Start with the Rug

Designing and decorating a room is a lot of fun! Where I find people most often get stuck is at the beginning. It can be hard to know where to start, so many people never change the design or decor in their home.

The best place to start when decorating a room is with the rug.

When I say start decorating I mean once the design of the room is complete, which includes the floor plan, flooring choices, plumbing, electrical , etc. Hear me loud and clear when I say, "Wall color is the last design element of a room to choose." Why? Because there are hundreds of thousands of paint colors to choose from and very few rug options you will fall in love with.

Why Choose the Rug First

When I began renovating my first home I did not follow this rule because I was in a hurry to get rid of the ugly wall color and begin filling the home with furniture. I regretted that decision when it came time to place the rugs. I still have not found all the correct rugs for the rooms in my house. Either the color, material, pattern or size is off, not matching the current furniture and wall colors properly.

Besides the art on your walls, rugs are the most decorative item in a room. It's unfortunate to purchase a rug and have it disappear. Rugs are meant to make a statement! Choose a rug you fall in love with, then design the rest of the room off those colors, patterns and textures. If you love the rug you will love the room designed from its decoration.

Don't skip on the rug in a room. It is ok if you don't find one you love right away. Keep looking and do not settle. A rug grounds and defines a room. Furniture in a room looks like it is floating without a rug. Check out this room before and after a 9x12 rug was added. Do you see what I mean by the furniture being grounded with a rug and looking like the furniture is floating randomly in the room without a rug?

Choosing the Correct Rug Size

Most often I see people choose a rug that's too small. I understand rugs can be expensive, but choosing too small of a rug will not make the rug worth having at all. When people ask me what size to choose, before giving me the options I always say "Go bigger." Unless the rug will not physically fit in the room, you should choose the largest size possible. Typically the smallest size area rug for a room is a 9x12, but most people go for the 8x10. Ideally, all the feet of the furniture in the room should fit on the rug, and at the very least the front feet of each furniture piece should sit on the rug. A larger rug helps make a room feel bigger and cozy too. A small rug gives the floating, magic carpet affect and does not ground the furniture in a room.

Rug Size Guide

Since everyone's furniture and room sizes vary I have put together a visual guide without measurements. Use this to help you decide what size rug to lay in your room.

-Happy rug styling!

Brooke

Subscribe to Learn More

If you enjoyed this post give it a like or let me know in the comments below. If it was helpful or at least a little interesting you will love the other blog posts to come. Be sure to subscribe at the bottom of this page to stay in the loop and learn easy ways to make your house look like it has been professionally decorated.