Choosing an area rug is a BIG decision. From a decorative standpoint, a rug can add so much to a room, and from a financial standpoint, it is often not a trivial investment, so it pays to get it right!

There are SO many decisions to make - size, pattern, color, construction…and each of those is a whole post on it’s own, but today I want to talk about the 3 most common mistakes to avoid when selecting area rugs.

Don’t buy the wrong size 

Buying the wrong size rug can really impact the look of a room.  PLEASE buy a rug that is big enough.  The most common mistake is rugs that are too small and just cower in the middle of a furniture group like they are under attack.

There are many things about this room that I find horrifying, not the least of which is the looming minecraft fireplace, but the area rug as a doormat for the coffee table (and off center at that) is a chief offender.  Maybe that giant empty martini glass explains the decision-making process…  

The whole point of a rug  - well one of them anyway - is to visually connect the furniture group.   For a living area, make sure your rug is large enough so that at least the front feet of all the seating rest on it.

See more important tips for the right size rugs for every room (along with our popular carpet-spotting field guide infographic) in this post on choosing the right size area rug.

Don’t buy the exact same rug for adjacent spaces

Most rugs sold today are mass produced and come in a variety of sizes.

Many people assume that if they buy an area rug for a room, they need the matching one for the adjacent hallway or dining area in a larger open-concept space. 

NOOOO you don’t! Just because you CAN buy multiple sizes of the same rug doesn’t mean you SHOULD. 

Identical twins and mini-me’s are adorable, but matchy-matchy rugs are like matchy-matchy furniture.  They lack the gracious elegance of a curated, collected, and personalized home. 

If you already own matching rugs, moving them to different locations in the house so they are not in view of one another is always an option.  

Buying rugs that relate and coordinate is important, but relating is different than matching.  Relating means they might share some colors and a similar level of formality, but have different patterns. 

The art of mixing rugs is very much like the art of mixing patterns.  In fact, area rugs are a big factor in mixing the rest of the patterns in a room. 

Don’t use too many small rugs

I have occasionally seen people collect a variety of beautiful rugs that are all 4’ x 6’ or 5’ x 8’ and then use them all in one large open space. This often ends up looking like an elaborate game of hopscotch.  

Small rugs are often called scatter rugs for a reason!  Scattering small rugs about with abandon is one way to cover a lot of floor area, but fewer and larger rugs is almost always a better solution. 

Smaller rugs tend to work best in smaller spaces like entryways.

Nothing beats working with a rug dealer to be able to try out rugs in your space before you buy. Many purveyors of fine area rugs will even deliver for a trial run.

But here’s a favorite tip for purchasing rugs online: Order a sample or the smallest size they offer (often 2’ x 3’) to check the color, feel, and construction of any rugs you are considering before ordering a room size rug.

It is MUCH easier and cheaper to pack up and return a small doormat than to wrestle an 8’ x 10’ that you found less than delightful into submission and haul it to Fedex!  

Of course, rules were made to be broken!  These are all just guidelines to help you make decisions that have a good chance of producing a successful, beautiful, and functional result.

The most important question is always not “what is right?” but, “do YOU love it in your room?”.  If the answer is yes, then stop worrying, trust your instincts, and enjoy your space!

Other posts you might enjoy:

5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Rug

How to Choose the Right Size Area Rug