Decorating with Rugs

What is it about rugs that seems so much more personal than selecting other elements for a room? Perhaps it is their singularity, the variations in pattern and color. Maybe it’s the sense of permanence. Rugs are a piece of art and we owe it to ourselves to put something down and feel good about it. Here are some simple pointers on color, pattern, size, and placement.

1. Let the rug lead the room. Its always best to start with the rug, if possible, since it’s the largest focus of the room.

2. When it comes to patterns, diversity rules. If patterns are too similar they compete for your attention and cause confusion. Consider a geometric rug in a room of delicate florals. Or choose similar patterns but vary the scale.

3. Mix textures for visual interest and practicality. A mixture keeps things interesting so the room doesn’t look or feel like a museum. Choose materials wisely.

4. Don’t struggle to fit a rug into a precise color scheme. Using a rug that complements fabrics is always better than trying to match colors exactly. You have to know when to stop decorating and simply allow the room to come together naturally.

5. Consider the room size. Volume eats color and pattern. In a large room, the rug often disappears if its not big enough. Conversely, a vibrant rug can overpower and dominate a small space.

6. Big rooms don’t always mean big rugs. It’s important to mix things up, given that today’s homes have multiple big rooms with multiple functions. Sometimes itss best to use multiple rugs to define separate areas.

7. Think about your furniture placement. We normally suggest that at least the front legs of a sofa or large chairs to be on the rug. As for casegoods, all on or all off. In a dining room, the rug should hold the table and chairs for normal dining (without the extra leaves in the table).

8. Leave a border. In a small room its best to leave a border of the floor exposed- around 6-8 inches. It makes the room feel more spacious. If the room is large, you can leave 12-18 inches.

9. Get creative and go for the layered look. Try putting a fine Tibetan rug atop a less expensive sisal- that way you can use your rug budget for the size you can afford.