Choosing the perfect rug isn’t easy. And typically it isn’t a cheap investment either. Colour, pattern, material, texture and durability all come into play. And we all know the right rug, in the rug size, in the right spot makes all the difference to a room. Especially in this weather. I am literally hugging up all my floors at the moment.

In the living room, an area rug is often one of the most important finishing touches to the space . Nothing brings a room together quite like a rug. If you are bringing a new rug into an existing space, your current furniture and room layout will dictate the size and shape that you need. If you’re starting with a blank canvas, then the rug can be one of the defining pieces for the space.

It is important to select a rug that is large enough for the space, as indirectly a rug outlines the useable space in a room. So the smaller the rug, the smaller the room will feel.

When it comes to the bedroom, we believe that size does matter. You need softness and warmth underfoot, and you should look for a rug that extends all the way under your bed and extends out on both sides. We’d love a minimum of 800mm each way, but preferably more if you can. The rug should start up near your bedside pedestals (leave about a ruler gap between the two) and then extend beyond the base of the bed.

An area rug in your living area is an essential component to creating that welcoming and cosy feeling. You can consider a lighter colour or plain rug upon which to layer darker furniture. A brightly coloured rug is ideal for introducing pattern and interest, while a darker rug is a bold contrast against lighter pieces.

For more rug insight and inspiration, read through our rug round up below.

Warm + White Rugs

Images via Design For Living, Adore Magazine and Parachute Home

White rugs are my jam. For me they are incredibly calming and bring all the softness I am after to a room. While many people just see white rugs as a mess hazard – which we absolutely understand – I see them as fluffy white cloud on my floor.

Granted we have a no shoe policy in our house, so that is definitely a game changer and makes our home setting far more white rug friendly. However even with our young kids, we’ve had a thick pile white rug in the playroom for years and it has weathered all sorts of lipstick and makeup spills.

If you love them as much as I do, here are a few beauties to consider.

Dark + Moody Rugs

Image via Est Living

These darker rugs are ideal for all of you that were just shaking your head at me. Of course darker rugs hide mess and stains really well, making them very kid friendly. They are also match easily with other shades of black, grey, and neutrals, making them a versatile choice for your home.

Colourful + Patterned Rugs

Image via Copland & Co

If you are looking to make a colour statement a rug way is a great way to do it. We do however, suggest that you use this to anchor the theme of your room, and by this we mean you should be considering the existing colour palette and choose options that best work alongside them.

‘Safe’ colour options include going with a tonal version of a current colour, which could mean using a lighter or dark blue against existing blue colours. If you want to bring in other colours, a safe way is to choose a similar saturation, so perhaps consider all pastel versions of different colours, so the colours compliment each other.

The Round Rug

Image via Hunter and Folk

A good round rug is very hard to come by, especially at a decent price point, however they are such a beautiful game changer in a space. Because they don’t cover the entire floor surface, they give the appearance that area of the room is much larger, which is perfect for making smaller spaces feel larger.

We also love the way they soften angular furniture pieces and they are great way to fill awkward spaces.

If you are looking to showcase another circular object, then a round rug is a must. They are also an excellent way to create a specific zone within a larger open plan setting.