Home Décor: How To Combine Different Rugs In A Room

Purchasing the right rug for your home may be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. It is important to remember that one size doesn’t necessarily fit all – you usually have to choose a different type of rug for different areas of the house in order to match the style, color and feel of the room. And all of that depends on your personal preference and style.

While you may prefer to place a single rug in your bedroom, you can combine two or three rugs in your living room to elevate and liven up the space. It’s all about how creative and original you want to get with your surroundings.

Although rugs can be pricey, they are a solid investment because not only do they last a very long time when properly cared for, they also give your house a characteristic warmth, coziness and comfort.

Decorating with rugs can allow you to define different areas in a house, especially if it is a studio or an open concept living area. They can also help to regulate the color scheme of a room, toning it down or brightening it up where required. Added to that, they have the power to make a room look more spacious or intimate.

While some people may strictly adhere to certain rules while placing rugs around the house, rug experts and interior designers are much more flexible in their approach, claiming that decorating with rugs depends a lot on personal preference and circumstance. So don’t shy away from sprucing up your place by letting it reflect your own individualized taste and style.

Before we tell you how to combine different rugs in a room, it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with different types of rugs. This will make it easier for you to decide when combining multiple rugs in a room.

Different Kinds Of Textures

 

Here are some common textures for rugs:

Wool Rugs – Ideal for lasting very long, woolen rugs are resistant to stains and clean well. They are often expensive.

 

Sisal Rugs – This is a natural flooring material that is great for an organic, warm look. It is durable, environmentally friendly and a classic choice for living rooms.

 

Jute Rugs – Also made of natural fibre, jute rugs are a fantastic option for living rooms, bedrooms or dining rooms.

 

Seagrass Rugs – This is one of the most eco-friendly rugs on the market. Easy to clean and highly durable, they are great for layering up.

 

Silk Rugs – They are great for giving a luxurious feel. They are soft and emit a naturally beautiful sheen.

 

Synthetic Rugs – These fairly affordable rugs are made from acrylic, olefin, nylon or polyester. They are also easy to clean, however, they don’t last very long.

 

Chenille Rugs – These lightweight, delicate rugs add a sophisticated touch to living room areas, and are very soft to touch.

 

Sheepskin or Cowhide Rugs – Made from the hide of a sheep, sheepskin rugs add a rich, soft and comfortable touch to the living space. Cowhide rugs, made from cow skin and hair, are a classic for layering up and adding an extravagant look.

 

Cotton Rugs – Cotton rugs are affordable and can be washed pretty easily. They are not very durable and may decolourise after a while.

Combining Different Rugs

 

Using your living space to integrate rugs of different sizes, patterns, textures and colors is a great way to add character to your surroundings. Whether your pick is to choose vintage mid century modern rugs or the more classic oriental rugs, here a few tips to help you in your decision.

Use Rugs To Define Different Areas In Your House

Often times, your living room will consist of different areas, from the sitting area to the dining space. When you don’t have walls and concrete separating and drawing hard distinctions between these spaces, a rug can be your best friend.

You can choose different textured rugs to compliment the different areas depending on your color palette preferences and the furniture. Always remember that when placing a rug underneath the dining table, ensure that the rug is big enough so that the chairs rest on it once pulled out.

Run With Different Shapes And Sizes

It’s time to break away from the usual rectangular rug and get experimental. You can explore different shapes and sizes, ranging from circular, oval and square shaped rugs, and place them after deciding what fits.

This means that you can top up natural fibre rugs, such as sisal, jute or sea grass, with a cowhide or sheepskin to complement your furniture. This could go exceptionally well if you have leather sofas and a rustic style.

Additionally, one of the best ways to layer and combine different rugs is to use a neutral base rug, such as white, grey or brown, and adding different textured and patterned rugs of smaller sizes and different shapes on top. You can do this by either framing the smaller rug on top of the bigger neutral rug or overlapping rugs of different sizes for a boho-chic look. Incase of the latter, make sure the pattern is more or less in the same family – you don’t want to complement a floral pattern with one that has stripes.

Color Scheme For Combining Rugs

Color is everything. It is one of the most important elements to keep in mind when buying or combining rugs. Always remember, use a light color rug to make a small space look bigger. Conversely, use rugs with dark and rich colors for an intimate feel.

Essentially, make sure that there is harmony in the color scheme, with no stark contrasts. Therefore, use rugs from the same color family when layering up. You want a soft, warm look, and something that feels natural. It is always safe to use a neutral base and go from there. Incase you want to play it safe, you can also place solid rugs in different colors around the room.

A pro tip while combining different colored rugs is to ensure that they match some of the colors of the sofas, chairs, lamps, curtains or other pieces of furniture in the room. A dash of the same color will reflect thoughtfulness of style and create a seamless look throughout the room. Moreover, maintain one consistent colors throughout all the layered rugs to add uniformity and cohesiveness in color tone.

Combining Different Textures and Patterns

While layering up, it is important to ensure that you don’t have conflicting textures and patterns. This means that if your base rug is patterned, make sure that the top rug has a unique texture that complements it. Think of a chenille rug topped up with a woolen rug.

Primarily, always ensure that the base rug is a rather flat rug, either hand-woven or tufted, as opposed to braided weave, so that the other rugs sit well on it. Short pile base rugs are also a good option as a base rug.

You can go with the same texture and coordinate the color scheme. Examples would include various hand knotted rugs in beige and browns, but with different patterns, such as half stripes and Oriental.

It’s very important to keep in mind the furniture and wall color of your room. Incase of detailed ornamentation, go for lighter colors in flat-woven weave to even out the space visually. You can go for moroccon rugs or solid rugs in this case. However, if you have muted accent colors, opt for brighter or richer colors that are patterned and textured to add personality to the space. In this case, you could opt for embellished Persian rugs or silk rugs, which would also act as the focal point of your living space.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is recommended that you envision the kind of space you want to live in, and use a rug to set the mood. Be confident in your choice and show off by choosing the rug that best represents you.

Of course, always remember to render some TLC by regularly cleaning your rug. You can vacuum it once a month, and remove any stains immediately using a damp cloth. Additionally, it is highly recommended that you get your rugs professionally cleaned at least once a year. After all, taking care of your rug is as important as investing in one.

So what combination of rugs are you going to try in your home?

Author’s Bio: Lakshmi is an inspired content creator who switched passions from a career in interior design in order to work whilst travelling the world. A co-founder of CopyThat, a bespoke content creation studio, she focuses on putting into words the often complex and colourful thoughts of her interior and design focused clients. As one of Munich’s newest residents, Lakshmi enjoys hunting down culinary revelations whilst trying not to confuse her der/die/das’ in the local tongue. For more consultation hire home inspectors near you.