5 Tips For Decorating With Rugs
Rugs add so much personality to a room. What was once just bare hardwood or
yucky rental apartment carpet instantly gets a design makeover just by spreading
a rug across the floor. I’ve lived in my share of dingily-carpeted apartments. Rugs
added some much-needed visual spice to a room (and covered up at least a portion
of the drab carpet.) If you have hardwood floors, which I do now, rugs bring
coziness and a pop of color to plain flooring. They can do far more than just these
decorating tricks, though. Here are five more practical and pretty ways to use rugs
in your home.
1. Rugs separate areas
Rugs work wonders at visually separating a room. If you have a room that functions
as both a living room and a dining room, for example, then you can use rugs to create
divisions. Place one rug in your living area, you know, under your couch, coffee table
and armchairs. And, lay another rug under your dining room table to visually separate
the two sections. Without these visual cues the large room will just sort of meld
together.
I used this same idea in my oddly-shaped bedroom. My bedroom functions as both
my sleeping area and my office. Before I placed a rug in my “desk area” of the bedroom,
the room just felt like everything was everywhere at once without any separation. Now,
with the addition of the rug, my room actually feels bigger and more like the two areas
are distinct.
I know, I didn’t actually show the desk area in the picture. I’m in the process of
redoing my desk and I didn’t want to show you the desk before it was complete.
I’m a perfectionist, okay? Instead, you get an up-close-and-personal shot of the
old school radiator in my room. (Talk about a decorating challenge.) You’ll just
have to use your imagination and envision my desk to the left and my bed to the
right.
2. Rugs build layers
Rugs add dimension to a room. I call it adding “layers”. Lots of items can add
layers to a space. Think art on the walls, curtains around a bare window or a
throw pillow on an armchair. These small touches add texture, and rugs more
than any. Rugs make a room feel cozy and inviting. (Am, I obsessed much?)
3. Rugs add style
When you love that geometric patterned wallpaper….When you’re crushing on
that couch in a unique textile…When you want to paint your living room a bright
color….but you just can’t commit. That’s when you buy a rug. Choosing a rug in
the same funky color or pattern you like gives you the option to incorporate it into your space without committing more permanently. It’s also a great option for renters!
4. Rugs create a focal point
When you don’t have an amazing stone fireplace or a “wow”-worthy bed headboard, you can use a rug to create a focal point in a room. Rugs in interesting colors, patterns or shapes can add drama to a space. Highlight your neutral bed with a vivid rug placed underneath it. Call attention to your sitting area with a circular rug. Or, pump up your dining space with a rug in an unexpected color.
5. Rugs make it cozy
Besides their visual appeal, rugs serve a practical purpose as well. They add warmth! My drafty bedroom stays seriously warmer after the addition of a rug. And, my toes aren’t so chilly all the time. There’s just something about a rug that adds comfort and makes a home more inviting.
Do you use rugs in your home? I’d love to here about how you use them in the comments…Also, feel free to post a link to your blog if you have pictures of your own favorite rugs!
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