Finishing Touch: 6 Tips for Decorating With Rugs

If your space looks a little cold, artificial and unfinished, there’s an easy solution for this issue—rugs! A good rug can instantly warm-up space, tie all design elements together and define and anchor a room with very little money. So, if you want to add a finishing touch to your space with a rug, here are a few tips you need to know before you start your shopping spree.

Get the right size

This is the hardest part of getting a rug, but luckily, there are a few rules you can keep in mind. For instance, most experts agree that you need to leave at least 3 feet from all the walls bare. This tip will make your room feel bigger even if you’re buying a room-sized rug. When placing a rug under the dining table, it needs to be bigger than your table (at least 24’’ from all the edges) so you can have all the chair legs on the rug even when they are pulled out. When it comes to runners in hallways, they should be about 4 inches narrower and about 20 inches shorter than your hallway. If you love your rugs small and cute, remember that it’s always better to go a little too big than a little too small in order to prevent your space from looking comical.

Choose a good material

Wool is the most popular rug material, but synthetics and viscose also offer plenty of variety.  While wool and silk and any other natural material are always the best, these can often have a hefty price tag. So if you’re looking for something affordable, similar to silk and practical like wool, you can go for viscose. It might be easier on the wallet, but nothing will ever replace natural materials. If you need a rug for a very high-traffic area in your home, you can choose jute or sisal. These might be a little too rough for the bedroom but are perfect for entrances and hallways.

Start from the color

Many people finish the room and then struggle for days to match the colors of their rug with the rest of the design perfectly. Perfect color matching doesn’t happen in nature, so unless you’re aiming for that monochrome, modern look, don’t bother with perfect matching. If you want to match some of your colors, you can choose a rug first and pull the color inspiration from there. And if you’re afraid to go bold with your rug, choose something tribal—these rugs match everything. Over time, you’ll discover your favorite element or color from the rug and you can start working with it.
You might think colorful rugs are tricky to incorporate into your interior design, but the fact that they have various shades on them meaning you can change the colors of the walls, furniture, and accessories many times and still keep your rug.

Place furniture well

Not all legs of every furniture piece need to be placed on the rug. This mistake usually creates damage to your rug (especially chairs with all the pulling and pushing) and your rug can end up looking frayed. In order to maintain a defined look and keep your rug fibers intact, place only the front legs of your furniture pieces on the rug.

Layer for extra style and warmth

Do you know how an art piece placed on a white wall pops every time? Well, rugs are like artwork for your floor, so a neutral rug placed under a bold, patterned one can make them both interesting. Plus, extra layers of padding with make your room look super cozy and warm! In theory, mixing rugs is easy, as long as you don’t try to match the colors or make them clash too much. In order to prevent your space from looking too busy or too flat, try this: stick with one color palette but pick a different design. A neutral-colored rug used as a base is always a good first step in everything from monochrome décor to oriental decor.

Don’t forget a rug pad

No matter which room you’re buying for and what kind of rug you have in your mind, always use a rug pad. This addition to your rug will keep it in top shape for longer, get you a better return on investment for your buck and allow you to enjoy your rugs without worrying about slips and damage.

With some practice and a few tips up your sleeve, you’ll know exactly what rug will add perfect warmth, coziness, and style to your home. So, go shopping now and bless your rooms with some comfort from below.

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Written by Lana Hawkins

Lana Hawkins is a stay-at-home mom, writer, and interior design enthusiast. She loves writing about interiors, but her specialty is landscape design. She enjoys playing in the kitchen and cooking for her friends and family, spending time in nature and learning about other cultures by traveling. She is a regular contributor to smoothdecorator.com.

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