It’s no secret around here that we have a little bit of a rug addiction. I received a note from a sweet reader the other day, that went a little something like this:
“I just love your fearless use of rugs in the home. I was wondering if you might share some of your favorite tips on working with them? We just moved into a new house, and I am completely overwhelmed with where to begin, and underwhelmed with options. We need some rugs, and I have no idea what to purchase or how to use them in our spaces. Where do I start? Any tips you could give would be very much appreciated! Thank you!” -Carrie
We love rugs, and have learned that they can be a huge component in any design. We also think that just like the lighting, they’re often the most forgotten, when they can easily be your crowning glory and bring many elements together. We have a few things that we’ve learned over the years…some of them the hard way {see: regrettable purchases} and we thought we’d share a few tips today we like to stick with when it comes to rugs in the home.
1. Consider your lifestyle.
Our kids are older now, so we’ve taken risks with things we’re using around our home. We have a no-food rule that they stick to in the living room, and if you’ll notice, we just added a cream rug to that space. {See: dog now gets sick because of irritable bowels and after three rounds of shampoo, we’re not sure what we were thinking.} But we also believe in no regrets and have enjoyed taking a risk.
Over explanations aside, we never spend more than a couple of hundred on a rug, and that’s a big deal since they can easily run you thousands of dollars. {Check out a few of our fave sources, here} We usually always wait for sales, because it’s not worth pulling our hair out over accidents. They happen.
But it’s different for everyone: A reader shared on one post that layered rugs just weren’t practical for their family, but we’ve tried it and it works for us. On the flip side, note that we have nothing in our kitchen, because it’s just not worth it. As much as I would love that glossy mag/picture perfect look, it just won’t work for us. {See: Our children are constantly corrected over their habitual recline-like-historical-egyptians-eating habits, and I’m pretty sure that today Malone dropped his strawberry five times in a row at lunch.} While other families probably love their kitchen rugs. So with a little give and take, have fun, but remember your family’s needs, too.
Just a side note when shopping: note all things cleaning requirements, and if I could give one piece of advice? Only use mild detergent and water for spot cleaning. Been there, done that with the upholstery cleaner. Three regrettable bleach spots later on our natural fibers rug, and it’s a hard lesson learned. {Thank goodness we layer that one.}
2. Sizing consideration
I’ve taken some advice and held it close over the years. We all know rules are made to be broken, so they’re not exclusive because every space is different. But I’ve found that these are usually pretty good to stick with, in the grand scheme of things:
• Let a rug anchor your space, but show some floor, too. What does that mean? Keep it large enough to make a statement, but leave some floor so that the space flows visually. Consider walkways and how you want to use your floor. It’s all in the idea of balance for the floor, and that way the rug doesn’t overwhelm, while defining where it should go. It’s a lot like a life sized puzzle, working it all out with spatial planning.
• For living rooms, there are three options: All legs on, all legs off, or front legs on. Again, this will depend on your space, but we’ve found that front legs on are a winning combo, with big items like sofas, every time.
• For dining rooms: Keep the rug underneath your table and chairs large enough to comfortably slide your chairs in and out without catching on the rug. Because that’s kind of annoying, and if it’s large enough for that, it should be proportionally correct.
• For bedrooms: Consider the size of your room and the actual bed. We like to slide them forward a bit so we can step out on them in the mornings, but they’re also not completely covered by a massive bed {see master bedroom, coming soon to a computer screen near you – stay tuned}
3. But where to start?
If you’re in a new home, take your time. There’s nothing wrong with that, said the couple who totally freaked out and went to rooms to go, purchasing two bachelor pad monstrosities with the cash that was burning a hole in their pockets circa 2006 -Do we need to show your our before pics? Since bigger items like sofas usually cost more, we think that the size of rug you purchase could be dependent on that larger item. There’s nothing worse than having a rug that you spent some money on and now feel like you can’t work with. Or feeling limited by a rug for big ticket items because of the color, etc. So honestly? Take your time and think about what you really want before you dive in. Start with those staple pieces, and then move on to the rug. Of course sometimes life happens and maybe you already purchased something. That’s fine too. {See no. 5}
4. Go natural
If you need a temporary fix, go with natural fibers for a neutral choice. Larger sizes tend to run a lot cheaper, and something in jute or seagrass is easy to switch around and layer. That being said, beware of little knees. They can be a little tougher, but our kiddos never seemed to mind. They’re oh so durable, hide stains well, and play nicely with all those other elements for a quick fix. A wise investment you probably won’t be tossing anytime soon.
5. Be fearless
If you have something in your home that isn’t working, don’t be afraid to mix it up, and move it around. Shop your house. Play musical furniture. Use it as wall decor. Bring in a friend to help you with suggestions that you may have not considered. We tend to get stuck in home funks complicated by selective sight, and you never know what elements can be used in fun ways when you make up your mind to be fearless with it all. Don’t be afraid to layer it. If you see a rug that’s pricey, but you love the look, this is where that natural fiber or neutral rug comes into play. You can always maximize the look and stretch your dollars by using the natural rug as a base, and layering a fun patterned rug on top.
