home

This is where you can go wild, throwing colour and pattern at your chair mat in a move which celebrates its presence rather than trying to conceal it. Remember when it comes to your chair mat that you should test the friction of the mat atop your flooring to be sure it won’t slip and create a hazard, and you should also research the effect that a covering could have on your original floor to ensure the colour won’t fade or change over time.

For the best chair mats conducive to different styles of home, head to homeware retailers and accessory providers, as well as armchair and computer chair stockists.