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Design Dilemma : Area Rug Transformations

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One of the easiest ways to lend eye-popping style to any room is through one element alone: an area rug. In one fell swoop, a room can become classic or trendy, sophisticated or wacky. An area rug is one of the easiest ways possible to show off your personality, whether you’re a wallflower or the life of the party. And the best thing about rugs is that they can easily be swapped out or traded when you tire of any one look. Just switch them around from room to room, or layer them when you want something completely different. If you don’t take advantage of all the possibilities a good rug can give you, you’re really missing out on an opportunity.

So what’s your personality?

Classic with an artsy twist.

Let’s say you like order and classic decor, but you have an adventurous side that enjoys the arts and a little bit of color. The runner above called Bar Chart Bliss by Julie Dasher Rugs, is the perfect choice to inject a little drama in a very classic interior without going too wild. It’s just bright enough and unexpected enough that your friends will know you’ve got a wilder side but it’s also extremely practical and resistant to dirt and stains. That alone makes it an excellent choice for high traffic areas like the entry.

The colorful geometric rug above also fits in with this personality type. Geometry suggests order and refinement but the bright colors are certainly beyond the pale!

The rug above, is another of the color block looks. Again, the rug gives the room an artsy vibe, but in an ordered sort of way that looks great with classic white couches and white metal chairs.

This shaggy, colorful area rug in a Washington DC home is just unexpected enough to inject some bo-ho flare into a crisp all-white interior.

Buttoned up Glam.

So you follow the trends and you like luxury, but you like to keep things sophisticated and not too in-your-face. The perfect rug for you could be this arabesque geometric rug in gray and white. The pattern is stylish and vibrant, but the gray and white palette refrains from taking over the room. The effect is a room that feels warm and lively but at the same time urbane and cozy.

The room above takes a page or two out of the buttoned up Glam page book. The muted gray is cool and sophisticated but the raised shag of the rug hints at just a little bit of glam.

Solidly traditional.

Got antiques, a historic home, and a penchant for beaded chandeliers, chair rails and wallpaper? Check out the butter yellow rug above, which manages to hold its own while letting the room’s architectural details stand out. The key to its pop is the raised diamond design that takes this solid rug beyond the place where most solid rugs are willing to go. The color looks fantastic against dark wood floors and picks up the butter color of the walls.

And what is there to be said about oriental rugs? They are always on point, working in both traditional and modern interiors. Their vibrant colors and patterns stand up to pets and children, and they always enhance any room of the house.

The room above is more transitional than traditional, but it uses a traditional oriental rug to lend the room a sense of rooted timelessness.

Sexy and Mod.

Shaggy flokati rugs were all the rage in bachelor pads of the 60s and 70s, and they still have their appeal today. Soft underfoot, shaggy rugs are perfect in the bedroom, where they speak of romantic nights before a roaring fire. Shags are particularly adapted to bedrooms, since bedrooms get less foot traffic, ensuring your shag rug will not get crushed and matted. Check out another soft, sexy bedroom below:

The leather rug above is a little too small for the environment, but the look is still sexy and modern in a masculine sort of way.

Outdoorsy.

Do you wish you were living in a tree house? The next best thing may be this textured rug with a forest motif.

Or perhaps the grassy rug below:

And in the room below, a patterned kilim feels appropriately earthy with the forest green couch.

Low-key

And when is a neutral, plain rug the best choice in a home? When you’ve got dramatic, stellar artwork that you want to take center stage!