1. Go For Plenty Of Color
Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors believes that rugs – especially antique ones – can transform a room. ‘I love using them in all rooms, including the living room and family rooms. They instantly ground a room adding living room color, pattern, and interest.’
2. Be Playful With Spherical Design
Paying homage to the laid-back beauty of the Cote d'Azur, this colorful living room is a little slice of paradise. Here, rounded pieces with an artistic edge soften the exposed architectural elements.
3. Let Pattern Be The Hero
When it comes to patterned living room rugs and carpets, it’s about getting the balance right. ‘With this sort of graphic design, it’s better to let the rug be the hero and use complementary colors in different textures to layer the other elements in the room,’ says interior designer Samantha Todhunter.
4. Keep It Simple
As mentioned earlier, if you’re decorating your home, building the design story from the ground up is always a good idea. That's why finding a living room rug that blends into your scene like a dream is the ultimate decorating tool.
5. Mimic The Colors Used Elsewhere
Let your living room rug dictate the color scheme of your room or vice versa. The choice of rug can completely change the tone of a room. Here, the blue from the rug mimics the color used on the soft furnishings for a coherent and tailored look that isn't pretentious.
6. Let Your Rug Decide The Color Scheme
One of the easiest ways to add color, warmth and texture to your room is to introduce a rug. More versatile than living room carpet ideas or other form of fixed floor-covering, they offer a good way to soften a hard stone, tiled or timber floor, and can also be layered onto soft floors to provide extra interest or to define zones.
7. Lay Down A Statement Rug
With a dramatic rug, the rest of your furnishings can be quite simple, and you may want to pick up the colors from the rug in cushions, curtains or other fittings and accessories.
8. Decorate With Pattern
Decorating with pattern is one of the trickiest parts of a living room's design, especially when it comes to rugs. 'At Designers Guild, we are all big fans of using pattern in our homes and outdoor spaces,' says Tricia Guild, OBE, Founder & Creative Director of Designers Guild. 'Each pattern has its own character and consider this when using them – a damask has a more classical feel whereas a pictorial scene tells a story and adds a whimsical spirit to your space.'
9. Be Bold With A Blue (Or Purple) Rug
Deep blue rugs are the secret to transforming your room, as it creates a ‘whole world of drama and impact’ throughout the space. ‘The color creates an energetic, cheerful atmosphere, making it ideal for lively, social spaces. The addition of dark flooring can add depth to a large space and make it feel more intimate,’ says residential designer at Brintons, Jodie Hatton.
10. Smarten Up With Stripes
'Stripes bring order and structure to a space and have the ability to redirect the eye. When incorporated into an interior scheme, they inject a dose of understated elegance and sophistication,' says Roselind Wilson, founder of Roselind Wilson Design.
11. Choose An On-Trend Design
Scallop-edging is the decor trend that we can’t get enough of. The shift towards softer, shaped edges is becoming ever-prevalent in interior design with the trend for scallop and sea-inspired furnishings emerging across our living space. The undulating curves of the design create a romantic silhouette that not only looks stylish – but will also add subtle interest to beige living room ideas.
12. Blur The Lines Between Flooring And Art
Like a painting on the wall, rugs can offer personality using color and texture to transform your home into a space that really reflects your own aesthetics. Even the most beautiful of wooden floors may benefit from a beautiful rug to tie a scheme together or create a focal point within a room. This art-inspired rug will add a splash of color to your home without having to reach for the paint brush.
13. Opt For A Rug Made From Natural Materials
Natural flooring made from plant fibre is a versatile option, having moved on from merely rustic designs to encompass smart city looks, too. It can be fitted in the same way as carpet, used as a room square or as a rug or runner with a bound – decorative fabric – or leather edge.
14. Give Country Style A Modern Twist
This minimalist living room is guaranteed to spark joy with a vibrant rug – perfect for when you want a more contemporary feel. The neutral backdrop allows for the bright, colorful rug – and floral upholstery on the sofa – to take center-stage. The pink kilim, artwork and co-ordinating cushions all help to pull the scheme together for a modern twist on a classic look.
15. Get Creative With Color
Although the vast majority of us are still opting for neutral carpet, subtle changes are seeping in. The traditional beige tones are being replaced by greys, taupes and pale pink shades, while strong color is being used now in the same way as wallpaper, to create an accent. Here, a harmonious – and playful – living room has been created using the colors in the rug as the center point, pulling tones out to feature within the modern living room scheme.