Rugs can cozy up a space, add interest and provide another way to layer pattern and color in your room. But without the right guidance they can also throw off proportions and look sloppy if you don’t consider your room’s needs before making a selection. Here is some advice from some seasoned pros on how to do rugs right.
1. Consider the Traffic
Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms are the rooms for which homeowners most frequently purchase rugs, says Nader Bolour, owner of Doris Leslie Blau, a luxury rug gallery in Manhattan selling antique and custom rugs to an international clientele. His company discourages the use of acrylics, which can withstand high-traffic activity, but are considered detrimental to the environment. For a luxurious and more eco-friendly option, choose wool, which is durable and can be cleaned. “For a more luxurious aesthetic, (especially in rooms used for more special occasions), we love silk for its opulence and feel,” recommends Bolour. “Linen and cotton are more challenging to clean but add a touch of elegance that wool cannot. Each material has a personality of its own, and there is a time and place for each (except acrylic and polyester).”
“While I give great consideration to the endurance of a rug, I am passionate about rugs made with luxe fibers such as silk and mohair,” agrees Amy Andrews founder and principal at Amy Andrews Interior Design based in Greenwich, CT. “Nothing beats the shimmer of a silk rug in evening light or the feel of a soft mohair weave under foot. These materials too can be durable, but you need to be mindful of the care and cleaning these types of carpets may require.”
“First impressions are everything,” adds Bolour, who advises clients to start with the entrance and living room first, when considering where to add carpet. “Ideally, you should love your rug so much that it draws your attention but also blends into the rest of the space seamlessly….Think of the rooms where you spend the most time and want to feel comfortable, safe and cozy, and prioritize those: primary bedrooms, libraries and playrooms.”
2. Consider the Function
Interior Designer Denise Davies, founder and principal at D2 Interieurs based in Fairfield County, CT, says she always considers the use of a rug before selecting what type of weave or pile works best. For example: If it’s going to be used under a dining room table, it has to be thin and the chairs must be able to slide on it. Davies says she talks to her client about not only where the rug is going but who will be using it. “Is it being used by all members of the family? Is it going to be in a place where kids and pets may be? What is the cleanability of the rug?”
If a rug is going upstairs or in a high traffic area, Andrews says, her team is mindful to present rugs that have denser weaves and durable fibers. Floor coverings that have open weaves, loops or that may have silk or manmade fibers added in can pull, pick and pill. If a carpet is too thick or too thin on the tread of a stair, the nosing of the step may wear out quickly, especially from sneakers and tennis shoes.
3. Consider the Scale
When it comes to rugs, designers agree that size matters. A rug that is too big or too small can throw off the scale of a space, advises Andrews. Before shopping, measure the floor and consider any floor registers, fireplace hearths, wall jogs or bay windows that may affect the spread of your rug. If your room cannot accommodate a standard size without compromising scale, consider a custom designed or broadloom rug that can be sized to fit.
“We typically suggest 12 to 18 inches of floor on all four sides, though each room is unique and has its own personality, so the carpet should match the feeling of the room,” recommends Bolour.
Your furniture should fit on your rug, advises Davies. When a room is very large, she likes to use rugs to create seating areas and divide up the space to make “rooms within a room.”
4. Consider the Impact
The right color and pattern on a rug can add depth to a room’s design and another layer of interest where needed. Davies says she selects the rug first with most of her projects and builds from there. “I feel the rug is the most important element,” she says. When considering color, choose something that will contrast the color of your floors, when you want to cozy up a room, and when you want it to look bigger, select something that blends with the floor to open up the space.
If your furniture has lots of pattern and texture, consider a neutral color for your rug, advises Bolour. If you want to bring more life to a room, try a pattern or color. “It depends on the individual, their design goals and the space,” says Bolour. “There is no exact formula, and there is no right or wrong answer. We work with clients who only prefer neutrals and warm tones and clients who always like bold, conversation-starting patterns….The end goal is to be inspired and comfortable when you’re in the space.”
A Library with Wow Factor
For one recent project, Andrews says, she helped a client design her Manhattan library to be fun and unexpected by pairing lacquered blue walls with a zebra print rug. “We custom-designed the carpet and handpicked the colors with J.D. Staron who produced it on a silk ground for us,” says Andrews. “We installed the carpet wall-to-wall to maximize the size of the room as well as to make the room extra inviting and cozy. The balance of color, scale and material used in this floor covering all played a considerable role in completing this gorgeous space.”
Family Friendly Foyer
When Davies helped her clients transform this custom home for their young family with small children, durability was key but she still wanted the home to have style and feel custom. She redid the floors to lighten them up, making the home feel more open, and added architectural details that made it feel more modern: for example, the barn door and the custom wood ceilings. But the custom D2 Interieurs rug with a dripping paint design is what catches the eye and draws you in. “I love this rug so much and designed the pattern specifically for this space,” says Davies. “It works so well with the adjoining rooms and plays beautifully off the oversized entry light.”
A Masculine Office
Carey Karlan, principal designer at Last Detail Interior Design in Darien, CT, used a little creativity when she selected a rug for her client’s home office. She started with paint color, which was a bold blue lacquered finish, accented by caramel tones of leather and wood furniture. Since the room’s shape was irregular and the floor had a beautiful inlay that no one wanted to cover up, she chose a custom size that fit perfectly inside the inlay. The JD Staron rug in orange and brown had a masculine and graphic pattern, which set the tone in the room, but the original carpet was a loosely woven embroidered Aubusson texture, which, she was concerned, would not hold its shape or feel soft under foot. Instead, she had the rug custom made in wool for durability and softness. “This selection was a bold risk, but worth it as it balanced the strong colors of the walls and ceiling, uniting and elevating the room,” says Karlan.
