Complementary Rugs and Flooring: Creating a Cohesive Look
When you have hard surface flooring, whether it’s solid or engineered hardwood flooring, luxury viny, or a tile variety, you probably have at least considered purchasing area rugs. Attractive rugs can be useful for absorbing sound, curtailing dirt, and protecting your floors from messes and scratches, as well as making your home feel cozier.
Another huge perk of area rugs: because they are affordable, you can replace them easily if they become worn or your decorating style happens to change. If you have a relatively neutral floor, such as a wood-look or an agreeable tile, choosing area rugs is really simple, dictated by your taste. Keep reading to find out how you can select rugs that will maintain a cohesive look in your space.
Matching Area Rugs to Your Style

Before you begin shopping for new rugs, assess your current style and consider a few key factors. If you are considering replacing old furniture or acquiring a new standout piece, complete these steps first as they will help anchor your overall design. Save examples of new furniture on your phone if needed, that you can show our experts!
Also, take measurements and know the sizes of the rooms or areas where you will place the rugs. Bring a paint sample of your existing or desired wall color and take plenty of photos so you can share your style with whoever is helping you.Proactively doing these things will help ensure that the rugs you choose will complement what you already have going on. This will help minimize the likelihood that anything is slightly off and preparation is one way to help prevent that.
Selecting Patterned Area Rugs
Depending on your existing furniture, you can weigh selecting new area rugs that are plainer or that have bold, eye-catching visuals! If you have solid colored furniture, you can perhaps choose rugs that have a pattern, such as something geometric or large abstract designs. If you have furniture in neutral tones like a brown couch in fabric or leather, these pieces can coordinate with many different styles of area rugs. They can play nicely with something formal like an oriental rug, or more chic like a faux fur rug. Here’s where your style comes into play: Do you prefer a relaxed vibe? Or something fancier? Then, select your new area rugs accordingly.
If you already have furniture with a pattern, you’ll want to choose your rugs more carefully. Be aware that too many patterns in a space can be visually distracting. For furniture with a small print, choose a rug with a larger pattern, and vice versa. Mixing things up will keep your decor from becoming too intentionally matched, and rugs without a pattern also work well with furniture that does.
Selecting the Best Area Rug Color

Once you have determined the style of rugs that you want, compare them with any paint samples you have of new shades that you are considering. Look for rugs that complement your existing wall color, keeping in mind that the lighting in the store may make the rugs look slightly different than at home. It’s not critical, but you want to at least compare the paint to your rug and make sure they get along. You can also use a paint color wheel to match up different shades that live in the same color family.
Should I Match or Contrast My New Rug?
There are different schools of thought about matching rugs. Many times, buying the same rug in different sizes for different areas is a great way to make sure that the look is cohesive. Other times, that gets monotonous. If the idea of having the same rug repeated in different areas of your home sounds unappealing, definitely go with option two. Find rugs that look nothing alike pattern-wise but have the same colors in different styles, so they still coordinate. The result is a decor that is interesting but still flows cohesively. Also, choose accessories that complement your rug choices. Think throw pillows or a soft blanket that will pick up the colors found in your new area rugs, and tie everything together.
When it’s time to pick out your new area rugs, gather your supplies and head to Custom Carpet Centers. We will be ready with the knowledge and helpful tips that will help you make great decorating decisions and have your home looking fresh and coordinated in no time!