As an interior design firm, we know the importance of thinking through each + every decision in your home. And from furniture layout + area rug placement, to size + shape, color + pattern or what rug materials are ideal to use we know the sense of overwhelm that comes along with trying to select the perfect area rug.

But, that’s why you work with us to ensure we get it right *wink*  Let’s dive into everything you should know about how to select an area rug for your home like an interior designer.

Why Have An Area Rug?

In general, an area rug creates a smaller space within a larger area. Whether it’s an open floor concept with an area rug underneath a dining table, a sectional in the living room or a runner in the hallway — an area rug creates a place for people to intuitively rest. 

It gives everyone a sense of where to sit down for intimate conversation or how you’d like others to feel when they’re walking throughout your home.

The Floor Is The 5th Wall

When selecting an area rug, we think of the floor as being the 5th wall. Say, what boo?!?!?

Yep, we’re asking ourselves Is the area rug going to be the focal point or do we want the area rug to simply disappear. 

If we want it to be a focal point and to help set the mood of the room then perhaps you’ll be thinking of a vibrant, textured or even a bold patterned area rug. 

On the other hand, if we want the area rug to visually fall off then we’ll be considering something that has more subdued colors, textures or patterns.

Thinking about the floor in this context, as a 5th wall, ensures that we’re designing from a place of functional necessity for the way your family lives + for what the space needs. 

But beyond this, why else should you seriously take into consideration covering up those gorgeous floors of yours?

Comfort

Hardwoods, luxury vinyl tile + other solid floors are great for their ease in keeping things clean. However, they pale in the comfort department to carpet. But area rugs give you the best of both worlds.

Reducing Noise

With a lot of hard surfaces in your home — from hard floors, cabinetry, countertops, tables + bookcases the echoing of noise can quickly become a problem. Introducing an area rug can help to not only create a comfortable place for people to walk on but absorb some of that noise.

Warmth

While a custom-built home with radiant floor heating will certainly feel warm underfoot an area rug will still help break up the cooler hard surfaces.

Safety

Quite often people think of area rugs as something to trip over but they can actually be quite the opposite. Take for instance, hard surfaces on the stairs. They can make for slippery floors but a runner gives you, your family + your pets a bit of traction. 

Floor Protection

With the right rug pad + an area rug, your floors are protected (to some extent) from the natural wear + tear that comes with everyday living.

Furniture Layout, Rug Placement  + Selecting The Right Rug Size

Most people want to start with “what size area rug do I need?” And though incredibly important to know — you have to first look at the existing furniture layout + determine where placing an area rug makes sense before you can determine size.

Does it make sense to have one large area rug or a layered look with two or more rugs on top of one another? More on layered rugs below but landing on the perfect area rug directly relates to a number of other factors like what room is this rug being placed in, what’s the functionality of this space + what’s the emotion we’re trying to convey for people when they’re in it.

Let’s take a quick look at area rugs in each room.

Living Room Area Rugs 

When it comes to furniture layout, you want the rug to fit underneath at least the front legs of any sofas or chairs. Otherwise, you’re left with a floating area rug sandwiched in between furniture. This creates an unnerving feeling where nothing is anchored + everything feels out of scale.

You can read all about the specifics to selecting the perfect living room area rug here including what size area rug :)

Dining Room Area Rugs 

Dining room rugs are a highly debated topic in our world. 

Some of our clients LOVE the warmth and calm anchoring of an area rug under the table. On the other hand, others hate the maintenance that comes with an area rug in conjunction with kids *wink*

But, when it comes to selecting an area rug for the dining room what determines the placement of the rug is your table. 

Unlike in a living room, where it’s perfectly fine to have part of the chairs on + the other part of the chair off the area rug — when it comes to your dining room furniture it’s all or nothing. 

You don’t want chairs that are on the rug when they're pushed in but off the area rug when people are eating. 

Remember that debate, to area rug or not under the dining table *wink* Well, catch more about choosing the ideal dining room rug here.

Bedroom Area Rugs 

Even if there’s carpet already in the bedroom, whenever we are designing a bedroom, we’re always considering how much adding an area rug can help define the space. Obviously, it’s a bedroom so a rug under the bed helps pull together nightstands + a bed into a cohesive grouping. However, there’s often some kind of seating area or dresser to consider too. 

