Because we have been renovating a large home and have a couple Airbnbs, we have a had to make a lot of rug choices. I thought it might be helpful to highlight some tips on choosing a rug.

I have heard people say when designing a room - start with the rug! I can honestly say - I have never done this, but I can see how this would be helpful. We usually pick paint first because we have to and then don’t want paint dripping on your new rug. However, no matter how much you look online - it is hard to tell how a rug will look with certain colors until its actually there.

So….

Tip 1: Create a mood-board when designing a space.

I like to use Canva.com to create a mood-board. I screenshot items and bring them together visually to see if it looks like the room will pull together how I want it to. Here’s a video on how I do this.

Tip 2: Make sure you get a big enough rug!! (in a living room, make sure at least the front legs of the sofa, chairs, are on the rug)

I have been guilty of this. Big rugs can be expensive, but I have never regretted buying a bigger rug! In a living room you ideally want the front legs of your sofa on the rug. The rug should not run up to the wall, but there are always exceptions.

This was our house in Massachusetts when we moved in (10 years ago, but still)…

Then we bought a bigger rug. It looks better (maybe not great!). You can use more of the space with a larger rug and in my defense - the room was a strange shape because of the fireplace being at an angle. I would have liked to get the legs of the chair on the rug as well.

Here is our current (formal) living room. A lot has changed, but notably a large rug for this large room and the front legs of the couch sitting on the rug. :) This is from the Chris Loves Julia x Loloi collaboration.

3. Layer rugs to make a smaller rug work.

I found this vintage rug at a flea market and I love it - but its way to small for this living room. Layering with a jute rug like this is a great solution.

Bottom line - there are always exceptions! This space here was narrow so the rug comes out kind of far - but it works fine.

Let me know if you have questions that I can help with a future post!

QUESTIONS from instagram. This is IMO. Not an expert. ;)

How much for a quality rug?
- Gosh, that’s a hard question because size makes a huge difference in cost. My favorite places for a good rug - which I think are the most reasonably priced places. RugsUSA, Loloi (found on Amazon), Ruggable, BoutiqueRugs.com or Estate Sales
Tips on picking a rug for a dining room?
- Two thoughts! Get something durable that hide stains. (Ruggable - which is washable) or just has variability in colors that it will not stand out if there is an oops. Second thought - make sure its large enough that when you pull chairs out - they are still on the rug.
- Or just skip it. We don’t have a rug in our dining room right now because of kids.
How do I choose multiple rugs to coordinate in one space?
- Again, not an expert, but I have found I pick rugs that contrast, but compliment each other. A jute is a shoo in for this. I also have considered a shag rug or faux animal hide for a second rug in a space.
- Consider scale - mixing a larger pattern on one rug with a smaller different pattern on the other. Examples: large floral, smaller polka dots. Plaid and floral.