10 Common Rug Decorating Mistakes & How To Fix Them
Whether you are furnishing a new home or in need of a room refresh, an area rug can make a world of difference. Rugs are a fabulous alternative or add-on to wall-to-wall carpeting. They offer an added layer of protection to your floors or carpet and are especially good for use in high-traffic areas like hallways, and they also add softness and cosiness to carpeted bedrooms.
With so many area rugs to choose from and so many options available, how do you pick the right one that is perfect for your home. Below are ten decorating mistakes that are made with area rugs and helpful tips to help fix them.
The solution: When purchasing a rug make sure all of the furniture should be sitting on the rug. If that isn’t possible, have the front legs of the solid pieces of furniture sit on the rug, while for smaller pieces, try to have all four legs on the rug.
Layering rugs is an ongoing trend and it can help make a large room feel cozier with additional texture. You can even layer rugs over carpets. Layering accents and area rugs is a really wonderful way to add colour, depth and texture to a room’s space. The trick is to pair an area rug with a different enough accent rug on top of the area rug.
An example of this would be putting an area rug in between the couch and sofas in a house to help highlight the conversation area of the house.
Make sure that any heavily trafficked areas are totally covered by the rug you select. When people are walking through, they should not have one foot on the rug and one foot off. It’s awkward, uncomfortable, and may cause unusual wear patterns on both the rug and your flooring.
With so many area rugs to choose from and so many options available, how do you pick the right one that is perfect for your home. Below are ten decorating mistakes that are made with area rugs and helpful tips to help fix them.
1. Choosing a rug that is too small (also known as a floating rug)
Sometimes a rug is purchased and it turns out to be too small. When you go to put the rug down in a room, they don’t touch the furniture making the room look empty and small.The solution: When purchasing a rug make sure all of the furniture should be sitting on the rug. If that isn’t possible, have the front legs of the solid pieces of furniture sit on the rug, while for smaller pieces, try to have all four legs on the rug.
2. Not trying layering
Mixing rugs can be easy. However, unlike matching your rug with the colors on a wall, your floor will speak loud if those colors clash.Layering rugs is an ongoing trend and it can help make a large room feel cozier with additional texture. You can even layer rugs over carpets. Layering accents and area rugs is a really wonderful way to add colour, depth and texture to a room’s space. The trick is to pair an area rug with a different enough accent rug on top of the area rug.
3. Not mixing periods and styles
When it comes to decorating a room, make sure to limit the period and style of the furniture and accessories you put in it. As too much of one period will start to make the rooms feel like a themed room. An easy way to achieve balance in any room is to focus on one antique piece in a room of contemporary (or vice versa!).4. Placing your rugs in the wrong areas
Don’t let an area rug look like a postage stamp on your floor. An area rug should ground the room and fill the conversation area. At the correct size it pulls your furniture into a cohesive unit.Experiment with your area rug. Try rotating your rug from time to time; this may inspire you to rearrange the furniture in your space for a refreshing change.5. Clutter on the walls
Putting colour and pattern on to the floor is a great way to anchor a space and it is sometimes the best option to choose a neutral colour for your walls and accent with art that is pulled colourwise from the rug. A patterned rug is a great way to disguise high traffic areas and every day family living!6. Cramped
A well placed area rug can make a room feel harmonized, otherwise the room will look cramped. Your rug should extend to lay under all key furniture (think coffee tables and sofas), yet stop about eight to twenty four inches from your walls.If it is any closer to the walls, the room will look and feel cramped. Therefore it is important to measure the area in your room, as well as the rug.7. Dull & boxy
Have a dull and boxy room in the house? Area rugs are a great way to liven up a room and bring in playful colours and designs, so embrace colours and designs when you are shopping around for area rugs.8. Control the volume
Use a rug to visually quieten a room or turn up the volume as needed. If there is an intricate or complex wallpaper or pattern on the walls, it is best to choose a rug that has a more subtle pattern. You can try a busier pattern or bolder patterns on a rug for rooms that have very subdued colours on the walls to add more interest to the room.9. Focus
You can use a rug to define or separate an area in your house. This is really useful for those with studio apartments, as this helps with defining areas and separating them from one another.An example of this would be putting an area rug in between the couch and sofas in a house to help highlight the conversation area of the house.
10. Focal points are all over the place
It’s easier to start with a focus and plan the rest of the room’s decor around it. If you prefer to work with what you already have, decide what the focal feature will be and then arrange existing furniture to direct attention toward it. You can always start with the rug in your room as the focal point, you can even hang it on the wall as another way to create a focal point.Make sure that any heavily trafficked areas are totally covered by the rug you select. When people are walking through, they should not have one foot on the rug and one foot off. It’s awkward, uncomfortable, and may cause unusual wear patterns on both the rug and your flooring.