In earlier posts I’ve shared some tips on thinking about the purpose, size and location of your rug. Now it’s time to think about design.
One of the first questions you need to ask is whether you want the design of your rug to blend in and harmonise with its surroundings, or stand out as a statement piece.
For example, imagine a space that’s very modern – monochromatic colour scheme, clean lines, minimalist. Now, you could choose a single-coloured rug that blends with the space to create one kind of statement. Or, you could pick a brightly coloured rug to create a focal point in the room.
And if you want something that’s inbetween, then a rug with a bold print using colours that match the space would achieve both. Making these decisions does go back to part 1, where you thought about the purpose of your rug.
There’s also some more basic considerations to think about when deciding on the design for your rug. Rugs are often used in hallways or high traffic areas. It probably goes without saying that a pale, delicate rug is a really bad idea in that sort of location!
But while choosing a more forgiving colour might be one solution, using a patterned rug in complementary colours is another solution that will help to disguise general wear and tear.
In big spaces, you can play with different patterns to create “rooms” within the space. For example, mixing a vintage design with something modern. Or rugs with similar designs but different colours to delineate each space.
And finally, think about pile height. Using the earlier example, a fluffy rug with a high pile height isn’t going to cope well in a high traffic area. Many feet will soon wear an obvious path into the surface. But there’s a lot to be said for sinking your toes into a soft, fluffy rug under the bed when you first get up in the morning.
