Choosing an Accent Rug

For the past few decades, area rugs have been designed to protect the flooring and add a decorative touch to the home. But for a growing number of designers, they serve a new purpose: to accent existing décor, dramatically changing the look of a room in a single step. In an economy where jazzing up their home is the last thing on most people’s minds, accent rugs offer a great opportunity to get creative without going over budget. If your home looks drab but you can’t afford a makeover, shopping for rugs is definitely your best bet.

But what really sets an accent rug apart? For one thing, they’re not meant to stand out like conventional rugs—their purpose is to highlight what’s already there and draw attention to bigger elements. You can use them to draw the eye to your focal point, such as a window or a piece of furniture, or simply bring out your current color scheme. It takes a good eye to see which rugs will work at a glance, but with the range of designs available, you’re sure to find one that fits. Here’s a quick guide to give you a few ideas.

Complementary colors

One of the best ways to use accent rugs is to complement your room colors. Sometimes a room has all the right color combinations, but lacks that visual kick to make it really stand out. By throwing in a rug in a complementary color, you can make your walls, floor and other surfaces look much brighter without actually changing anything. As an example, consider a room with solid white or beige walls. The colors might look plain on their own, but with a few red area rugs on the floor, they’ll look a lot more attractive.

They don’t necessarily have to be strong or bright colors. For some rooms, neutral-colored rugs do a better job of accenting the color scheme. This is especially true when the walls are already an unusual color, such as purple or green. An equally bright accent will only compete for attention rather than direct it to the walls. But with a plain white or black rug, you can frame the colors more strongly and make them more noticeable.

Solids and patterns

Patterns are also a great way to make accent rugs complement your décor. The key here is to go for contrast: if you have a plain floor or walls, use a patterned rug as your accent; if you have patterned wallpaper or floor tile, a solid-colored piece may be more appropriate. Putting two patterns side by side is a big no-no—the two will only confuse the eye and make the room look too busy.

If you’re going for a modern look, something like the Dynamic Rugs Nolita 1310 beige and natural brown area rug can be a good option. Featuring classic animal stripes in a fun geometric pattern, it adds a lot of movement and texture to the room without being too overpowering. Placed against a bare floor or under a coffee table, it adds a warm, intimate look to the room while keeping that hip, stylish mood.

Sizing and proportion

Since they’re not meant to be the focal point, accent rugs often have to be in smaller sizes. Or if they’re regular-sized, they usually come in less prominent designs meant to work with the existing room décor. Whatever the style is, accent rugs have be proportional in size to the room. An oversized rug may overpower the rest of the elements, while a small one will hardly get noticed. The general rule is to keep at least 18 inches free on all sides of the rug so that it doesn’t work as a wall-to-wall carpet.

Bamboo rugs are great for keeping accent pieces in proportion. Since they’re lighter and easier to work with, they come in a wider range of sizes—often from as small as 2 by 2 feet to pieces large enough to cover the room. Most bamboo rugs also come with a cotton or nylon border, which provides a smoother transition and helps it blend better with the rest of the room.

Unique shapes

Rectangular rugs may be traditional, but accent rugs aren’t made to follow conventions. In fact, many accent rugs are purposely made to break this rule, offering less-common shapes such as circles, ovals, octagons, hearts and flowers. The shape itself draws attention to the space, so it’s a nice, subtle way to accent surrounding elements.

If your room has an unusual corner or alcove, try making it your focal point by placing a shaped rug against it. Sharp edges can make a room look cold and uninviting, but pieces like round area rugs can soften the look and add a soft contrast to the space. Round rugs can also be used to accent furniture sets, highlight a spacious floor, or frame a sculpture or wall art.