The Top 8 Most Iconic Movie Rugs Ever

When it comes to getting the right atmosphere in a movie, the sets have a lot to do with it. Whether it’s the coffee shop in Friends or the clock tower in Back to the Future. It probably isn’t a surprise that we tend to notice something a little different: The Iconic Rugs!

It’s no secret that we love rugs. And really, what’s not to love? They’re fun, functional and definitely cheaper than ripping up the carpet every time you’re struck by an aesthetic whim.

We also love movies. Again, who doesn’t? So, we’ve put two and two together and decided it’s time to give the people what they want. Here’s our list of top 8 most iconic movie rugs, from the wildly funny to the eerily frightening.

Held captive for years in an enclosed space, a woman (Brie Larson) and her young son (Jacob Tremblay) finally gain their freedom. Allowing the boy to experience the outside world for the first time.

It may be a simple plain rug, but when you’ve been kidnapped and imprisoned for seven years in the backyard shed of a psychopath with no foreseeable means of escape – this is the rug you need!

The rug was a particularly important prop, because of its visual prominence in the space, and its role in the plot as a key device in their escape attempt.

The ultimate example of function over form, this rug is sturdy, reliable and can be wriggled out of by a five-year-old child while on the back of a moving truck. It really does tick all the boxes!

To browse a similar style rug, click here.

If there was ever an example of the power of a strategically placed rug, this is it. Well designed and pleasing to the eye, this rug also facilitates one of Tom Hanks’ most memorable forays into the realm of physical comedy. It makes for some truly stunning cinema.

One of the most memorable scenes from The Money Pit happens thanks to a rug that produces a very special effect. While trying to fix his ruinous home, Walter (Tom Hanks) falls into a hole that was covered by a rug. Therefore, he stays trapped in it as if it was a quicksand that wouldn’t let him out.

Who doesn’t love Tom Hanks?! Above is poor Tom stuck in a rug after falling through a hole in the floor of his “money pit” house.

Even if this rug doesn’t have a role as inspirational as others in this list, it reminds us of something we should always consider when decorating: a rug can’t work miracles.

To browse a similar style rug, click here.

Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) sinks into this rug in a drug-fuelled haze while the excellent Lou Reed song ‘Perfect Day’ plays. Great scene!

We all have heard about the story of this group of heroin-addicted unreliable friends and how things change around them. But, do we remember how it all begins? It all began when Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and multiple sobriety attempts with his friends.  However, he can’t escape the life he left behind.

This iconic movie had so much drama action and comedy, but amidst all this one iconic scene features poor Renton in his drug-fuelled haze, imagining that he’s sinking into his red rug.

Although the focus in this scene isn’t wholly focused on the rug, but the whole point is that the entire plot of the movie revolved around heroin and illusions (even sinking into a rug)!

To browse a similar style rug, click here.

Although you may not be quite as crazy about rugs as we are, surely, you’ve got a place in your heart for at least one of these movie rugs.

We know this one is a bit of a stretch, as it’s neither a true floor covering nor quite a rug, but it was impossible not to put on this list. The “Chopsticks” routine in Big is one of our favourite Hollywood scenes highlighting something underfoot – from the performance to the piano itself.

When anyone thinks of this classic Tom Hanks film, surely this scene is the first thing that pops into their mind, and for good reason. It isn’t often that a simple prop resting on the floor becomes a major piece of movie memorabilia, so we salute Big for adding to the list of great movie rugs!

And you never know, if you ask nicely, we just may be willing to put in a giant floor piano in your home sometime soon…

To browse a similar style rug, click here.

In the movie set of Home Alone, the McAllister’s made great use of many stair and hallway runners.

The McAllister mansion in the Christmas movie was the quintessential family home. Left home alone, a mischievous little boy managed to keep bandits out of his Georgian-style home in suburban Winnetka, Illinois.

The home had a warm and welcoming vibe – the living area walls were a refreshing green, the bedrooms were homey and cheerful, and the staircase was the perfect thing for kids to slide down. However, their home is also iconic for a number of rugs they use within their home.

We never get any great shots of the dining room…only a few glimpses. Again, red walls, green rugs. We do love the rugs that we get a glimpse of here at the main entrance of the home.

To browse a similar style rug, click here.

The creepy twins are what people think about when somebody mentions The Shining. What we remember is the unsettling geometric carpeting dispersed throughout the entire hotel, creating an uncanny mood. The striking orange and burgundy hexagonal-patterned carpet effortlessly adding to the classic horror.

Stanley Kubrick’s classic adaptation of Stephen King’s terrifying novel features a ton of visuals created utilising this classic flooring as both beautiful and bone-chilling.

In terms of making a statement, you can’t really go past this memorable number from The Shining. If you want to get technical, it’s a carpet… If you’re after something that combines the design bombast of the early 80s, look no further. You’ll never be accused of your place lacking atmosphere again.

Perhaps the most quintessential scene involving the infamous carpet involves Danny riding his big wheel through the Overlook’s ghost-ridden halls. To browse a similar style rug, click here.

This carpet has become a film icon that other movies – such as Toy Story 3, Minions and Birdman – have paid homage to.

The Big Lebowski shows us just how important a rug can be. So important, that it is worth the fighting and fuss Lebowski encounters trying to get it back.

In the Coen brothers’ comedy classic, the main action gets underway when an intruder breaks into Jeffery “The Dude” Lebowski’s (Jeff Bridges) apartment, ruining his favourite rug in the process. The Dude’s attempt to replace his beloved rug leads him ever deeper into a bizarre mystery.

“That rug really tied the room together” – Walter Sobchak.

The irony is that there really isn’t a whole lot in his apartment to be tied together. Basically, the rug is really all the Dude had. It may have been old and faded, but it shows us the strong connection between man and rug. The moral of the story is you need to protect what you love, even if it is a rug.

To read more about this iconic rug, read our blog post on the Lebowski Rug. Also, to browse a similar style rug, click here.

You can’t write an article about movie and television rugs without including Aladdin. No matter what you think about the Dude’s rug and how great it was, it cannot compare to a rug that flies and provides comedic breaks.

A clear winner. The world of thieves and Arabian nights became more exciting with Disney’s re-imagining of the classic genie tale. Aladdin’s magic carpet became a deserving and universally adored champion, this rug is in a whole new world of its own.

In fact, Aladdin’s rug helps save his life. Think about the benefits of having a flying rug; you could defeat evil and woo the princess with (one of the most iconic scenes) a memorable date, all in just under two hours. To browse a similar style rug, click here.

There you have it! The winner has been crowned, and the debate has finally been settled.

Rugs can be very important, whether they are simply decoration for a hotel that causes mental derangement, something you are willing to fight for, or a way to trick a princess into loving you.

Never under estimate the power of a rug that can really tie a room together. We hope that you’ve enjoyed our post and if you have any other movie rug suggestions, let us know in the comments!