subject: Where And How To Use An Area Rug [print this page] For many homeowners who are trying their hand at DIY interior design, area rugs are a mystery at best. What size of rug should you choose? Where should it be placed in a room? Is an interior rug supposed to sit underneath furniture or should it stand alone?
To answer all of these questions and more, it helps to explore specific guidelines for decorating with an area rug in a living room or bedroom:
Choose the right rug size for your room. Before purchasing an area rug on a whim, make sure to measure the desired space well in advance. Many experts recommend leaving a minimum of 18 inches of exposed floor on each side of a rug in a larger room, like a living area, den, or bedroom. For a smaller area, like a hallway, less space can be left on the border at a minimum of 8 inches of exposed floor.
Keep the back legs of furniture off the area rug. An area rug in a living room shouldn't extend from wall to wall; this defeats the purpose of using a rug to cover a certain area of space. Instead, stick with the rule of thumb that the front legs of furniture should be placed on the rug and the back legs should be kept off. This guideline works in most situations when decorating a living space with an area rug. Couches, love seats, recliners, and gel fireplaces can be placed with the front furniture legs on the rug to provide balance without overcrowding the room.
Consider the purpose of the rug. Depending upon the room and its use, an area rug may have a completely unique function. In a living room or den, an area rug may serve as the focal point of a room to tie together the interior design scheme with complementary colors and patterns. In a children's playroom, an area rug may be used to provide a comfortable, soft place to roughhouse and tumble without risking bumps and bruises on a hardwood floor.
Use an area rug for separation. Today, many homes are created with an open floor plan that combines several rooms into one common area, including a kitchen, dining room, and living area. With this type of floor plan, an area rug can be used for definition and separation to draw an imaginary line between a living room and a dining room.
If you plan to buy more than one area rug for your home, it's best if the rugs are complementary in style. Even if area rugs are placed in different rooms in a house, dramatically dissimilar prints and colors may create an unpleasant balance in the decor of a home.
When you shop for an area rug, focus on promoting balance and harmony in your home first of all. An area rug can be purchased in bright patterns or subtle colors, as long as it suits the overall theme of a house without taking away from the look and feel of a room.
