At Weavers Art, we refer to area rugs as “floor art,” because that’s what they are! Adding the right area rug can elevate your rooms from livable to lovely, but choosing the right one can be tricky. Here are a few tips to make decorating with area rugs easy:
Measure twice
For your home to look best, it’s important to get the size of your area rug just right. Here are some rules to remember:
- Area rugs to decorate a room should be 18” to 24” smaller than the size of the room. Any larger, and the floor will look crowded; too small, and it will look like you’ve dropped a postage stamp in the middle of the floor.
- For dining rooms, measure your dining table and add 24” to 30” inches all around. Not only is the extra space visually appealing, but it ensures that the chairs of your guests will stay on the carpet, and not scrape on the floor.
- Hall runners should always, ideally, leave 4” to 6” inches of space on either side.
Be a master of colour
Decorating with area rugs is a great way to bring a flash of bold colour to an otherwise neutral room; likewise, a rug with a subtle design can anchor an otherwise busy room. Monochromatic colour schemes are perennially popular. If you’re decking out a room in all blue, for instance, keep in mind this seasoned designer tip: start with the darkest shade on the bottom, then get lighter as you work your way up. A dark rug is also easier to keep clean!
Learn to layer
Though it might seem like an advanced technique, layering area rugs can be your shortcut to a picture-perfect interior. If this is your first time, allow for some trial and error. You can mix different styles and sizes to your heart’s content, but you’ll get the best effect if you keep similar materials together (wool with wool, etc.) and stick to an odd number of rugs. Several area rugs grouped together make a big splash, especially in dining rooms and foyers.
Get off the floor
The best area rugs are as beautiful as a work of art. So why not display them that way? Never be afraid to decorate a wall by hanging an area rug. This is an especially effective way to brighten a large wall space in an overlooked area, like a stairwell.
Remake/Remodel
If you love the design of an area rug but have nowhere to put it, or if one of the rugs in your home has simply outlived its place, it can live on as a stool, bench, or sofa. Rugs can be cut and reshaped as floor poufs, ottomans, and more. It’s a great way to repurpose a rug you’re tired of, and you can enlist the help of your local upholsterer to do this.
Advice and inspiration
Decor magazines, interior design books, and social media are all great places to get ideas. Feeling overwhelmed? Head to a high-end area rug showroom, where you can browse a curated selection of beautiful rugs for inspiration. Better than a big box store that carries all kinds of home accessories, stores specializing in area rugs are where you’ll find something truly unique. It’s also worth considering hiring an interior designer. Not only will they be able to create a look for your home from the floor up, they’ll have the connections to get you the right area rug – usually at a steal.
Bringing a beautiful area rug to your home design adds true refinement to your space. A room with the wrong floor art, or none at all, simply feels unfinished. We hope the guidelines above give you the confidence to decorate with area rugs. And remember: rules are made to be broken.
