Choosing the Right Type of Area Rug for Your Living Room

Living rooms are where the family comes together to relax and spend time with one another. So, it's necessary to find a rug that carefully balances durability and comfort. But this task is easier said than done, as there are a few different factors to consider in order to find the best rugs for a living room. 

Finding the perfect rug for your space depends on your lifestyle, preferences, and budget. You'll need to consider small details about rugs like sizing, placement, materials, and even color in order to find the right one. 

Suppose you're looking for the perfect finishing touch in your living room. In that case, a rug will provide a solid foundation that exudes warmth, coziness, elegance, or modernity, depending on your style goals. We'll answer the most important questions surrounding how to pick a rug for the living room so that you can choose the right rug that perfectly fits the aesthetics of your space. 

How to Pick a Rug for the Living Room

With so many options for rugs, it can be challenging to make a decision. The following are tips for how to choose a rug for your living room based on materials, shapes and textures:

• Create layers: A wonderful feature of decorating with rugs is you can create dynamic shapes through layering. If you have a large open living room, layering will help to define areas. For example, a rectangular rug under the couch and coffee table, with a TV in front of it, creates an entertainment area, while a circular rug between two chairs angled toward each other makes for a great conversation corner. 
• Consider the atmosphere: A rug's shape is important in setting the mood of the room. A rectangular or square shape feels more formal and orderly, and round or oval shapes soften the edges of a room, making it feel more casual and cozy.
• Climate: Rugs contribute to temperature regulation, so if you live in a cold environment, wool will insulate you better from the cold floor. For homes in hotter climates, our selection of sisal and stunning Karastan cotton choices are breathable, allowing cold air to circulate better.
• Living room style: Think about your living area aesthetic and what kind of rug will match it. If you have a modern, sleek home, then pick a low-profile material like nylon with a neutral color. For bohemian-style rooms, consider shag rugs made from synthetics, acrylic and wool for interesting texture options to complement that style.
• Samples: While you're shopping, ask if there are samples available for the options you want — you can use these to judge their comfort and see how well they match the aesthetic of your living room.

Where Do You Place the Rug?

There are no absolute rules for rug placement in any room, including the living room. It all depends on your personal preferences and style. However, there are a couple of tips for ensuring that your rug fits comfortably within the room and with the existing furniture. 

One of the top tips is to consider and work with the room proportions. If you have a large room, then you'll need to use a large rug. In the same way, a small room will require a smaller rug so as not to overwhelm the space. 

Another thing to consider is your furniture placement. Perhaps having all the legs of your furniture on your rug will work best. This floating placement works especially well in large living rooms. Or, if you have a small living room, placing only a portion of your furniture on your rug will help the space to look less cramped.

How Do You Pick Out the Right Size?

Generally, rugs in a living room are quite large and central in the space and should at least cover the main furniture. It's always better to go with a large rug rather than a too-small one. Small rugs in the living room tend to disrupt the flow of the space and make the room seem disjointed.

If you're having trouble visualizing what size rug would be best for your living room, it might be helpful to lay painter's tape directly onto the floor. With this tape measurement, you'll be able to feel confident about the size of rug you need.

In some cases, the standard sizes of living room rugs might not suit your floor size. In this case, it's best to shop for custom size options so you won't have to settle for something too big or too small.

What Kinds of Materials Work Best for the Living Room?

When picking out the best rugs for a living room, you need to consider the material. Some types of rugs are difficult to clean, stain easily or are expensive. If you're after the most affordable option that balances comfort and durability, then you'll want to go with a synthetic option. This cozy and plush polypropylene rug is perfect for living rooms with moderate traffic. It's super comfortable and durable, though it will need some maintenance to keep it in top condition. 

If your living room receives a high volume of traffic throughout the day or you have pets and kids, then going with this ultra-durable rug will be a great option for you. It will be easy to clean and last a long time. 

A natural material, like wool, is an easy-to-clean option as well. However, it's much more expensive than synthetic materials. If you have a bigger budget, then you might be interested in this beautiful wool rug, which is perfect for the living room. 

How Should You Decide on Color?

Once you have the size and material figured out, you now have to think about the color and the pattern that will work best for your space. Typically, colors can have a huge impact on the appearance of the room. Light colors help to keep small spaces bright and airy, while dark colors are great in high-traffic and large areas. 

Depending on the room size and your lifestyle, light or dark colors may better suit your space. However, you should also consider the existing colors in the room. If you have a few different colors located throughout the room, placing a rug with all of these same colors will help to tie the space together. Another option to tie the room together is to go for a neutral-colored rug, as it will provide a good foundation for the rest of the style elements of the room.

How Do You Know if You Should Replace Your Rug?

Different materials are more durable and long-lasting than others. So, if you are wondering when the right time to replace your rug is, the answer is when you have stains and signs of wear that a professional cleaning can't fix. If you have noticeable stains, try a professional cleaning first. But if that doesn't lift the stains on your rug, then you might want to consider a replacement.

Ultimately, how to pick the right rug for your living room depends on a lot of factors. You should consider your budget, lifestyle, and overall style of the room to determine your rug needs. A good living room rug will be comfortable and easy to clean. It should also last a long time and hold up under heavy traffic.

All these factors may seem complicated, but finding the right rug is easy once you understand what materials and style you want. We have a large selection of high-quality and durable rugs for the living room in many different styles, including modern and traditional.

Shop with Us Today

There is a lot to consider when picking the perfect rug! Fortunately, our world-class customer service representatives, excellent pricing and abundance of stock will ensure that you can find what you need within your budget.

So, if you're considering buying a living room rug, shop our website to take advantage of our free shipping on all area rugs, or contact us with questions. You can also visit us in-store to get a hands-on feel for what you're buying.