Living room rug ideas

With a myriad of rug options on the market, choose whether you want your rug to blend in or stand out, using it to divide, zone or pull together areas of a room. We’ve all heard of decorating the so-called “fifth wall” when it comes to your ceilings, so why not spruce up your flooring?

Most rugs come under one of the following four categories:

Handwoven rugs

Handwoven rugs come in a variety of patterns and designs, with some available in multiple colourways. A relaxed, woven pile allows for greater flexibility with designs and colour combinations.

Flat-woven rugs

Flat-woven rugs are made from a variety of materials such as cotton and wool or a blend of both. These materials are used to craft the rug using a traditional loom-weaving technique.

Hand-knotted rugs

In hand-knotted rugs, individual threads are carefully twisted around the warp. Due to this artisan form of hand-crafted design, hand-knotted rugs can have a higher price point and tend to be investment pieces lasting for many years to come.

Hand-tufted rugs

The most hard-wearing style of rug, hand-tufted rugs are made to stand the test of time. 

The perfect finishing touch for your space

Before choosing the material of your rug, it can be useful to consider how hard-wearing it needs to be for the sort of foot traffic that will pass over it on a regular basis and how soft to the touch you would like it to feel underfoot. Considering these factors will help you choose the perfect rug for your space.

Jute rugs

Both natural and sustainable, a jute rug best complements minimal and rustic décor in neutral or warm tones while being surprisingly soft underfoot. 

Cotton rugs

Not only are cotton rugs often a more affordable option, their lightweight texture and easy to clean fabric makes them a welcome addition to any home. Well suited to children and pets, cotton rugs can also make a great choice for someone who enjoys rotating furniture items or changing up their space more regularly with new statement pieces.

Viscose rugs

With a subtle, silky sheen, viscose rugs are loved by many for being extra soft underfoot. Perfect for adding a touch of luxury to your home, why not try adding some decadence to your space with a viscose rug.

Wool rugs

Durable and hard-wearing, wool rugs are ideal for busy homes and heavy foot traffic, kids or pets.

Looking after your rug properly 

Ideally, you should have your rug cleaned professionally or using a high-quality carpet cleaning machine. Otherwise, you can start by checking the care label to determine whether smaller marks can be spot cleaned using a damp cloth and light cleaning solution. When applying cleaning products, you should always begin by testing a small and less visible area before applying the product to the main body of the rug. 

Ways of taking care of your rug

• Brush or vacuum your rug on a regular basis in order to keep its fibres in good condition.

• In the event that any threads come loose, carefully cut them away rather than tugging at them and potentially damaging other layers of the rug.

• Avoid folding your rug, it should be stored flat where possible, or rolled into a tube with the protective backing on the outer side.

• Rugs are best stored in dry, well-ventilated areas rather than in airtight containers or bags. What’s known as shredding may sometimes occur, especially for new rugs. This will reduce over time with regular vacuuming. 

• Colour variation may occur over time, particularly between covered and uncovered areas of the rug, for instance, areas shielded by coffee tables, chairs and other furniture.

Discolouration in daylight 

Some fibres, particularly natural ones often used in neutral living spaces, can discolour slightly when positioned in natural light over long periods of time. If this occurs, try rotating your rug to disperse the effects or repositioning it elsewhere.

Anti-slip mats

Consider placing anti-slip mats beneath your rugs for added safety, especially when positioning rugs of any size on uncarpeted floors. 

The perfect spot 

Use your rug as an anchor for your floor space, creating a focal point for your room. Positioning your living room furniture around the edges of a rug can really help to make the room feel complete. A room that flows well and feels complete has the added benefit of feeling more spacious. For larger areas, a rug can help to make your space feel more cosy, sectioning off an area with clean lines or linking together different spaces.

Enjoy mixing different elements until you find the perfect match for your space. From the warm colours, graphic shapes and geometric patterns of berber rugs, to cool neutral colour palettes and shades of grey.