There’s a few golden rules to live by when choosing your next living room rug…
When choosing a living room rug, it’s important to consider the functionality of how the space will be used, who will be using it, alongside the aesthetics and atmosphere of the room itself.
We get questions from our clients all the time about how to make a rug work in a space, so we thought we’d share our expertise on the dos and don’ts.
How do I choose the appropriate living room rug?
If you have small children, taking into account finishes and their cleanability are important in case of any spills. If the home is for someone who perhaps needs a walking aid, a thick pile is something you may wish to avoid.
In the simplest of spaces, a beautiful rug can become the centrepiece with many boutique brands like Moooi carpets and their ‘Donut Fear’ piece. Rugs like this are often treated as an investment and can transform a room like any other wall mounted art would.
Texture and finish can add warmth or an extra touch of luxury as required, such as tufted or velvet. Rugs with a border can create a frame and add intrigue and help define a space (or zone) within a room.
What is a good size rug for a living room?
It’s easy to make the mistake of purchasing a living room rug that’s too small for a space; the bigger the rug, the better!
There are guidelines to help you understand how big a rug is required, which state that a floor border of 10cm is optimum between the edge of the rug and the wall or end of the zone.
However, when we plan interior spaces at L’una Design, we tend to opt for a little larger space of around 20-30 cm to help define the rug and create a bit of border and to showcase the floor underneath.
How much of the sofa should be on the rug in the living room?
The general rule of thumb is that half or more of the sofa should be placed over the rug. However, the most important thing to remember is that each space is different. Whilst a small rug centred between a sofa and a television with no legs touching is a design no-no, spaces and styles can vary and you should consider both the functionality and style when choosing a living room rug.
For example in this modern apartment space below, where the brightly coloured shag pile rug is placed underneath the coffee table, which adds an exciting pop of colour to the grey carpet.