Remember, one of the main roles of an area rug is to anchor furniture so that everything doesn’t feel like it’s floating. And that’s exactly what an area rug in the bedroom should do.

Here’s everything you need to know about placing an area rug under the bed.

Stair Runners

Another widely debated topic when we’re designing stairways for our clients is stair runners — yes or no!??!? And it always sounds so simple on the surface, functionally you want safety to be prioritized but in many instances, the stairs can be a big statement in your entryway + covering them up isn’t an easy decision.

Here’s a deeper dive into stair runners from our perspective.

How Important Is A Rug Pad?

In short, a rug pad is almost always essential. And that’s because you're investing in your home + when it’s a high-quality rug you want to take the utmost care of it. A good rug pad will absolutely extend the life of your area rugs.

Psst… remember “floor protection” from above.

Not only will a rug pad be softer + more comfortable walking underfoot but it’s an added layer of protection between your rug + your floors. And a lot of clients worry that area rugs will shift or “feel like they’re walking across the floor” and thus have to constantly reposition them but not only does a rug pad keep an area rug in place, it’s designed to minimize the breaking down of the rug fibers.

Here’s a quick list of how a rug pad helps:

• Adds comfort + softness underfoot

• Prevents the area rug from moving + thus increasing the safety in your home

• Safeguards your floors as it’s a protective layer between the two

• Extends the lifespan of your area rug by minimizing the breakdown of rug fibers

In terms of size, we typically use a rug pad that is the same size or no more than 2” shorter on all sides than the area rug itself.

Considerations When Layering Area Rugs

When layering area rugs there are a few things to keep in mind. But before we dive into what those things are, let’s talk about why we might consider laying an area rug.

Layering an area rug on top of another area rug can be helpful in really large open concepts to help establish a seating arrangement or act as a secondary or tertiary focal point. 

This can be done by placing a smaller area rug that mimics the shape of the larger rug or by adding to the edge or corner of the rug with a more organic shape that slightly overlaps (think cowhide).

What we often consider when layering any area rug is that a low pile area rug with minimal texture is your “base area rug” and then your “top area rug” can be more textural. If you do it the opposite way, where the “base area rug” has lots of texture then what you’ll end up with is a “top area rug” that will never sit flat + be walking about the room.

Color, Pattern, Texture, Material “Oh, My!”

We’ve talked about how at Elegant Simplicity, we view the floor as the 5th wall. Well, that’s because we know that when a specific room needs an anchor — color, pattern + texture can help. 

When a room lacks a pop of color or a bold pattern, when a space needs a neutral color to tone down what is going on around it or a subdued texture that doesn’t call much attention to itself — an area rug can be the perfect furnishing to introduce to the space.

Sometimes introducing color, pattern or texture can steal the show (+ that can be a good thing). Depending upon a rooms focal point, they can simply add to the comfort, cozy + intentionality of a space.

But the carpet material matters too because in the grand scheme of things — function should always precede aesthetic. In other words, your home should be curated for you. 

While most rugs can be cleaned professionally, if you’ve got lil tykes or pets — an area rug that absorbs imperfections in a not so kind way (cowhide) is going to be incredibly high-maintenance for you. 

Phew! That was a-lot amiright?!?!? And that’s simply everything that goes into selecting an area rug :) Imagine how we consider window drapery, furniture, + artwork, etc…

We all want our homes to feel + embody an emotion. That’s why we use words to describe home as comfortable, cozy, intimate or purposeful. Making conscientious choices that really draw upon that feeling, that emotion, is what designing your home is all about. 

It’s why great design takes time. Because designing with this kind of clarity is what you ultimately want in your home. Because decisions around your home should come from a place of purpose, they should have a story and a meaningful reason why. 

So, don’t just settle on any area rug + check it off. And if that all sounds like a lot… Well, we’re here to help. If you’re in the preliminary planning stages of your next project, let’s chat. 

P.S. If you loved this article then you’re going to really enjoy the4 Days To A More Beautiful + Functional Home.