Area rugs can add a great deal of comfort and warmth to a room, but they can easily look out of place if they are not chosen carefully. Many professionals suggest that choosing an area rug first is the easiest way to incorporate a rug in a room. By selecting a rug first, paint, furniture, pillows, and even paintings can be tailored to specifically match the rug. This makes the entire process much easier, but sometimes choosing a rug first is not an option.
The size of an area rug is an important part of making sure it fits in a room. In general, try getting a rug that is around 2 feet shorter than the room’s smallest wall. Situating the rug largely depends on the room. For a bedroom, place it under the bottom third of the bed. In a dining room, place it completely under the table and chairs. Meanwhile, living room rugs are best situated so that they are under a coffee table and stretch to the front of the couches.
Finally, if the rug is adding a new color to a room, tie in the same color elsewhere to ensure everything flows. Patterned rugs can be difficult to match, but they can easily be layered on top of a more neutral or plain-colored rug to prevent the pattern from being overwhelming. Area rugs are not limited to tile or hardwood floors, either. Placing an area rug over carpet is a great way of adding a bit of playfulness to a room.