Should I cover my hardwood floor? Will adding an area rug create the cozy atmosphere I am looking for? What size area rug should I choose for my dining room?
These are some of the most popular questions about choosing an area rug. Area rugs are a very popular styling technique that can significantly improve a room. Hard surfaces such as tile, luxury vinyl, and hardwood are all great flooring options for any home. Still, they can often leave the room feeling cold and incomplete, so there are benefits to adding a carefully selected and properly sized area rug.
While adding area rugs elevates the room’s overall look, they also protect your flooring, provide extra comfort and warmth, absorb sound, and will ground or anchor a room. Here are a few simple rules you can easily follow to ensure you take advantage of all the benefits of incorporating an area rug into your home styling plan. Follow these tips to find the best area rug for each room of
your home!
Living Room
Area rugs should fit the room’s shape and the furniture’s arrangement – remember, an area rug does not necessarily need to be in the center of the room. Suppose you want to place an area rug in your living room containing a sofa, loveseat, and chair that create a conversation area. In that case, you will want to select an area rug to tie the conversation area together. To avoid a “floating” area rug, ensure that it allows for the front feet of each piece of furniture to rest on it. Additionally, the area rug should be at least two feet wider (one foot per side) than the largest piece of furniture. In the case of the living room mentioned above, this would mean two feet wider than the sofa. For open-concept spaces, it is best to ensure that the area rug will fit comfortably under each piece of furniture completely – it can help define a space within a room.
Bedrooms
Adding an area rug beneath your bed will do the trick if you enjoy having a warm and soft landing when you get out of bed in the morning. It can also help to fill the space visually, especially in large bedrooms. Select a large area rug to provide coverage at the sides of the bed and at the bottom of the bed. If you are on a budget or working in a small room, selecting a slightly smaller area rug can help to create the illusion of more space.
PRO TIP: Double-sided carpet tape is the best solution to secure your rug safely. Alternatively, a nonslip rug mat placed under the entire area rug can also help to keep the edges down.
Home Office- Study
An area rug at your home office or study will help soften the space, provide extra cushioning, and protect your floors. This look is especially popular with wood floors. The goal in selecting an area rug for an office is to ensure that the desk chair, in particular, comfortably remains on the rug, even when pulled out from the desk. No one wants to sit in a chair half on and half off the rug. Especially within a home office, consider any equipment wires that might need to cross the room you want your rug to align with the room’s functionality.
PRO TIP: Not quite sure how the area rug will look? Before purchasing, map out the placement of the area rug with painter’s tape.
Using area rugs can be a lot of fun. They provide comfort, warmth, and decorative interest and are a great way to complete the look in any room of your home!
Voted Top 75 Most Influential People In Real Estate Staging by the Real Estate Staging Association, Beyond The Stage Homes CEO Shauna Lynn Simon is an award-winning entrepreneur, home staging industry influencer, residential designer, business coach and author.
