Living room rug ideas – 15 statement ways to instantly brighten up your space

Few floor coverings can compare to the enormous variety of colors, patterns, and textures offered by living room rug ideas, despite flooring trends coming and going.

Rugs have several practical advantages over the carpet and natural floors. It is a great insulator, minimizing draughts and hence heating costs. It dampens footsteps, muffles noise, and lessens sound transmission to the rooms below. Underfoot, it has a soft, comforting sensation. Additionally, it can give a living space a whole new level of individuality in terms of style.

A soft rug will bring a dash of colour, comfort, and pattern to any living room flooring ideas. Additionally, you can use it to help unify a scheme by running the same rug throughout an entire floor, or introduce modifications to help establish boundaries and define zones.

LIVING ROOM RUG IDEAS

Rugs are the ideal finishing touch for any space and can breathe personality into a boring living room design. An area rug is a great addition to your living room ideas if you can only add one thing.

1. GO FOR PLENTY OF COLOR

Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors thinks carpets, particularly old ones, can completely change a space. I adore utilizing them in every space, including the family and living rooms. They bring colour, texture, and intrigue to the living room while instantly grounding the space.

Consider living room rugs to be investment items because they can be moved about, unlike tiles or parquet flooring. According to bespoke rug designer Amy Kent, “In my experience, the biggest regret from clients when choosing a rug is not going bold enough or huge enough.” Nothing ever comes off as bold as you anticipate, so it’s always better to err on the side of caution than to be prudent.

2. BE PLAYFUL WITH SPHERICAL DESIGN

This bright living room is a tribute to the easygoing charm of the Cote d’Azur. Here, the sharp corners of the architecture are softened by artistically contoured components.

In 2023, rugs with undulating shapes are predicted to become increasingly popular for use in living rooms. Whether they’re fully voluptuous or subtly rounded, curves are a great way to provide a focal point to your design or a delicate touch of shaping to your décor, both of which will help to elevate the layout and soften the overall aesthetic of your room.

3. LET PATTERN BE THE HERO

It’s all about striking a good balance when it comes to patterning the rugs and carpets in your living room. Designer Samantha Todhunter suggests letting the rug take centre stage in a room with a lot of graphic design elements and then layering the room with complimentary colours and textures.

4. KEEP IT SIMPLE 

Building the design story from the ground up is recommended when redecorating a home. It’s the holy grail of interior design to tracking down a living room rug that fits in with the rest of the furniture and decor like it was made for it.

Adding depth and cosiness to an otherwise monochromatic living space, this cream area rug is a nice finishing touch. Simply treat your rug or rug as an extension of the floor, and the rest of the design will fall into place.

5. MIMIC THE COLORS USED ELSEWHERE

The colour palette of your living room should complement the rug you place in the room. The mood of a room can be dramatically altered by the rug chosen for it. Here, the rug’s shade of blue is similar to that of the pillows, creating a harmonious and refined yet unpretentious overall effect.

6. LET YOUR RUG DECIDE THE COLOR SCHEME

Adding a rug is a simple method to improve the look and feel of a room by changing its colour scheme, temperature, and/or texture. It is a good method to soften a hard stone, tiled, or timber floor, and it can also be layered into soft surfaces to create extra interest or to designate zones, making it more adaptable than living room carpet ideas or other forms of fixed floor-covering.

When planning a room’s design, the first step should be picking out a rug, says Linny Moss, the creative director of Knots Rugs. You can make a statement with that — just think of your rug as a work of art for your floor. There has been a recent uptick in the number of people who “go for it” while shopping for a rug, viewing them instead as “investment pieces” that can be used to “complete your living room’s look.”

7. LAY DOWN A STATEMENT RUG 

The remainder of the room’s decor can be kept minimal to let the rug’s bold pattern and colour take centre stage. Do this by repeating the rug’s hues with throw pillows, drapes, and other decorative accents.

Alternatively, if your furniture is already in place, you can finish the room by adding a complementary or neutral rug, possibly with a warm texture or smooth finish to give it a touch of luxury. Moss elaborates: “Try a classic rug with contemporary furniture, or the other way around.”

8. DECORATE WITH PATTERN

Pattern placement is a challenge when furnishing a living room, particularly with rugs.

Designers Guild’s founder and creative director, Tricia Guild, OBE, states, “We are all huge supporters of incorporating pattern in our homes and outdoor areas.” Damask provides a more classical vibe, while a pictorial image tells a story and lends a quirky atmosphere to your space; keep this in mind when choosing a pattern.

