Tips For Using Bold Rugs

The biggest items in the room are the ones you should put the most thought into. This is especially true when it comes to buying rugs. Whether you are going extremely traditional, or bold and modern, your rug will set the tone for the room. Because of this, my rule of thumb is that your rug should either be the first thing you choose when designing a space or the last thing. Since rugs are large and often one of the more expensive items in the room, it is really important to have a piece that brings the space together and gives the right impression.

When you choose the rug first, you are defining the vibe you want the room to have, whether it be bold, playful, graphic, or subtle. The rug will create a canvas for all the other furniture to play on so you want to make sure you are choosing something that will play nicely.

However, sometimes a room design is driven by a piece of art, fabric selection, or other items. In this case I’ll often wait to select a rug last so that it gives the option of either toning down the other elements, or going bold.

If you have a room that has basic pieces but is lacking personality, consider going with a graphic rug. You will be amazed at how a simple stripe or geometric pattern will instantly wake up and modernize your furniture.

If you have a room that is mostly complete and want to go bold, take into consideration what other patterns and colors are already at work in the space. Make sure that incorporating a bold piece isn’t going to overwhelm the space or make things too busy. I always tell my clients, you have to decide who is going to be the star of the show. It’s really hard to do a room with amazing wallpaper, amazing furniture, and an amazing rug-someone needs to be the supporting cast. If you want to go both with your rug selection, decide if there are other elements in the room that need to be toned down.

If you’re timid about putting a huge 8×10 graphic rug in the middle of a room, try going bold with a hallway or kitchen runner. This will bring in a pop of pattern in a space that is often pretty simple and it will make you happy every time you see it or get a graphic indoor/outdoor rug and use it in a entry space or mudroom. Children’s rooms are also great spaces to go with impactful rugs and children’s spaces can take a lot of pattern and color so you don’t need to be as careful about introducing something bold as you would in other rooms of the house.

So, maybe now I’ve sold you on the whole bold rug idea, but you’re not sure when to find one. Here are a few of my favorite sources for great rugs with great personality:

West Elm: Season after season west elm turns out amazing collections of modern and graphic rugs. Whether you are looking for neutrals or colors, you will love their selection of dhurrie rugs and affordable prices.

Ikea: in my opinion rugs are one of the things that ikea does best. You don’t have to feel bad about following the trend when you go with ikea.

Surya: This is one of my favorite rug companies. I use them all the time for clients. Their Frontier and Fallon collections are one of my go to places for a pop of color. Their rugs are available through shades of light, or you can contact me directly for pricing.

Dash and Albert: Their striped cotton and indoor outdoor rugs are some of my favorites. I use these constantly in my work with clients and their prices are great.

Calypso Home: I am flipping over their new rug collection. The colors and patterns just add a little bit of happiness wherever you use them. They have a great variety of neutrals and bold colors

Madeline Weinrib: These rugs are a little more pricey but consider a Madeline rug worth the investment. The colors in her rugs are absolutely beautiful and they are hand dyed.