I hope this finds everyone well! This week I want to talk about area rugs – art work for your floor. I love area rugs as they can add much to your spaces, from colour to texture to ‘temperature’, that is warmth or coolness. I have found in working with clients to update their spaces, there are some misconceptions about size which often results in a space that just doesn’t quite hit the mark. Read on for tips to consider when choosing an area rug that will be perfect for your space.
Area rug - W Studio Artistic Carpets and Rugs
One of the most common mistakes I see is buying an area rug that is too small for the room making the space unbalanced and the furniture appear to be ‘floating’ or disconnected. In most rooms ensure there be about 10-20” (on average) of floor between the walls and the edge of the rug.
If your living room is on the smaller side, you could have as little as 8” between rug and wall but I feel more space on the margin is better as the negative space will make the room appear larger and more spacious. You can then create a cohesive look by placing just the front legs of the sofa(s) on the rug, ensuring they overlap the rug by a half to two-thirds the depth of the seating. If your room has chairs, the front legs of the chairs should sit on the rug as well and if space allows place the chairs on the diagonal (a look I love! It adds visual texture to the space and makes it feel more casual and comfortable). You would then place the coffee table fully on the area rug between seating to create a comfortable conversation area.
Photo Credit: Roberto Nickson
If you have a larger living room, you can have as much as 24” between rug and wall. This may mean you may be able to place all furniture fully on the rug which really grounds the space and creates a more intimate, comfortable look and feel.
Photo Credit: Ryan Doka
Regardless of room size, the area rug should be centred in the space. Exceptions to this are instances where you want to highlight an area of the room, for example the conversation area or if you have an open concept where area rugs will define the ‘rooms’ of the space. In either case, it is safer to go too big rather than too small, make the rug size and placement ‘intentional’ and purposeful.
Photo Credit: Alberto Castillo Q
I hope these tips help your decision making when your are considering a new area rug. Rugs really are the perfect way to bring cohesion and warmth to your room, anchor the spaceand add visual texture and allow you to bring some personality to the space.
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