Answered by Staff Writer
August 4, 2021
Choosing a rug for your living room may seem like a challenge, but it doesn't have to be. Follow these tips when choosing the perfect rug for your living room.
Rug Size
The typical rug sizes for living rooms are 8x12 and 9x12. You can choose to put your furniture on top of the rug, or you can choose to put the front legs on the rug, with the rear legs on the carpet or hardwood (whatever flooring you might have).
If you aren’t sure what size rug you might want for your room, you can actually measure out rug size with tape to see what size will be best for your room.
Note: You will want your rug to be larger than your couch by at least six inches.
Rug Color
Choosing a rug color is also important. You can pull colors from your living room already, such as from the drapes, pillows, artwork, or even figurines scattered across the room.
Patterns are another thing to think about when it comes to your rug. A patterned rug is a great way to not only add pops of color but an interesting design to an otherwise neutral room. Patterned rugs also hide dirt easier than solid rugs, so they’re perfect for homes with kids.
Rug Texture
How your rug feels is important. A soft, warm wool rug has a completely different look and feels from a silk rug, which is soft but also expensive and not as warm. There are also synthetic rugs, shag rugs, jute rugs, and sisal rugs.
There are a lot of different rug textures that you can choose from, and it all comes down to personal preference.
Rug Shape
Remember that you don’t have to get a rectangular rug for your living room. You have options like:
- Rectangle
- Round
- Square
- Runners
- Animal hide
- Oblong
Each of these rug sizes creates a different space and look in your room. Remember, this is all about personal choice. If you want a country feel, then choose the animal hide and rock the country vibe. If you want a traditional look, then you can’t go wrong with the rectangular or even the square rug.
Runners can be used to line your couch and accent chairs to accentuate to seating area without using a large area rug. Circular rugs are also great at accenting a seating area since you can arrange all your chairs to look at one another.