Rug Decor Tips Every Design Enthusiast Should Know
Everyone knows that part of designing a home like a professional is knowing how to layer soft furnishings, and this includes area rugs and carpets.
Whether you choose a colourful carpet to ground plain looking living room furniture or a monochrome rug for a minimalistic bedroom, having the right colour and size to compliment your space will make a big difference in the overall look and feel of the room. After all, rugs do take up a large surface in any space they are in.
Get it right and you're in design heaven. Get it wrong and you will be looking for a replacement before you know it.
The rule of thumb is that not all area rugs need to match your house! In fact, the large area rugs in your home should complement each other instead of matching completely.
Another great rule is that rug size matters! A rug should extend 12 to 18 inches beyond the furniture. Whether it is a sofa or a side table, it should go beyond the ends. And in a dining room, it should extend far beyond the back legs of the chairs.
To avoid spending too much time and money on your next area rug, we have prepared this handy guide to make your choice as straightforward as possible. Read on if you are an interior design enthusiast looking to refresh your place and change a rug or two.
Identify Your Taste
Whether it is a good old Novogratz model from the Villa collection rugs or a whimsical rug for adding colorful and cheerful effects, it’s crucial to identify your taste before placing a rug in your shopping cart.
According to some design experts, knowing what you do and absolutely do not like and what you need is crucial in finding the right rug for your living room.
It can be easy to become overwhelmed when you want all of the styles to be blended in your home. But, it doesn’t make sense to mix styles in one room or across different rooms. The result will be a cacophony of styles that you will regret having in the long term.
Consider your aesthetics and lifestyle to find the best fit for your place. For most spaces and tastes, some people recommend going with a good, classical deep pile rug that is comfortable to walk barefoot on and is easy to clean.
In comparison, others prefer more contemporary styles and natural fibre rugs that might look good but are more difficult to keep clean and are not as comfortable on younger feet.
Define Areas
One way of creating cohesion in your home is to use multiple rugs to define separate areas, like the foyer or the dining area. This is important for larger rooms that need those definition effects or for studio apartments where space is limited.
When using more rugs, you can create variety in the space. It is important to note that if you use two rugs in a room, make sure the rug size is appropriate, so it doesn’t cut the room in two. It’s better when the rugs are complemented in style as you don’t end up with an unpleasant and jarring effect.
It is also essential to define your pet's space if you have one. Homeowners with pets often suffer from pet related odours and stains, which dirty their textiles. It is difficult to remove urine stains, especially from carpets, due to their stubborn nature. So if you have newly installed carpets and an untrained cat, you can prevent accidents by using pet peed pads, pet blankets, and even dog and cat diapers.
Use the rug as the basis for the rest of the colors in your decor palette. The rug can visually make the room quieter or turn up the volume.
Choose a more subtle rug if your wallpaper has an ornate pattern. Or a rug with bold colors if the flooring and walls are simple and plain in color. Using the rug as the focal point in the room can make a significant impact.
Create Contrast
How can you create contrast with a rug? Well, it’s an easy-peasy task. You can opt for a low-pile or woven rug if the carpet is on the plusher and thicker side since it creates a good contrast. And if your rug is short-pile, you can place a shaggier or thicker rug which will add a layered texture.
To match the room with a rug, you need to check the secondary color of a patterned rug to the sofa. And then compare the third rug to your drapes, pillows, or wall color.
You can even use a layering style of placing a rug onto the carpet. If the rug is of one color, you can place a patterned rug to create a contrast in the room. It will look great on the darker and neutral-colored carpets.
And if done correctly, you can choose bold contrasts and mix rugs in the room. Placing a bold and bright-colored rug on the carpet will liven up the space. But, be careful not to overdo the effects since it will make the room messy.
Get the Right Size
When you buy the rug, subtract 3 feet from the width and length of the room to get the right rug size. Leaving the floor bare at the edges will make the room look larger. And if you are laying out a rug under the dining table, leave 24 inches from the table’s edges on all slides. This will enable the legs on the back of the chairs to stay on the rug when they are pulled out.
Decide on the Colors
Another valuable tip for decorating your room is to plan out the color palette. While many different styles lean toward specific palettes, it’s essential to think about which colors will suit your home.
Do not choose colors that are trending, if you don’t absolutely love them. And do not stick with the neutrals all the time, just to be safe. If there is a specific color you’d like incorporated into your style, go for it!
Just make sure you blend everything and achieve cohesion. Lastly, try to keep the wood tones consistent and add cooler tones like green, blue, or grey. This will add more visual contrast and warmth to your room.
Let Your Inner Designer Run Free!
With these rug tips and tricks, you can be sure the next revamp of your home decor will be stunning. Just find the rug that you love, and work from there! For more tips and tricks on interior design and how to make your home beautiful, check out the rest of the articles on our blog.
Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014 and the luxury interior design blog All The Pretty Homes in 2024. When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.
