An area rug can be beautiful, a good investment and a versatile design tool. Designers use area rugs to enhance the look of furniture, make rooms look smaller or larger and provide warmth and atmosphere to interior spaces.
Rugs can change how the size of a room is perceived
Brightly coloured rugs tend to make a room look smaller, and so can bold patterns—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Bright colours and bold patterns can bring warmth and life to a cold, oversized space. In an irregularly shaped room, using two rugs can give the impression of two rooms, which is great if you’re using one large room for two purposes. Use a rectangular rug and a circular rug to enhance this effect.
To make a small room look bigger, use a large area rug that runs to about 30 centimetres from each wall, or place the edge of the rug just beyond the furniture, reducing the perceived size of the furniture and making the room look larger by comparison. Painters use light wall colours to make rooms look larger, and you can do the same with lightly coloured rugs. Use pastels, neutrals or off-white colours to expand your space. Be aware of rug texture, too; smooth, light-weight rugs will make a room look bigger.
Different patterns evoke different feelings
The pattern on the rug also play a key role in how it makes the surroundings look. There are a few typical rug patterns. Use bold geometric patterns like chevrons, circles or stripes when you have simple lines in your furniture. For example, if you’re looking for a retro look, a black and white chevron design can be beautifully accented with red furniture. For a more subtle approach, use low-contrast cream colours, which look great against leather or dark wood furniture.
Floral prints are often found in oriental designs, and they are perfect for adding distinction to a room. Modern floral designs are often nature-inspired or silhouettes, rather than highly abstract, ornamented patterns. They create a calming effect and are great for bedrooms.
Kid-themed designs can be a little risky. Make sure the design won’t go out of date too quickly. It’s best to look for abstract patterns and gender-neutral colours.
Rugs over carpet? Why not?
It’s not the fashion faux pas it once was, and there are plenty of good reasons to put a rug over a carpet. For example, it allows you to add personality to a room if you live in an apartment with endless expanses of beige carpet. Be sure to get a quality underlay to keep the rug from moving.
Do you have furniture you want to showcase? There’s no better way to do that than with a round rug with subdued colours and a textured pile. Ensure that all legs of the furniture are on the rug to increase the impact.
Visit our Melbourne showroom or one of our weekly carpet auctions for even more ideas.