And use it to your advantage. Bold stripes to make a room seem wider. Pair organic pillows with geometric rugs or vice versa for depth. Let your rug be your statement piece if you can’t paint those walls. Use it as a fun staple, and not an obligatory accessory. The possibilities are endless when you use design elements to your advantage. Like makeup on a face to heighten our features, so the rug should be for whatever we wish to utilize in a space.
7. Use more than one
Use more than one rug to define multiple spaces in a large room, and to keep the furniture from floating. Use it to anchor specific spaces, and work it to your advantage. Use it as a primary tool with design, and you’ll see your spaces take on a whole new look, working for you.
8. Go bold
Bold is always a good choice, especially when paired with neutral walls and furniture. Break it up, bring in interest, and create instant character in a small space with vivid colors and one of a kind patterns. It makes it instantly cozier.
9. Don’t forget the runner
Hallways are sometimes forgotten, and the easiest way to define walking areas while bringing über character to sterile hallways is a runner. Go for color, vintage, short various multiples or anything you like.
10. Use them in unexpected places
It may seem extravagant, but who says that closets can’t have rugs? Some of our fave spaces in our homes are for us only, and have rugs in them. They add interest and fun and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You can do smaller rugs quite cheaply, and they bring a lot of warmth to smaller, sometimes forgotten spaces. They also help you live with your less-than-favorite flooring choices a lot longer.
We hope that helps get the ball rolling, Carrie! Remember that there are always exceptions to the rule, and no home aptly follows all of them. In fact, rules are meant to be broken, in our book. Have fun and enjoy your home… some of the most beautiful spaces are created once we decide to do what we love. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if you guys would like to add some of your fave tips {because we obviously aren’t the only voice out there} We’d love to hear from you!
Have an inspired day!
Jenna says
Oh my goodness this just came at the perfect time for me. Thank you so much!
Adrienne says
Hi, my name is Adrienne… and I avoid buying rugs like the plague. š You’re right though, and I”m excited to really try to find something awesome. I sometimes overthink things to the point that I can’t get that cozyness I want.
ashley @ the handmade home says
I think you just nailed it on the head, Adrienne. Sometimes we overthink things to the point of torturing ourselves, and it just doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it. ;}
Maggi Barth says
I love the look of natural rugs and have had a few in the past. My question is have you found a good way to spot clean them other than covering the spots with another rug? I have cats who seem to think that is where they are supposed to leave their hairballs!! Yuck! Thanks for your insight!
ashley @ the handmade home says
I think it depends on how the rug is woven, and what material it’s made out of. Some of the grooves go deeper in different kinds. For instance, our seagrass rug in our living room is more of a dab it up kinda thing, and it hides the stains well. But our homeschool room rug {the one under the notebook rug} has HUGE grooves. As in, digging the stains out with my fingers, huge. {BLECH!} Last week, we went to the movies with the kids and when we got back, Chloe (our dog) had several accidents on it and I’m talking about the worst possible kind. It was not fun. I said all this to say, the tried and true method, even though it takes a while, is to get a good mild laundry detergent in a warm bowl with water. I use paper towels, {you can use a rag with something less offensive as the stain but that way I’m not dirtying the water again as I clean}.
Just take your time and clean it all. It’s disgusting, and it takes a while. I’ve tried the fast methods with upholstery cleaners, but those don’t work on everything. They can leave permanent bleach marks and ruin your pieces. This simple process of detergent and warm water takes a while, but it always works, in the end. She even got our nice Turkish rug on the studio floor the other night. My absolute favorite one. HUGE, repetitive messes, and I thought it was ruined. I may or may not have teared up. It’s just a rug, I know, but we’re in that difficult stage of trying to care for our dog and it’s hard sometimes. This worked, though. You can’t even tell. It has worked on every material I know. Someone else may have a better solution, but I think sometimes it’s the simple idea of lots of elbow grease and mild tools that work best. Hope this helps for now!
I’m still waiting for someone to invent a carpet cleaning robot that actually works…
Maggi says
Thank you so much and I understand about the dog. My best to you and all of yours!!
Rachel W. says
Do you have any suggestions on how to keep a large area rug from wrinkling up under your feet when it’s layered ontop of carpet?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Rachel! Other than a rug mat underneath, I do not know of any suggestions… but someone else may know of something! ;}
Shambray says
I love rugs! These are all great ideas and advice. I know I am guilty of forgetting the hallways! So I need to get on that!
Cindy says
“recline-like-historical-egyptians” <– cracked me up. The only "rule" I feel fairly strongly about is "front legs on." Thanks for this great post — I'm going to share it on my business FB page! xo
Cindy says
Oh, and the dining chairs rule. š