When decorating your home, whether as part of a renovation or new construction, bringing in accent pieces such as area rugs is an essential part of the home décor process. But while you may understand the beauty they bring to the overall design of each room, you may be at a loss as to how to choose the best one for your needs.

Choosing the wrong size, pattern, color, or style could result in an unbalanced, lackluster space. The perfect area rug will add depth, balance, texture, and aesthetic appeal to any room of your home. To help you, it’s wise to hire experienced interior design consultants who can bring their eye for design, spatial awareness, and interior décor to the space.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to rug sizes, which range from small rugs best for a bathroom to larger rugs best for living and dining rooms. Here are some tips to follow.

Get the Appropriate Size

In general, bigger is better, but always keep the size of the room in mind. You don’t want a huge area rug in a small den, nor do you want a small rug in a large great room. Most rooms will need an 8×10 or 9×12 area rug. Any smaller and it can look like the rug is a floating island in the middle of the sea.

When selecting the proper rug size, make sure to anchor the rug to the surrounding furnishings. This will help to direct the eye to your seating area, which should be the focal point of the room. This will also ensure all the pieces will fit together, both visually and spatially. Start by measuring the room in question as well as each piece of furniture. Then, you will have an easier time in determining the right size rug.

Furniture Placement

Next, consider the placement of the furniture on your rug, which will help to group couches, chairs, coffee tables, and side tables into one cohesive unit. You can place the front legs of the couch and chairs over the area rug, or you can place the furniture completely on the rug. Play around with both options to see which looks best. This will lead to the creation of a well-defined area within your home.

If you have a large room with lots of vertical volume as well as oversized furniture, choose a large rug to physically define or zone a group seating area. You can actually apply the same principle to a small room. Let’s say you have a reading nook. Make sure all elements (chair, table, and lamp) can fit on the rug to give a cozy feeling and help anchor the space.

Add a Pop of Color

The right area rug will give an instant facelift to your room. In addition to color, consider texture as well so all elements work as one. You have options here, such as layering a textured rug on top of your wall to wall carpet. You can instantly freshen the room without having to remodel or make major changes.

In terms of color, choose an area rug that has the dominant color of the room and furnishings in it. Just make sure the whole rug isn’t overpowered with that one color. It should just contain a hint of the dominant room color. Your surrounding furniture, throw pillows, and blankets will do the rest of the work to pull the whole look together. In essence, your furniture should look distinct from the rug, rather than get lost in it.

Use Rug Pads

Once you have selected an area rug you like, make sure it has a quality rug pad underneath. This will help to protect your flooring, boost safety, and increase the lifespan of your rug. Felt and rubber-backed pads make good foundations because they prevent slipping while at the same time adding cushion. Stay away from the cheap mesh versions you can buy at big box stores. Instead, you want a quality felt rug pad that won’t trap dirt on your floor or allow stains to seep through. The main goal should be to protect your flooring as well as add to the beauty of the room.

Schedule a Consultation With Roja Rugs’ Interior Designers

Not sure how to go about choosing the best area rug for your home? No worries. Our interior design consultants can assist you, as we are the area’s premier authority on interior design. Please contact us to book a consult and quote today from Roja Rugs, where we bring you the finest area rugs for sale throughout Marin County.