Rugs can be excellent additions to just about any room in your home. They can add some texture, colour and depth to the whole room. In fact, rugs can be that crucial piece that ties the room together. All you need to do is style your rug the right way. There is a large variety of rugs out there and you need to know how to style them well. We have gathered a few tips and ideas on how to style a rug in your living room and bedroom.
Determine the Purpose of the Rug
Before you begin figuring out different ways to style a rug in your living room or bedroom, you need to determine the purpose of the rug. You need to know whether the rug will be a background piece, a statement piece or a way to add colour or texture to the room. The role of the rug in a room will help you choose the right rug and will determine how you style it.
The Size and Shape
When styling a rug in a room, you need to consider the size and shape. A large rectangular rug would be ideal to define the overall shape of the room and map out where your furniture should be placed. Smaller rugs whether they are rectangular or square can be used as accent pieces under coffee tables or in front of an armchair. Round or irregularly shaped rugs can be used as statement pieces as they add uniqueness to the room. You can use them to highlight a particular area in the room or a particular piece of furniture.
How to Style a Living Room Rug?
The placement of your rug in the living room is by far the most important step when decorating your living room. If you choose to add a rug to the living room, there are a few things you need to consider. Along with the purpose of the rug, you need to consider the colour and size of the furniture, the material and the overall interior design style you are going for. So, let’s start with the most popular choice, that is, area rugs.
How to style an area rug?
As the name suggests, area rugs are usually big enough to define an area within a room. This is the reason why they are available in multiple sizes. It is common to use an area rug in any room of the house but we will be focusing on the living room for now.
The most common way of styling your area rug would be to have all your furniture fit within the borders of the rug. But there are no set rules for how you can style an area rug.
Two Sofas
If you have two sofas, you need to place your area rug at the same distance from both sofas. Your main goal is to achieve symmetry when you have two identical or similar sofas in a room.
Small Space
This usually works best with apartments that have very limited space for a living room. In this case, we would recommend placing your area rug slightly away from your sofa and not having the sofa touch the rug. The little bit of floor space will make the room look bigger. Negative space can make a lot of difference.
An Open Plan
Define the seating area with your area rug but leave some space for decoration items or anything else. For an open plan, we suggest letting the front legs of the sofa overlap the rug. The coffee table should be in the centre of the rug and not the room, and if you have armchairs in the room as well, then their front legs should be placed on the rug like the sofa. This creates a little comfy seating zone in a house with an open plan.
How to style a rug with a sectional sofa?
The most popular way of styling a rug with a sectional sofa or couch is by placing the rug under the front legs. We would recommend getting an area rug that is as wide as the width of the sofa or wider. Styling your rug like this also allows you to show off the rug, so you can go for really colourful statement pieces here.
However, make sure that the rug is either rectangular or square to match with the dimensions of the sectional sofa. Additionally, styling it this way gives you the opportunity to place armchairs or ottomans on the rug without making it look too stuffy as shown in the image below.
How to Style Rug in a Bedroom?
Placing soft and plush rugs in bedrooms is a common practice but how you style a rug in the bedroom makes a lot of difference to the overall look of the room. You have to choose whether you want the rug under the bed, under a different piece of furniture or as an independent piece.
How to style a rug under a bed:
- Your entire bed plus the side tables along with a bench at the foot of your bed sit on top of the rug. This is a great option for those who have a large bedroom and would like to create a special zone for the bed to make it stand out more.
- Placing the rug only under two-thirds of the bed is a very popular style. This is because most large rugs would easily fit this type of styling especially when you’re dealing with Queen or King size beds. Covering the entire area of the bed along with side tables and a bench at the foot of the bed would require a very large rug.
- You can also opt for placing a rug at just the lower end of the bed. This would mean the rug would extend from the foot of the bed and beyond the bench placed there.
Two different ways to style a rug around the bed:
- Placing two runners on either side of the bed is a great way to avoid stepping onto the cold floor in the morning. This style suits those who don’t have enough space in a room but still want some warmth. The trick is to place runners slightly away from the bedside tables and have them end slightly above the foot of the bed. Make sure they are not touching any of the furniture to give the illusion of a bigger room.
- A runner at the foot of the bed is also a common style. Just place a runner under the bench at the foot of your bed. Make sure that it is slightly longer than the length of the bench.
Styling Round Rugs
There are several ways you can make the best use of a round or oblong-shaped rug. Whether it is the living room, bedroom, backyard or a reading nook, round rugs can really up the style quotient.
How to style multiple rugs in a room?
