Cozy and Colorful Area Rugs That’ll Transform Your Plain, Naked Floors

Area rugs are the essential supporting cast members of a well-decorated room. Without them, a space looks bare, bland, and cold, with nowhere soft to walk. We love the pop of color, the subtle arty designs, and the coziness they add wherever they're placed.

The Best Area Rugs:

• Abstract Art: Safavieh Madison Collection Modern Abstract 12x18-Foot Area Rug
• Cozy Yet Chic: Kelly Clarkson Home Sylvie Chevron Handmade Flatweave Wool 6x9-Foot Area Rug
• Daintiest Details: Rifle Paper Co x Loloi Luxembourg Teal 8x10-Foot Printed Rug
• Au Naturale: Rugs.com 8x11-Foot Hand Braided Jute Area Rug
• Low-Maintenance Shag: Ruggable Light Grey 6x9-Foot Shag Rug
• Art for Your Floors: Cold Picnic Follow the Summer Around the World 6x9-Foot Area Rug
• Distressed to Perfection: Urban Outfitters Ellis Indoor/Outdoor 8x10-Foot Rug
• Dappled Lines: West Elm Argali 6x9-Foot Area Rug
• Clever Geometrics: Revival Rugs Peeking Blue Washable 8x10-Foot Rug
• Playful Pop: Joybird Lonny 8x10-Foot Rug
  

What to Consider:

When you're starting your search for a new rug, the price and size are probably the first requirements you have in mind. And, of course, the style.

Price

Rugs, unfortunately, are expensive. Buying a large, inexpensive, brand-new rug is a tall order, and you're probably not going to find anything of high quality and durability within those narrow constraints. So, for this guide, we've capped our budget at $800 (with most of them well below that), featuring rugs from several different retailers that span 6x9 to 12x18 feet, with lots of variance in between.

Size

Area rugs are a great way to visually define different spaces within a room, especially if you have an open-plan space. However, if your room is small, you'll need to decide whether you want an area rug that layers underneath all of your furniture or just one small area, like beneath a coffee table. Our favorite way to determine which rug size would be best for your room is to layer newspaper on your floor in your chosen area, leaving at least a 1-to-2-foot border of bare flooring exposed. Then, measure it.

Style

Your area rug's style is completely a matter of personal preference, although the material and pile level may make a slight difference. The most affordable area rugs you'll find are typically made of polyester or polypropolene — however, we've represented a range of materials in this guide, including wool and hand-braided jute. The higher an area rug's pile is, the fluffier (and dreamier) it'll feel underfoot. But note that these types of rugs can be tough to clean, and they do tend to shed, which is why short pile and flatweave rugs are so popular.

Finally, no matter what type of area rug you get for your home, make sure you also get a rug pad (unless your chosen rug actually comes with one!). These not only protect the rug from wearing down and fraying from constant shifting, but they also keep your household safer by preventing accidental slips. Some can even provide a little extra cushion or support to a flatweave rug.

Ready to revamp your naked floors with a little more coziness and color? Check out the 10 best area rugs that you can buy under $800.