If you’re stuck for a place to start when decorating a room, start with the area rug. One with more than one color will provide a complete palette to inspire the look of the whole room. Area rugs are a great addition to any room. Whether they adorn hardwood floors or layered over carpet, the impact of area rugs is hard to beat. They are like textural art for the floor. A rug can define a whole rooms color, style and feel. Many designers start room designs with the rug and build the whole room around that one inspiration.
First, you need to decide what style of rug you want…traditional, contemporary, country, oriental, Persian, Indian and many others. After that…
Things to look for in the rug… (click on pictures to enlarge)
1. Look for a rug that has colors you like, and will feel comfortable in the room you envision.
2. Look at the rug and pull a wall color out of the pattern.
3. Think of the furniture, upholstery and drapery fabrics you can use that compliment other colors in the rug.
4. Then look for a brighter accent color in the rug to accent the other colors, and use it in smaller doses.
5. Repeat and layer some of these colors around the room so the colors are picked up in more than one place. The eye perceives repetition as a unifying and cohesive element.
6. Keep contrasts in mind, light against dark, one color playing off of another, texture next to smooth.
7. Make a simple sample board, as I’ve done here, to see the big picture of the major players in the room and how they will relate to each other.
You’ll be surprised at how one inspiration piece can completely decorate a room for you. It’s almost effortless and foolproof. If you don’t want an area rug or have a solid color rug, look to a colorful piece of art, or a fabric you love to be the palette you use, instead the rug. Bottom line, find the element with the most pattern and color to use as the palette to design your room around. It doesn’t get easier than that. Find that inspiration piece and everything will fall into place.
What inspiration pieces have you used to build your room around, rug, art, fabric, china, flower bouquet, photograph, piece of jewelry, a place you’ve visited, a feeling you’ve felt? Once you’ve found it, that “happy dance” begins… and a room is born.
Now go be inspired!
1. Love that….
In my case…I added the rug last and it made the room work….
Always knew I was a little backward.
Next time I’ll do it right….
The first picture is my colors…love it!
Thank you for wonderful hints!
by Julie — 8/8/09 at 10:33 pm #
2. Hello Julie,
Thank you. I’m glad your room came together well, even if you had a different approach. Many people want to paint first, then buy furniture, then add in patterns. I find it to be much easier to find the pattern first, because a pattern is finite and can’t be changed, but paint and solid colors are easily changed to fit patterns. Also you can see how all the colors will work togehter in one piece instead of adding pieces here and there and hoping for the best.
There’s no right or wrong way, I just think it’s easier to see all the colors I’m working with before I begin.
I know your room is beautiful, enjoy it.
by Cathy — 8/10/09 at 11:51 am #
3. Cathy-
I love your ideas. I’m having trouble with centerpieces. I have a rectangular
table that seats 8 to 10. any ideas?
Thanks-
Dayna
by Dayna — 8/11/09 at 7:50 pm #
4. It’s a lot easier to match paint to a rug than V.V.! I’ve done the same thing with focal-point artwork. I figure the artist knew what they were doing when the selected their colors, why reinvent the wheel?
by susan — 8/12/09 at 8:05 am #
5. Dayna!
How great to hear from you. Thanks for dropping by on the HG blog. Hope summer is going well for you and your family.
First of all, your home is a showpiece. I can’t believe you’re having trouble with centerpieces for your dining table. But, I’ll be happy to pass along a few ideas that might be something you can use.
As I remember, the room is traditional with dark furniture finishes and beautiful Asian inspired wallpaper. A stunner!
1. Gather 5-7 large Asian jars, vases or urns and set them in the center of the table.
2. Set a large clear contemporary vase in the center of the table (add river rock for weight) and place a tall budding or interesting leafed branch leaning casually out of the vase.
3. Line up 3 large footed clear hurricane vases and fill them all with the same fruit…pears, apples, tangerines, limes etc.(fresh for summer)
4. Make a tablescape out of Asian boxes, china, candlesticks, statuary etc.
check out my blog on tablescapes…
http://openhouse.homegoods.com/index.php/2009/05/31/tip-top-tabletop-tips/
5. Group a collection of 8-12 different sized candlesicks. Mix sizes, shapes and finishes.
6. Line up 5-7 clear vases down the table and add one simple but interesting flower in each…peony, gerber daisy, bird of paradise, ornamental kale, hydrangea etc.
7. A large contemporary vase of white flowers casually unarranged off center on the table.
8. For summer, a natural fiber tray with a glass pitcher, a big bowl of lemons and mint, and glassware (for lemonade).
There’s a few for you. If you put nothing on the table, that room would still be a knock out!
Enjoy your beautiful home (I’m smiling just thinking abou it) and hugs to the family.
LYC
by Cathy — 8/12/09 at 1:23 pm #
6. You’re so right Susan. It is easier to match paint to anything than V.V.
Artwork is a great inspiration starter and color direction for any room. If you’re drawn to any piece where the colors just speak to you, use it to your advantage and jumping-off point for room design. It’s much easier than looking at all those white walls and wondering “what do I do”??
Great to hear from you and thanks for commenting.
by Cathy — 8/12/09 at 1:46 pm #
7. This is a great idea. I’m buying my first home and I have no idea where to to start decorating something that’s 3 times the size of my current apartment, so this will definitely be a helpful place to start.
by Joel — 8/12/09 at 5:58 pm #
8. Hey Joel,
I’m so glad you found this information helpful to you, especially before you start to decorate your new home. Congratulations btw. This really is an easy way to design a room and have it look, well put together. It’s important to look at the “big picture” first and make a sample board. This is your plan-of-attack and should be your blueprint for the room.
