Area Rug Dos and Don’ts for Every Room

When finalizing your home’s interior décor, don’t ignore the impact an area rug can make. Whether simple or jazzy, an area rug can take a room from good to great. Let’s review what a rug does for a space. It can say “These furniture pieces belong together.” Or in a large, multi-functional room, it can say “this space is the living room” and “this space is the dining room.” It can also enhance your décor by bringing in colors and patterns that highlight your furniture. It adds a finishing touch to your design.

Area Rug DOs and DON’Ts

DO pick the right-sized area rug for your space. Keep in mind that the bigger the rug, the bigger your room will feel. That being said, a general rule for living rooms is to have a rug large enough that the front legs or your couch and chairs sit on top of the rug. Above, the rug by Nourisan defines space and makes it feel larger. For bedrooms, the rug should run under the bed completely or at least under the bottom two-thirds, so that you can step down on it when you get out of bed.

DON’T use a small, postage stamp, rug. The purpose of your area rug is not to anchor the coffee table, but to bring the entire space together. When you have a tiny rug in a room-sized seating group, it will look out of place. And in the bedroom, it will look like a bath mat next to the bed.

DO consider furniture placement if you are using a patterned rug. An all-over pattern that repeats is pretty safe, but if you have larger, more asymmetrical pattern on your area rug, use it with furniture that is more delicate or has an open or airy frame.

DON’T place bulky furniture over special parts of your rug. If you have a big coffee table a large patterned rug might not be the best choice for that space.

DO mix patterns with different proportions. You may think you shouldn’t use a patterned area rug if you have a chair or curtains that feature a print, but you can. Just be sure to choose a pattern different in scale than the pattern on the curtains or furniture. Or choose a striped pattern in the same or complementary colors.

DO choose your living room furniture before your rug. You’ll probably keep the sofa and chairs for longer than the rug.

DON’T keep wood or tile floors bare. A rug will make your rooms look finished, warm up the space, and create buffering from noises. They also highlight your wood or tile flooring. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpet, an area rug can fulfill its purpose of defining the space.

DO choose a flat rug for the dining room. Dining rooms are areas where spills tend to happen, and a flat rug will be easier to keep clean.

Area Rug Protection

Following these general guidelines will help ensure that your rooms look polished. But remember that while choosing the right area rug will enhance your room’s décor, they placed on the floor, often in high traffic areas. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them. Baer’s offers the UnitersPure protection plan to help you keep your rugs looking spotless.

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