Let’s face it: choosing a rug for your space can be tough. Should I go with a neutral or a bold color? How big is too big and how small is too small? Are certain textures better for certain spaces? How do I make sure it matches the style I’m trying to convey? There are a lot of variables to think about! We’re going to share our tips for selecting the perfect rug for your space by focusing on 5 main rug characteristics: color, style, size, texture, and pattern. We’ll also share some of our absolute favorite rugs from Rugs USA since they have the most amazing selection at super budget friendly prices! By shopping through OUR LINK, you can get 10% off your order on top of any site-wide sales!
Color
Color has been the trickiest characteristic for us to figure out for our own spaces so let’s start there. Start by analyzing your space and observing your color ratios. Are you going for a neutral, more minimal look in the room or a colorful, maximal look? Or maybe somewhere in between? For a bright, colorful space, look for a rug that contains colors that will compliment the other decor in the room, but don’t necessarily aim to directly match one color. This will keep the style feeling eclectic. For a more neutral, minimal space, pay attention to undertones. Does your decor mostly have a cool undertone (very white whites, tans with a greenish hue, cool browns, etc.) or a warm undertone (clay tones, warm whites/ivories, tans with pinkish hues, etc.)? Be sure to select a neutral rug that shares the same undertone as most of the decor in your space.
The other important thing to think about with color is contrast. Contrast within a space adds interest and depth. When selecting a rug, make sure it provides some level of contrast to the space. Also, if your space is small a light & bright rug can make it appear larger.
Style
Style is also super important! Here are a few key elements to look for based on which style you want to convey:
- Bohemian: tassels, fringe, Moroccan designs, shag, macrame, natural fibers like jute
- Transitional/Traditional: Fringe, vintage/distressed look
- Modern: geometric designs, clean lines
Size
When deciding on a size for your space, the number one thing to keep in mind is the size of the furniture in the room. If you’re choosing a rug for the living room, the sofa should be touching the rug. If it’s for the dining room, when the chairs are pulled out the legs should all still be on the rug. If it’s for a bedroom, a king bed looks best with a 9×12, a queen/full with an 8×10, and a twin works well with a 6×9 (with the caveat that it of course has to fit well in the space – for instance Alexa has a king bed but an 8×10 is the max size that fits in her bedroom).
Texture/Material
How much traffic does your space get? For high traffic areas like the living room or an entryway you might consider choosing a low pile rug that cleans easily. Jute rugs, flat weaves, washable rugs, and synthetic fibers tend to be very easy to keep clean! For a space that gets less foot traffic like a bedroom, consider something more plush and luxurious feeling. We love shag rugs or thicker wool rugs because they feel so cozy underfoot!
Pattern
Lastly, pattern can help determine style and also add depth and interest to the space! A patterned rug is also great at hiding dirt for those high traffic areas. If you’re going for a more minimal vibe, opt for a rug with a simple, tonal pattern. If your look is more maximal and eclectic, look for busier patterns with lots of color.
We hope these tips helped with your search for the perfect rug for your space! Our final tip would be to definitely check out Rugs USA for rugs to fit any space – they make it easy to filter by color, style, material, and size plus they have SO many beautiful rugs to choose from! All of the rugs mentioned in this post can be found there and they are seriously our favorites. Happy styling! -XO Alexa & Elizabeth
This post was sponsored by Rugs USA.