8 Simple Rules to Find The Perfect Colored Rug

Colorful area rugs can bring a sense of joy and happiness to your home if you choose one that’s just right for you and your room. But with nearly unlimited choices available, how does one choose the perfect one?

It’s important to take your time and do your research so you’ll have the knowledge you need to make an informed decision. Along with creating a plan to find your ideal area rug, the eight tips we've curated below will help you select a colorful area rug (or any rug for that matter) because without considering these points you’ll never be truly happy with your purchase.

 

1. Always. Always. Always. Pick a rug you love -- one that makes your eyes light up, that special one you can’t stop thinking about. That being said, choose the one you love only if it meets all the other criteria for a rug that fits seamlessly into your room.
   
   
   
   
2. Choose a colorful area rug that brings your space together and makes it look better because of the rug. The runner in the kitchen seen above does just that--it pulls the room together beautifully with its color palette and pattern. This rug looks like it was made specifically for this space. It’s the perfect finishing touch to an awesome kitchen.
   
   
3. Colors found in a rug can be neutral tones that blend into the space or bold hues that become the statement piece in the room. Just be sure the colors you work well with other elements already in your space. Brilliant hues are not enough; they need to become pieces that fit beautifully into a cohesive whole.
   
   
4. Choose a lively pattern, or a solid, whatever suits your design aesthetic best. There are all sorts of beautiful rug patterns available right now. Florals, blocks, geometrics and theme designs like musical or tribal, for instance.
   
   
   
   
5. To be happy with your area rug, carefully select the rug size your space requires. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s an important point because a too-small area rug can ruin the look of an otherwise carefully put-together room. Of course, the size will be determined by the space in which it will reside. Here are examples:

• Foyer / Hall: A runner (2’6” x 7’8”) should work well unless your entry is tiny, or the hallway is extremely short.
• Living Room / Family Room: For maximum visual impact and comfort, choose a large area rug (like an 8X11 or a 6X9) so that you don’t get that postage stamp look in front of your sofa.
• Dining Room: Choose a rug size that will allow the table and chairs to rest atop the rug and for movement of the chairs with ease (no half on/half off for the dining chair legs.)
• Kitchen / Dine-in Kitchen: A runner is usually just right in front of the sink or between the sink and kitchen island. For an eat-in kitchen, the same rule applies to the rug under the table as in the dining room.
• Den / Home Office: When placing an area rug under a desk and office chair, be sure it’s large enough so that the chair does not go off the edge of the rug when you pull the chair out to sit down or when you roll the chair back to stand up.
• Bedroom: Comfort reigns supreme in the bedroom. A large soft rug works well when placed partially under the foot of the bed.
• Dress Room / Large Walk-In Closet: Yes, an area rug can enhance either of those small spaces. You’ll have to wing this one since each space will be configured differently. Rug size will depend upon the floor space available and in the case of the dressing room if there is a storage island or chaise lounge in the center of the room.

6. The thickness and texture of a colorful area rug are important too, especially if the rug will be used in an area with a door that swings out over the rug. You don’t want the door dragging across the rug.

7.  Border or borderless. If you wish to clearly define an area within your space, a rug with a wide border should help. For instance, if your space serves as both the living room and dining room, bordered rugs can help outline each area’s parameters.

8. Fringe or no fringe - The choice is yours but be careful when vacuuming area rugs with fringe as the vac can fray and damage your rug.

We hope you’ll have fun learning about area rugs to help you choose a colorful rug you’ll love immediately and enjoy for a very long time. Ideally, you’ll discover what colors you are drawn to, what patterns make you smile and find out if you like quiet rug designs or those colorful ones with rhythm and movement.