How to Decorate A Room? Start With The Rug

Have you ever come across a beautiful and bold rug that you must have? Yes, of course, you have! However, the dilemma comes afterwards when thinking “How am I going to design my room around this?”

Well, you’re asking yourself the completely wrong question! The better solution is why not start with the rug?

So, let’s talk about the floor… and decorating your room around it!

Decorating a room is a little like getting yourself dress, in that the order of things matters. Outfitting, for most people, goes something like this: undergarments first, followed by layers of clothes, accessories, shoes, maybe a coat. So, you don’t just stand around in a bold necklace and heels (unless you’re that horrible receptionist from Love Actually), scouring your closet for a dress to match.

The same goes for decorating! You start with the bottom layer, the flat surfaces – that is, floors and walls.

Home decoration, such as interior décor is very important in life and knowing what to start with is rather helpful. So, we all have flooring to start with but what is most of the flooring in your home covered with?

The answer: RUGS!

A rug is a simple way to update your floors and transform a room. For example, you can go for a bold floral design, or even a shaggy rug. But depending on the room, size and overall theme you want to create, there are many options you need to consider before buying a rug.

If you’re trying to figure out how to choose the right rug for your home, determine what colours you’d want to dominate in your room. If you already have dark hardwood floors, or a deep burgundy wall colour, then you already have colours to contend with when choosing your perfect rug.

Try and choose a rug that has at least one to two colours in your current room, or colours that will easily co-ordinate with others. We love the colour scheme grey and yellow! Ideally, if you can choose your furniture and rug together it will take the hassle out, finding the perfect match later.

Nothing makes a room stand out like a rug, particularly one that fits the space perfectly. A large rug can make a room feel complete, providing a cohesiveness that is reassuring when things are just getting started.

However, maybe you’re boasting some gorgeous wide-plank floors, or maybe you’re working with a pre-existing carpet, or a rug is otherwise not suitable. In those cases, go vertical, and begin by decorating the walls.

Walls are your best platform for display. Sometimes, a whole room may revolve around one piece of art – just as you may, on some occasions, arrange your entire outfit around an exceptional scarf.

It is important to consider which of your items take decorative priority. Say, for instance, you were lucky enough to inherit a Picasso. You certainly aren’t going to scrap it just because it’s from his Blue Period and clashes with the fabric on your chairs. You’ll find a rug, furnishings, everything to suit that painting.

If you are fortunate to have a blank canvas in your room, why not start with the rug, and build the décor around it? This is a great way to start with a bold colour, such as orange, yellow, or red, and then bring in pops of colour in home décor accessories around the room. Consider using neutrals on the walls in whites, beiges, greys, or coffee tans to make the dominant colour sing throughout your space.

Leaving your rug until last is probably the biggest mistake people make when planning any room’s décor. They feel that the rug is an afterthought.

The wonderful point about starting with the floor is it gives you a chance to build a space piece by piece, rather than getting overwhelmed with the rug, furniture, walls, and window treatments all at once!

Add a rug to a room that lacks excitement, and problem solved. While that alone is a good enough reason to decorate with a rug, there are others just as compelling. A rug can anchor a room, define it, add warmth, and help layer a room’s décor.

There are several different ways to decorate with a rug, but we will start with 9 of them:

Use a rug to define or separate areas, such as seating or dining areas, and foyers. This is especially useful in studio apartments or larger rooms that need definition.

You can use rugs to create variety in a space. When you use two rugs in a room, be aware that same sized rugs can visually cut the room in two. Use different sized rugs to create a sense of variety.

When using more than one rug, it’s better when the rugs complement each other in style. If not, you could end up with a jarring or unpleasant effect. Too many “warring” patterns in a room will do away with any sense of harmony.

Use a favourite rug as the basis of the colour scheme in a room. On the other hand, if you add it after you have your furniture in place, you can use the rug to accent or tie in your existing colours.

Use a rug to visually quieten a room or turn up the volume as needed. If your upholstery or wallpaper has an ornate pattern, choose a rug that is subtler. When walls and upholstery are subdued, you can try a busier pattern or bolder colours to ass more interest to the room.

Use a rug as the focal point of your room, as rugs can make a huge impact. To do that you can create contrast by painting your walls a hue that echoes one of your rug’s accent colours.

Use a rug as a wall hanging for another way to display a rug, or to create a focal point.

Don’t assume that a rug must be a rectangle. Let the way you group your furniture dictate the shape of your rug. Try figuring which shape would look best, and then go with a square, round or oval shape, if that seems to complement your furniture arrangement better than a rectangle one.

Change out rugs and pillows to update a room for changing seasons, or to introduce new colour trends.

Always use a liner to keep your rug from slipping or creeping. The rug liner should be appropriate for your floor type and be the right size to fully keep the rug from sliding. A rug pad dispels slipping and adds a layer of comfort underfoot – especially to a flat weave rug.

Designing your room around your rug just got a little easier by following these simple tips. Remember the challenge is not what can go with it, but what lifestyle and feeling you want to convey when inhabiting the space. Your space should feel welcoming and perfect with the addition of a great rug. If you are shopping next week and see a rug you must have, don’t shy away! It will probably make your space amazing and unique.

Do you have any tips on decorating a room? Do you start with the rug first? We’d love to know your thoughts!