If you want to style multiple rugs in a room, you can do that by layering them. By this, we don’t mean laying your rugs one on top of the other. Layering rugs means you can have one end of a rug overlapping another one.
How to layer rugs boho style?
In the bohemian style, layering bold-coloured rugs is a common practice. The multiple colours give you that perfect ‘more is more’ look. However, this layering doesn’t just apply to bold colours. You can play around with neutral colours as shown in the image below. This works perfectly well with monochromatic interiors as well since you can layer rugs of similar colours but different styles or materials.
Layering also allows you to play with different shapes. You can pair your round rugs with rectangular or square rugs. Another great way to layer rugs is by using a big round rug and layering it with smaller rectangular runners. However, make sure that the different rugs have something that binds them together. It could be complementary colours, similar textures or patterns.
Play around with shapes
Round rugs open up a completely new decoration style that allows you to incorporate different shapes in one place. Another way to style a rug with a sectional sofa is by pairing it with a round rug. While sectional sofas have a defined L-shape, you can go for one with slightly rounded edges. The softer edges placed in stark contrast with the L-shape and a square or rectangular coffee table will give the room a very bold look.
Round rugs for kids’ room
Round rugs are a great way to define a particular area in a room. So, if you have a small round rug ready to be used, then we’ll suggest placing it in your kid’s room. You can either place it under the foot of the bed but only under one foot. This gives the room an abstract look that fits well with the quirky decorations of a child’s room. On the other hand, you can have a small round rug placed near an armchair in the room to define the area as a seating place.
Oblong rug for the dining area
Having an open plan for your home is a great idea since it gives you the freedom to play with the placement of your furniture. The best way to define a space in an open plan is by using area rugs. We recommend opting for an oblong rug for the dining room. If you have a six-seater or even an eight-seater, an oblong rug will be the perfect area rug. Keep in mind that while rectangular rugs in the dining room can be smaller than the dining table, an oblong rug would only look good if it is bigger than the dining table and chairs.
Modern Rug Ideas For Styling Different Rooms
In addition to styling rugs in your living room and bedroom, here are a few ways you can style modern rugs. There are a variety of rugs that can be considered part of the modern rug category. However, due to the differences in textures, colours and sometimes the materials used, their placement in your home can differ.
- Shag Rugs: If you’re wondering what rugs would go with mid-century modern interiors, then we would recommend shag rugs. Ideal for a modern living room, shag rugs have a plush texture and come in a variety of colours that go perfectly with the minimalist look. Along with the living room, we recommend placing your shag rug nest to the bed, in a reading nook or under your dressing table chair. Styling shag rugs is easy especially if you want the room to look warm and cosy.
- Natural Fibre Rugs: Jute or sisal rugs are a popular choice for the living room, dining area and even the kitchen. The colour and texture of these rugs make them perfect for just about any room in the house. Their durability and easy maintenance allows you to place them in high-traffic areas. So, if you are wondering how to style a jute rug in places other than the living room, here’s what you can do. A jute or sisal rug can be placed in the entryway because of its durability. They are also an excellent addition to the kitchen and dining area.
- Persian Rugs: If you’re looking for something more colourful yet traditional around the house, then you need a few Persian rug styling tips. You could decorate with Persian rugs for mid-century modern, traditional or bohemian interiors. They add a sense of elegance to the room and also make for excellent area rugs because of their bold colours and patterns. They can be placed in your home office or study for a bold yet traditional look.
How To Style A Cowhide Rug? Make A Statement
Firstly, never cover the rug with a lot of furniture. If you are placing it in the living room then try to have only a small (preferably glass top) coffee table placed on the rug. The goal is to have the least amount of furniture to take away from the beauty of the rug.
Secondly, don’t be afraid to experiment with the placement of the rug. If you have a piece that looks like the one displayed in the image above, you can place it in an open area. You don’t necessarily have to have a rug that takes up a large space. A small rug with an abstract design and shape can be placed in the corner of the room, away from the furniture.
Thirdly, sheepskin and cowhide can be a great addition to the bedroom with their soft texture. Instead of using runners around the bed, you can just place a small cowhide rug at the foot of the bed or on the side. Lastly, statement pieces don’t necessarily have to be an unusual shape or material. A multi-coloured rug can be considered a statement piece in a room with neutral-coloured furniture. On the other hand, a single-coloured rectangular rug can also be considered a statement piece in an all-white room.
Rug Styling Made Easy
In conclusion, styling a rug is all about finding the right balance between form and function. You can easily create a stylish room by considering the purpose of the rug, its size and shape and all the other pieces in the room.