Thanks so much for taking time to write and letting me know this was useful to you.
Enjoy your new and beautifully decorated home…by you!
by Cathy — 8/13/09 at 12:34 pm #
9. Good info. Thanks. I do have a ? as to what shape is best for rooms.
example, If you have a round dining room table, should the rug be round? (the room is pretty much square). How much rug under the furniture, say in the living room or family room?.
by Mary — 8/13/09 at 3:59 pm #
10. This is great, i am just starting decorating my first home, this info really helps. I have another question - not exaclt related to rugs, but still about family room furniture. Is it ok to mix leather and cloth furniture such as leather loveseat with cloth sofa in the family room ?
Thanks,
Raji
by Raji — 8/17/09 at 3:24 am #
11. Hello Mary,
Your question inspired a new blog post, “Sizing Up Area Rugs”
http://openhouse.homegoods.com/index.php/2009/08/16/sizing-up-area-rugs/
This post should answer your questions about your dining table and size and shape of rug. Also rug sizes for furniture groupings in other areas of your home.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
by Cathy — 8/17/09 at 11:18 am #
12. Thank you so much Raji,
I’m glad this was helpful. It really gives you a jumping-off point to begin in a room. To answer your question, yes, it’s fine and more interesting to have a mix of furnishings, fabrics and finishes in a room, as long as they relate to each other in some way. Add a little color ( pillows, throw) from the sofa onto the loveseat and/or vice versa. Maybe add a chair with colors from both. Even an area rug can connect the two pieces through color, and define and anchor the grouping.
Enjoy decorating your first home, it’s very rewarding.
by Cathy — 8/17/09 at 11:41 am #
13. Hello, Cathy!
I’m moving from an apartment with wood floors to one with white carpet. Not too long ago, I’d purchased a beautiful wool area rug… but it’s predominantly black. And it SHEDS, horribly! I think it’s going to go into storage, for that reason….
But I’d recently been told that putting a rug down over carpet wears the carpet down quicker. Since it’s not actually my carpet… is there something I can do to avoid that?
by Jill — 9/17/09 at 4:28 pm #
14. Hello Jill,
Good luck on your move. Sounds exciting. Sorry your black rug is shedding so much (not good over white carpeting). Most area rugs are fine to use over carpet, but you need to address that shedding issue first. You might take the rug to a rug professional and find why it’s shedding so much. Be carefull storing your wool rug. Moths can distroy them in storage.
To answer your question. Yes you can successfully place area rugs over wall-wall carpet without ruining either one.
* If the back side of the rug is rough or latex, do not place it directly on the carpet. This will wear/stain the carpet underneith. Use a rug pad between.
* Use a rug pad made especially for rug to carpet applications. This will prevent bunching, creeping, and protects both the carpet and area rug. Some pads have a tacky surface on both side to keep the rug in place and protects both.
* Vacuum carpet underneith the rug (as well as rug) often to collect the dirt that wears carpets out.
* Check out rugsaver.net for more info on pads.
Enjoy your new Apt. and feel free layering the rugs…the right way.
Great question!
by Cathy — 9/21/09 at 12:44 pm #
15. I found the perfect area carpet at my local homegoods in PBG, FL. When i went back the next day to buy it, it was gone. I have since been to all 5 stores within 40 miles with no luck. How can i find this carpet.
Thanks
JJ
by John — 9/22/09 at 4:17 pm #
16. Hi John,
Thanks for submitting a comment to Openhouse, the new HomeGoods blog.
We understand that you have been trying to locate a rug. As an off price retailer, we make every effort to keep our prices low, and our costs down, so that we can pass these savings on to our customers. For this reason, we do not provide a service of tracking merchandise, In addition, we do not have the privilege of ordering specific merchandise from our vendors. To locate the rug, we suggest that you continue to check with the stores in your area directly. We would be happy to provide you with store locations in your area. If you would like a store list, please call our Customer Service Department directly at 1-800-888-0776.
Thank you,
Jessica
HomeGoods Customer Service
by HomeGoods Customer Service — 9/23/09 at 10:40 am #
17. I just purchased a model home. All the walls are painted earth colors. the room i am undecided about accessorizing is the family room. the furniture is leather, sofa, chair, loveseat and ottoman. The color is eggplant. The drapes were left in the home and they are olive green. the walls are a goldish yellow. i am not going to be able to changeout the furniture or wall color anytime soon. What colors should i use to accessorize? I have a stone fireplace from the floor to the ceiling and 2 niches i can place things in. Please help!!!
by Taina — 10/8/09 at 10:50 pm #
18. Hello Taina,
How great to have a model home, lots of nice upgrades and rich wall colors. All of your elements and colors in your family room really sound nice together. But they are all seperate color elements and need some unifying pieces. An area rug could really tie your colors together nicely.
Look for a rug with mostly the olive green with the gold and eggplant in the design as well. Then you could add gold and olive pillows to the sofas/chair. Even your art could reflect the colors of the room. Add some beautiful golden fall flowers. Maybe add some banding (border) to your green drapery with the eggplant color. In your niches, display some beautiful Italian (your colors) tall vases or large round plates on stands. Even paint the walls of the niches the eggplant or olive color to repeat the color scheme and draw attention to the feature. Light them.
There are many thing you can do to make the room feel more unified and cohesive. I hope these were of interest to you and helpful.
Enjoy your marvelous model home.
by Cathy — 10/10/09 at 11:49 am #