Choosing and styling your perfect rug

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Up there as one of the most integral parts of a room scheme, a rug can really make or break a design. Not just in terms of how it looks either, as a rug often has a functional purpose which extends beyond looking good.

In general, rugs need to be hardy little things as usually they’re quite literally walked all over. You ideally want a good quality rug that will stand the test of time and will be fit for purpose, whatever that specific purpose may be. A good quality rug can be on the pricey side so it’s important you think about exactly what you need before you start shopping, and invest in a rug that will work for you, saving you money in the long run. Not to mention the sheer amount of rugs on the market, the overwhelm can be real, so filtering your options to narrow down your choices is a good place to start.

So, what do you need to consider before you set out to find your perfect rug? Read on, my friends…

A perfectly proportioned, mixed-material rug from La Redoute

Size and Position

Seems obvious but know the measurements of the space where the rug will go and exactly how it will be positioned. An easy trap to fall into is to measure the empty floor space and limit your search to that exact size, which usually ends up being too small.

Aesthetically, it’s best if your rug doesn’t feel like it’s ‘floating’ in the space and that it forms a cohesive unit with the furniture. A rug can ground the space, providing an anchor to hold a room together. In a living space, for example, at the very least you want the front feet of all seating (sofa, chair, stools etc) to be on a rug - not necessarily the same rug (see ‘Layering’ further down) but the rug/s should join the seating in the area to make the space feel complete. So when you’re measuring up, always think bigger than you were probably going to go!

A perfect example of size and positioning by Studio McGee

Material

Very important this one, and will really help with narrowing down the choices. Below is a quick run down of the most common rug materials:

Wool - a natural fibre, super soft and durable so perfect for high traffic areas where you also want an element of comfort and warmth. Stain resistant to general dirt and oil-based liquids, so good for living areas with potentially lots of footfall. Downsides? They can be pricey. Plus their stain resistance doesn’t stretch beyond oil-based liquids (so good luck getting red wine or juice out if it) and they are sensitive to sunlight, so use in a room with lots of direct light is likely to fade the wool over time.

Cotton - the cheaper, slightly less plush alternative to wool, it’s a natural fibre and works really well in woven or knotted flatweave rugs, for all the reasons given above. Cotton can usually be machine washed or at least is easier to clean with chemicals than wool is. The cons? Not quite as durable as wool and not quite as easy to care for as synthetic fibres, so it’s somewhere in the middle. Also doesn’t produce a super cosy and comfortable pile so is more suitable for certain types of rooms and uses. Think children’s rooms where a flat, durable, comfortable surface is ideal for playing but the ability to clean it up is just as important.

A cheery flatweave wool and cotton mix rug

Synthetic (e.g. polypropylene) - the fibres used in synthetic rugs are usually easy to clean and fairly stain resistant, with the biggest pro being their lower price tag. Often wool is blended with synthetic to create a rug with benefits of both at a slightly lower cost to the customer. The downsides of synthetic rugs are their impact on the environment (being a man-made fibre and all), their potential to contain toxins and VOCs (also found in old school paint, remember how bad paint used to smell?! VOCs…) and some can release chemicals into the atmosphere, not ideal and especially not if you’ll have children getting up close and personal to it, as they do! Synthetic fibres are also not as hard wearing as wool so likelihood is that while you will pay less initially, you may have to fork out for a replacement much sooner than you would for a natural fibre rug.

Jute and sisal - again, natural fibre but this time heavy on the texture! They’re seriously durable (sisal is used to make ropes) so they are perfect for high traffic areas and visually they’re beautiful if you’re after the natural, boho aesthetic that is particularly rife right now. Downsides are that the texture is rough and not comfortable underfoot, so not one for play areas or lounging about on. Also they are absorbent so aren’t easy to get stains out of, and if they absorb too much moisture without having the chance to fully dry out they can be prone to mould - so not jute or sisal in bathrooms please!

Tonnes of texture from a durable sisal rug

Layering

A handy design trick especially if you want to cover a large area without investing heavily in one huge rug. Mix the piles, weaves and textures - think a flatter weave (cotton or jute) on the bottom layer with a softer, durable wool rug on the top for comfort. Aim for complimentary patterns or colours, nothing that competes or fights and makes the whole area too overwhelming on the eye, and it helps to make the largest rug (usually the bottom layer) a neutral shade so you can layer pretty much anything else on top. Also just great if you want to add texture and interest to an otherwise minimalist room.

Credit: The House of Silver Lining

Pattern Proportions and Style

When choosing pattern for any item in a room, whether it be a rug, wallpaper, furniture… it’s important to note the scale of the pattern in relation to the room so that it doesn’t overwhelm the space. A general rule of thumb is to use a smaller pattern in a smaller space, while you can often get away with going bigger and bolder in a bigger room. However, if you’re going for a more subtle, neutral colour palette you might find that a larger pattern or texture works in a smaller space as it won’t overwhelm the room like bold colours and prints can. If you’re layering rugs, don’t allow the patterns to compete by mixing up big and small patterns, which can come in the form of actual prints or even the patterns created by the texture - think about the stripe effect created by the weave in a jute rug.

The big, bold stripe of the IKEA Stockholm works in a large, light, open space

A subtle colour palette and narrower stripes makes for a less overwhelming pattern

So as with everything in interior design, if you can firstly get your head around the function and purpose of a room or item, then understand a bit about your options, you’re in a much better position to avoid overwhelm and get it right first time.

If you’d like help finding the perfect rug or need any advice on any aspect of designing your home, my Advice & Support package starts at just £35, so get in touch and let me help!