4 Tips on How to Choose the Perfect Living Room Rug

The humble rug has become the living room hero! Follow these easy tips on how  to style yours perfectly for your space.

Tip 1 - Two Rugs Are Better Than One 
Everything you thought you knew about rugs and their place in the lounge has changed. Don’t restrict yourself to one plain piece – layering rugs is the newest trend in home decor and gives the living room a plush look and feel.

Experiment with different shapes and textures; a sheepskin softens a rectangular wool rug. Natural fabrics like jute come alive with animal hides placed diagonally across them. Don’t be afraid to mix colors and patterns – anything goes as long as the combination feels harmonious.

Tip 2 - Selecting rugs that compliment your living floor
The rug you choose for the living room should complement the floor, and its material. If you have exposed stone tiles, concrete floors, animal hides, and neutral rugs, look chic and contemporary. 

Warm wooden floors bring rugs in deep rich colours to life, and a high sheen timber can offset patterns beautifully. If your living room is tiled, natural fiber rugs with materials like hessian and leather can give the room a more natural feel – remember to attach a non-slip rug beneath it! Even carpeted living rooms can benefit from an intricately patterned rug to break up the monochrome and protect busy areas.

Tip 3 - Supersize Your Rug!
When it comes to rugs, bigger is better. Small centered rugs can feel lost in a larger space and give the room an unfinished look. Larger styles combine the room and distinguish different areas in an open-plan layout. Make sure when you choose your large rug that the legs of all pieces of furniture are either on or off the rug – uneven spacing can cause chairs to become unbalanced and look messy and disordered. Remember the wear and tear that your large rug will undergo – dry-clean-only fabrics in huge sizes can be expensive to wash, so that a hardier fabric might be more cost-effective. 

Tip 4 - The Rug’s Texture Test 
That thick-pile cream rug might feel like heaven beneath your feet, but will it stand up to constant foot traffic? Choosing the texture of your rug is key in keeping it looking its best after years of wear and tear. 

Bedroom rugs don’t see a lot of movement, but the living room rug is almost constantly in use. Look for a sturdy wool base that doesn’t show dirt or even a Persian style that looks better when worn. Remember the damage heavy furniture can have on the rug as well – a more rigid fabric will allow the indentations to be smoothed over when moving the lounge set-up around..