How To Choose A Rug To Suit The Style And Decor Of Your Home

by Helen Powell

How to Choose a Rug That’s Right for Your Home

So you’ve decided to buy a new rug, but with so many different types available where do you start when you want to choose a rug that suits the style and décor of your home?

Your first considerations are likely to be the size and shape of the room, and what it is used for – is it a high traffic area for example – but before finding the perfect rug for your space there are several other factors you’ll probably also want to consider.

Material

Cotton is ideal for the summer months, and wool is long lasting and feels great underfoot. Many people prefer natural materials, but other materials may sometimes be more practical and affordable. Stain resistant materials like polypropylene can be a good choice for certain areas of the home, particularly if you have young children or pets, so bare this in mind when you choose a rug.

Colour

Colour is another key consideration. Think about the existing accent colours within the space. Colours don’t necessarily have to match, but they should complement each other. The right rug should ‘ground’ the other furnishings and objects in the room, pulling everything together and making it feel ‘finished’. Picking out the right colour will help you to achieve this.

Texture

Use texture to create a comfortable and welcoming feel when you choose a rug. Hides and furs like sheepskin or reindeer skin, which are often found in minimal Scandinavian interiors, will help create a cosy, relaxed Nordic mood.

If your taste in interiors leans more towards luxury and decadence opt for something with a lustrous finish. A silk mix rug will make a sumptuous addition to an elegant bedroom or living room.

Pattern

A rug can be a good way to introduce pattern into a room as well as texture and colour. Florals, stripes, geometrics and more abstract patterns are all available in many different variations.

Your choice of design may be influenced by both the type of home you live in and the decorative style you lean towards.

Here are 5 different rugs for 5 different interior styles

1. Country Charm

For a modern rustic look opt for textured natural materials like sisal, hemp, jute or seagrass. Practical and eco-friendly, Sisal is also hard-wearing so it’s great for areas like stairs and hallways.

2. Urban Loft

With its whitewashed brick walls and concrete floor, this large light space has a cool urban feel. Along with the wooden framed sofa and chair, which it complements perfectly, the 100% wool rug adds colour and texture, softening the room and preventing it from feeling too dominated by hard surfaces.

3. Classic meets contemporary

I love modern design but always think it’s a good idea to add at least one older element to a room to shakes things up a bit. Which is exactly what the distressed, antique effect rug and mirror do in this otherwise very contemporary interior. Mixing traditional and modern in this way nearly always results in a more interesting space. 

4. Colourful Townhouse

This colourful elegant living room is really brought to life by the addition of a vibrant painterly rug. The colours of the rug reflect those already present elsewhere in the room, accentuating the soft blue sideboard and the rich red, orange and purple tones of the sofa and helping to tie everything together. 

5. Global Artisan

Hand-woven in India, the geometric pattern on this wool and cotton mix rug echoes those of Moroccan Beni Ourain rugs. The tassels accentuate the handcrafted artisan feel of the design, giving it a relaxed style that’s perfect for laid-back living within an eclectic modern interior.

Rugs can be the final touch to complete your home décor, and hopefully this has helped inspire your creativity for your interior space. Which style will you choose for your home, we’d love to know.