Decorating Ideas

RUG KNOWLEDGE: DECORATING

First ask yourself, “How will the room be used?” Anticipating a room’s use has a very practical function: some rugs may be better suited to high-traffic and activity areas than others. A dark-colored rug, for example, will hide the dirt between cleanings more readily than a light-colored rug and might be considered for a family room or entryway. A light-colored rug, on the other hand, will help a small room seem a little brighter.
      

THE RUG DEFINES THE ROOM

Of the three major components in room decorating (Walls, Floor, and Furnishing), your floor covering is the largest single design statement. Define the personality of your room with furniture and wall decorations. Make a bold statement or combine together to create the atmosphere you desire.

BALANCING ACT

A well-decorated room is a balance of color, texture, and pattern. Color and their value (Light, Medium, or Dark). You want a little of each. Different values give depth and interest to a room. A predominance of any one value will end up feeling a little “flat.” Add a juxtaposition of texture create interest (Hard and Soft, Smooth and Coarse).

Patterns are infinite in their variety. Florals, geometrics, stripes, plaids, and tiny repeat patterns (“minis”) are only the most common. With patterns, scale is the key: avoid a predominance of any one kind.

DECORATING WITH AREA RUGS

By using a variety of area rug colors and designs, it allows the home decorator complete freedom and flexibility. With careful consideration, even the most colorful and bold area rug can assume its place in the three-part harmony of color, texture and pattern.

Say, for example, that you want to build a room around a sofa covered in large-scale floral upholstery. A rug with a small repeated geometric pattern would be a fine contrast. The key is to vary the scale of patterns. Such a rug might also complement a stripe or large-scale plaid. Conversely, with solid or mini-print upholstery, a strong floral rug would provide the appropriate change of scale.

   

Color hue, look for the secondary colors in the rug and let those colors guide your choice of upholstery, and vice versa.