How To Choose The Perfect Rug For Your Space

A rug is a central piece of “furniture” that is decorative as well as functional that pulls a room together. Rugs can add an ambiance of character, warmth, and design to a room. Selecting the right one is a big decision since you will have it awhile and is a purchase worth making an investment in. There are three main aspects to consider when choosing the perfect rug: Color & Pattern, Texture, and Size. Learn more about each below, and if you still have questions, ask one of our design experts while shopping with us!

Color & Pattern

Choosing the color and pattern is one of the most important aspects of rug selection. If you have bright or patterned furniture in the room, or possibly a statement wall or wallpaper, you should go for a more neutral or single toned rug. If the rug is also patterned, it will make the room loud and too busy. The opposite is true if you have mono tone, or neutral furniture in the space. You should then choose a pop-of-color rug or a pattern. This adds some personality to the space. While you might want to be play it on the safe side, this can styling tip will really bring your room decor to the next interior design level!

Texture

Texture is usually a second thought when choosing a rug, but the texture can add a lot to the overall design of your space. A room that features different types of textures between the furniture, rug, pillows, throw blankets etc, makes it richer and more layered. Let all the textures contrast each other, for example if you have leather furniture, you want a longer pile rug. Opposites attract! Of course, it isn’t just about style and fashion, your rug also needs to be functional for the space as well. A high traffic area will need a more durable, stain-resistant rug, while a bed room could have something more plush. Whether it is natural fibers, sisal, shag, low berber , shag etc. – have fun with it!

Size

When choosing your rug size, do your homework. Measure before you start to shop for a rug. It’s important to measure the space, and take note of any constraints such as door openings, and extremely large pieces of furniture. A few inches larger or smaller on a rug size is the difference between pulling a room together and chopping it up. If the room calls for a rug size that is between two common rug sizes, always opt for the larger size. A larger rug can actually make a room appear bigger. For open concept living spaces, a rug can help to define the different areas such as the family living space and the dining area. Pro-tip: To help visualize the rug size in the room prior to purchase use painters tape, and mark out on the floor where the rug would be. This allows you to truly see how your furniture and room proportions would play with the rug.

Living Room – Recommended options for a rug in the living room are:

All Legs on the Rug – To define an area as the living space, make sure that all furniture is on the rug and none of the furniture is against the wall. Unifying the pieces in this arrangement gives the space a purpose.

Front Legs on the Rug – This concept is to have just the front legs of all furniture on the carpet, as well as the coffee table. Ensuring all pieces can do this with the size of the area and rug is key to making this look complete.

Coffee Table on the Rug – This is recommended for smaller spaces, with just coffee table on the rug. Before shopping, take measurements of the space in the middle of all of your furniture pieces, then choose a rug that will fill just that space.

Dining Room

The best piece of advice is to ensure all table and chair legs are on the rug. The biggest reason for this is table and seating stability! Another qualitative way to know the rug is the right size is that it extend 36 inches beyond all sides of the table and no less than 24 inches. If you host larger dinner parties or the holidays and use leaves in your table, remember to take that into account when purchasing your dinning room rug.

Bedroom – Recommended options for a rug in the bedroom are:

All Legs on the Rug – This idea is to have all legs of the bed, night stands, and any piece of furniture at the foot of your bed to be completely on the rug. Do not include furniture along other walls though. This design is all inclusive, bringing the bedroom together. One side of your carpet will likely be touching a wall.

2/3 of the Bed on the Rug – This look is a popular choice in many homes, as you still have some exposed floor near the head of the bed, where the rug comes out about 18 to 24 inches around each side. You could do this with possibly a square rug, or a rectangular rug, which should be 5×8 feet for a twin, 8×10 feet for a queen bed or a 9×12 for a king bed.

Runners on Each Side – This is a more unique look, if you prefer only a bit of rug coverage on your floor. For styling of the space, do not have the runners go past the end of the bed on either side. Additionally, make sure each one is slightly wider than your end tables.