If you’re not sure what colours to choose, stick with the neutrals. Create a warm, inviting, and texturally rich modern farmhouse look with the help of a patterned rug and some otherwise neutral room and decor ideas in the living area.

9. BE BOLD WITH A BLUE (OR PURPLE) RUG 

Your room can be completely transformed with the help of some deep blue rugs, which provide a “whole world of drama and impact” to the area.

It’s a great choice for vibrant, sociable settings because of the vibrant, happy vibe it conveys. Residential designer at Brintons, Jodie Hatton, explains how the use of dark carpeting can make a huge room feel cosier by adding depth and making objects stand out more.

While rich, luxurious rugs may be linked with antiquated room designs, Jodie reassures us that current blues and purples ooze an eclectic combination of elegance and refinement that will only enrich your living room decor.

10. SMARTEN UP WITH STRIPES

Stripes can refocus the viewer’s attention and add structure to any area. As Roselind Wilson, principal of Roselind Wilson Design, puts them, “they add a touch of subtle beauty and refinement when used in an interior plan.”

In interior design, the use of a striped rug against a solid wall or floor can be a powerful tool for creating the illusion of a larger or smaller room. Like floorboards, the traditional look of a stripe can visually extend and broaden a room.

11. CHOOSE AN ON-TREND DESIGN

The scalloped edge is a design trend that has caught on with us. An increasing number of living items are taking on a scalloped or otherwise rounded edge to reflect the current trend in interior design toward softer, more organic forms. The beautiful silhouette created by the design’s undulating curves makes for a chic addition to any neutral-coloured living space.

12. BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN FLOORING AND ART

Rugs, like a painting on the wall, may inject character and style into a home by introducing a new texture and colour.

Even the most wooden hardwood floors can be enhanced by the addition of a stunning rug that serves as a unifying design room or serves as a focal point. With this rug, you won’t even need paint to give your room a new look because it was inspired by works of art.

13. OPT FOR A RUG MADE FROM NATURAL MATERIALS

Plant fibre carpeting is a sustainable solution that has evolved beyond its more traditional rustic style to incorporate more natural urban aesthetics. It can be laid down like carpet, used as a room divider, or cut into smaller pieces and bound with decorative fabric or leather to make a rug, runner, or other floor covering.

Because of its poor resistance to water and humidity, it is not a good fit for either a wet or dry environment, such as a bathroom or kitchen. To prevent spills, flooring should be coated before installation. Furthermore, natural flooring should have adhered down because it is not as dimensionally stable as a carpet (sisal may shrink, and coir might swell). According to Michael Turner of Crucial Trading, “for comfort and longevity,” a hard underlay is employed and the flooring is attached to it.

14. GIVE COUNTRY STYLE A MODERN TWIST

If you’re looking for a more modern vibe in your living space, this simple room with its bright rug is just what you need.

The sofa and rug are the stars of the show thanks to the room’s monochromatic colour scheme. Together, the pink kilim, artwork, and matching cushions give the room a fresh twist on a traditional design.

15. GET CREATIVE WITH COLOR

Many of us still choose neutral carpets, but some new trends are appearing. Grays, taupes, and mild pinks are replacing the standard beige, while bolder colours are being employed as accents in the same way wallpaper once was.

Here, the rug’s colours served as inspiration for a modern living room’s colour plan, which was both harmonious and whimsical.

WHAT TYPE OF RUG IS BEST FOR A LIVING ROOM?

Wool is the room most commonly associated with rugs used in living rooms. The Carpet Foundation’s official spokesman, Rupert Anton, has said, “Wool has been used for generations, but is still recognized as perhaps the best fiber for rugs and carpets, because it is warm, and feels soft and rich.”

Since it is made from natural matter that can be replenished indefinitely, it is also a green material option. It is not easily dirty, but if it does get dirty, it can be easily cleaned and maintained. It is also anti-static and resistant to flame. Wool is commonly blended with other materials, such as nylon or polypropylene, to provide a more durable rug suitable for high-traffic areas at a more reasonable price.

Alternately, rugs woven from natural materials like sisal, jute, coir, and seagrass are increasingly popular as a way to add texture to a living room. Modern producers and designers are constantly experimenting with new fibre combinations and cutting-edge styles, making it easier than ever to select the ideal product for your home.