18 Living Room Rug Ideas That Will Tie the Whole Space Together

Choosing the right area rug can complement your décor and completely define the entire room.

Besides your bedroom, there may be no other room in the house that you spend more time in than your living room. It's the space for relaxing after a long day, having lively conversations with friends, and snuggling up on the couch with popcorn and a movie. For added coziness, it's not uncommon to enhance this space with an area rug. The right area rug can add an element of design to your space and influence the look and feel of the entire room. But with so many types of rugs to choose from, figuring out the style of rug that best suits your living space can be a challenge without bringing in the professionals.

We asked interior designers to share some of their favorite living room rug ideas that they have used in their clients’ homes. No matter the style, these ideas will provide that perfect balance of comfort and style while tying the room together—and will inspire your next living room refresh.

Related: 16 Living Room Décor Ideas to Create an Inviting, Functional Space

Neutral Texture

Making the room feel more hospitable, a neutral rug can add both comfort and texture. "I love to use color on my furnishings and walls so I often opt for a neutral floor covering—either wool or jute," says Amal Kapen, ASID of Amal Kapen Interiors.

Pops of Neon

Tali Roth, founder of Tali Roth Interior Design, wanted to design something that had a fun sensibility for this particular living room. "We don’t like anything that is too contemporary but we definitely wanted color and texture," says Roth. "We ended up going with a Moroccan Boucherie rug with a cream background and neon pops."

Jute Rug

Jute is a type of fiber that is commonly used to craft rugs due to its strong threads, resulting in a longer lifespan. However, despite its coarseness, the rugs are still breathable and their neutral style can really help create a cohesive look. Here, the jute rug provides a neutral base for a room filled with bold colors and patterns in the furniture and walls.

Luxe Neutrals

This neutral rug is made of 100 percent wool, which Roth says makes it perfect for a family home. It also lets the furniture shine and inform the space. "We wanted something super chill and classic that felt luxe," says Roth. "We sourced this rug from Armadillo and Co."

Black and Tan Checkerboard

For this space, Roth opted to layer the client's graphic boucherie rug over a striped tonal vintage rug to add an element of depth and dimension to the room. The boucherie rug was intended to take center stage, tying the other design elements into a fun but cohesive whole.

Mottled Blue Silk

Designer Caroline Rafferty incorporated this rug from Fort Street Studio because of the way it pulled in blues and greens (the client’s favorite colors) in an artistic way. "The silk rug has depth in its coloration that marries the Venetian finish on the walls without overpowering the space," she says.

Related: 13 Small Living Room Ideas Interior Designers Swear By

Textured Shag

Aleem Kassam, principal and interior designer at Kalu Interiors, opted for a textured shag rug to add more warmth to this living room.

Organically Shaped Round Rug

Kassam nestled a round plush rug into the open-plan design of this space to soften the seating area. The circular shape also encourages conversation and adds an element of intimacy to a spacious room.

Geometric Line Play

This dimensional patterned rug was selected by Kassam due to its natural fiber and neutral color palette to balance the lighter upholstery and the flooring. It's also highly durable for the owner's pup.

Related: How to Decorate a Living Room From Start to Finish, According to Interior Designers

Stain-Resistant, Plush Pattern

For Nancy Barnett of Nancy Lane Interiors, this transitional living room needed to be suitable for the client’s toddlers, so the designer opted for something soft for little feet as well as stain-resistance for any inevitable spills. "We found the trifecta with this colorful, pattern-rich polyester rug, which we layered over a plush rug pad for added softness underfoot," says Barnett.

Urban Color Blocks

The striking city skyline beautifully contrasts the pink and tan tones found in this unique rug. "The bold pattern is very art deco!" says Naïka André, CEO and principal designer at NJA Interiors. "We were intentional about selecting a rug that complimented the buildings along the Chicago River."

Related: 12 Living Room Color Schemes That Will Make It Your Favorite Space in the House

Bold Black Pattern

According to André, this living space required a rug that could stand up to heavy foot traffic. "We sourced a rug with a bold black pattern to ground the space while complementing the use of bold color throughout," André says.

Layered Sisal and Oushak

Sisal is a material made from the coarse fibers of the agave plant, making for a stiffer rug than a material like jute. It’s great for homes with pets, hallway runners, or even layering. "With its natural color and texture, sisal brings an element of casualness that a living room sometimes needs," says Kerri Pilchik, founder and principal designer of Kerri Pilchik Design. "Most importantly, sisal is timeless and fits in almost any setting. I layered an Oushak area rug in the seating area to define the space and to also add some large-scale pattern. I love that the colors work with, but are not exactly the same as, the other colors in the room."

Ivory and Black

Emily Henderson, founder of Emily Henderson Design, wanted a lighter rug (like this one) so that the room remained airy without being boring.  "It adds that perfect amount of pattern to make a room more visually interesting," says Henderson. "It feels a little modern, so the room doesn't go 'too farmhouse,' but doesn't overwhelm the space. The dogs are big fans, too."

Monochromatic

Keita Turner, president of Keita Turner Design, intentionally chose a monochromatic blue rug with a subtle geometric textural pattern to complement the artisan feel of this room. "Because of the room’s eclectic and nomadic aesthetic, we wanted an area rug that did not compete with the playfulness, colors, and patterns on display throughout the space," Turner says.

Punchy Orange and Off-White

Similar to other designers, Turner opted for a resilient wool rug when designing a space for a young family. "The punchy orange and off-white colorway of the rug brings graphic impact while complementing the architectural features, such as the original stained glass windows," says Turner.

Related: How to Layer Rugs to Bring Visual Interest to Your Space

Understated Light Blue

According to Traci Connell of Traci Connell Interiors, clients sometimes want every object in the room to take center stage, but that isn’t always possible or even advised. "With the floral paper, dark walls, and bright sofa, my goal was to find an understated rug with a surprising pattern that almost takes the side stage to the rest of the room," says Connell.

Dimensional Pattern

Bold doesn’t always equal color and many times, people will move away from daring designs due to the palette. In this space, Connell opted for a rug with a bold dimensional pattern, without worrying about the risk that comes with too much color. 

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.