How To Choose a Rug

It’s the same as when your outfit doesn’t feel complete until you’ve put your shoes on, a rug is essential to finish off the look of your room! It’s such a crucial component that it should actually be considered first when decorating your home.

But like all important decisions in life, choosing a rug is not easy! Size, colours, material; a lot of thinking goes into picking the best rug for your space.

To make your life easier, we’ve asked Milray Park Designers to share their best design tips to help you select the perfect rug for your room.

Kitchen design by Milray Park Designer Julianne Bull

Bedroom design by Milray Park Designer Monica Bean

Living room design by Milray Park Designer Deborah Kessly

#1 Choosing a rug: size matters!

A rug should always be proportional to your space. That’s why the shape of your room and not just the furniture, should dictate the rug size you select and its orientation.

A good tip is to use painter’s tape to map out the rug placement before you purchase it. This is an easy way to check that you have the right fit from every vantage point.

Remember in most cases, bigger is better!! Small rugs can often look lost in a space if too small and lose their impact.

Choosing a rug size depends also on the type of room the rug is for.

What rug size for a living room?

For large space or when furniture are floating in the middle of the room, choose a rug big enough so that the furniture fits completely on top without feeling cramped.

If your furniture sits against the wall, your rug should at a minimum have the front legs positioned on the rug.

And to make a small living room looks larger, opt for a small rug under the coffee table.

What rug size for a dining room?

This one is quite simple: your table and chairs should always remain on the rug even when the chairs are pulled back for seating. To make sure this is the case, measure your dining table and add 45 cm to 60 cm for each side that someone will be sitting. You now have the perfect size rug for your dining area.

What rug size for a bedroom?

To frame your bed, opt for either a rug that can fit all bed legs on it, including bedside tables or at least ⅔ of the bed on the rug.

Alternatively, you could also use runners on each side. However, remember that runners shouldn’t extend beyond the bed itself and should be a bit wider than your nightstand.

Living room - all legs on the rug

Living room - front legs on the rug

Living room - coffee table on the rug

Dining room - all legs on the rug

Bedroom - 2/3 bed on the rug

Bedroom - runners on either side around

#2 What to take into consideration when choosing a rug colour

The rug is probably going to be one of the biggest items in your space. So it’s important to ask yourself a few questions before making any decisions.

Do you want your rug to add colour? Texture? Both? Do you want it to make a statement? Or blend with your existing decor?

A rug can be like a beautiful piece of art and make a bold statement or a toned-down practical solution to add comfort & warmth to a space. Have a look at the colour scheme of your home and use that as a starting point, consider the colour of your floors and furnishings and how they will look together.

Credit: @rebeccaandgenevieve

Credit: @boboworkshop

Credit: @globewest

#3 Rug materials: the do and don’t

Choosing the right materials for your rug will depend on the rugs purpose and location. If the rug is being used in the living room you may choose a softly textured rug to bring a sense of relaxation and comfort to the space. However, the same texture may not work underneath a dining table.

You also need to consider who is living in your home and what the rug will be used for. It will help you decide if you want to invest in a textured chunky woolen loop pile rug or go for a synthetic flatter style weave that will be harder and easier to spot clean.

Whatever your choices, think about your new rug as the building blocks from which to create your decoration.