At some point while designing or recreating your space, you might have gone shopping for rugs and probably stumbled upon one that you love. The size works, now the next step is just to purchase but then you ask yourself, do I really need a rug?
With their textures and luxurious materials, rugs can add warmth to any type of room or space. Not only that but with the myriad of designs and colors, they can also be a reflection of your personality and style.
But then you think, with all the vacuuming and having to be careful because of the possibility of stains that will never ever go away, you ask yourself again, do I really need a rug?
Buying a rug is not an impulse decision, especially when you’re looking to get a large-sized rug (and you definitely should look at the bigger ones for that grand look and extra oomph).
Photo source: Unsplash | Spacejoy
Right here, right now, we’re going to start off by telling you the transformation a rug can bring to any space is always a joy to see. Following that, here’s a list of other factors on the importance of rugs and why your space needs it.
1. Ties a room together
Although it might seem like an afterthought, a rug, in fact, can alter the entire look and feel of a space.
“A rug can absolutely make or break a room,” said Melissa Lewis of LG Interiors in Chicago to Mansion Global. “It solidifies furniture layouts and adds a layer of depth and warmth that truly ties a space together.”
To help you imagine the role of rugs, here’s a quick analogy: rugs are to homes or spaces as shoes are to any outfit. Your dress, accessories and bag may fit really well together but if you choose the wrong pair of shoes your entire outfit will still look off. In that way, rugs can be a total game changer for a space.
Rugs serve an important purpose. Lying quietly on your hardwood floors, it anchors all the furniture in the space and prevents any ‘floating’ pieces. With this, it creates a sense of order and the illusion of a defined space.
To achieve that cohesion, you must firstly ensure that the size and pattern matches with the room’s theme, furniture and space. Don’t make the common mistake of getting a rug that is too small – small rugs lack grandeur and may look awkward, especially if you’re thinking of placing it in your living room. When you’ve decided on the spots for your main furniture, these will indicate how big your rug will be.
Very important quick tip: Make sure that at least the front legs of each piece of furniture sits comfortably on the rug.
Photo source: Unsplash | Curology
2. Grounding aspect
Along the same lines, a rug ‘grounds’ a space by making all the elements come together. With a rug properly in place, it’ll seem like the room is ‘set’. And along with it, the place transforms to a cozy, and sometimes, intimate spot.
This ‘grounding’ aspect goes beyond the look. A rug can serve as a resting place for the body and energy – this is rather challenging to articulate, you’ll just feel it. When you step into a room with a huge rug (especially soft, fluffy ones), you might intuitively sense the energy flow slowing down in that space.
Energy travels quicker on hard surfaces. This could be a similar analogy to being surrounded with soft green grass versus concrete, or needing a soft blanket for a picnic rather than just a bench. Fast-flowing energy can create excitability and anxiety making a space feel somewhat chaotic if there’s nothing to slow it down.
A rug can create that calm by slowing and ‘grounding’ some of that energy.
Photo source: Unsplash | Spacejoy
3. Heat and sound absorption
Modern houses these days are filled with hard surfaces – concrete, cement, tiles – and open plan spaces that reflect both sound and heat. Rugs not only give that feeling of warmth but they can literally add insulation on cold, chilly nights.
According to some research, rugs or carpets can insulate a place 10 times more than hard flooring or surfaces. This is even more necessary in basement rooms or apartments where it can get colder.
Rugs create quiet spaces (like slowing down energy and injecting calm), making it perfect for rooms where you need a bit of solitude, like bedrooms, reading nooks, attics. If you live in a bustling city, rugs can add to your quiet sanctuary at home.
Quick tip: insert a pad under the rug for that added layer of warmth and also to keep it in place.
Photo source: Vessi
4. Upping the comfort level
Probably the most direct effect of having a huge, soft rug is the comfort it brings. First things first – every home should be able to give comfort to those staying there. Imagine stepping on a luxurious rug as you get off the bed every morning, instead of cold, hardwood floors, wouldn’t that feel better?
If you’re thinking there might be something missing in your room to make it cozier and give you that hygge feeling, a rug could be your answer. Rugs are suitable for any type of room or space and there are countless designs and styles to choose from.
This extra padding makes for a comfortable place to walk, sit, play, work and just hang out for extended hours. And quite literally, rugs can even alleviate some of the pressure off your body as it absorbs the impact of your movements when you relax or walk on its softer surfaces.
Photo source: Unsplash | Minh Pham
5. Creating ‘zones’ in open spaces
Open plan living spaces or really large areas can be challenging to design because it’s tricky to make them feel homey or make each part feel different from the rest.
A combination of rightly-placed rugs is a great method to bring some designated zones in a softer way without making the whole area look or feel disjointed. Bonus point is, it doesn’t even have to be separate rooms, two rugs can be used to separate spaces in a single area.
This is also helpful for smaller spaces or studio apartments where division of spaces, like bedrooms from the living room and kitchen, is preferred. Or for extra large bedrooms that also include a study – using rugs can softly delineate the work and sleeping areas.
Photo source: Pexels | Taryn Elliot
Photo source: Unsplash | Lissete Laverde
6. Injecting personality, style and color
Rugs can fit multiple interior themes and styles because there is an endless number of designs, patterns and colors to choose from. This is a perfect opportunity for you, the designer or home owner, to show your personality and style by opting to have a rug as a feature piece.
If you’re looking to add pops of color to brighten up your space and insert some life into that neutral palette, making a rug the feature piece can immediately grab anyone’s eye. These creative, statement pieces usually work best in big, open plan layouts or in spaces where color tones tend to be more plain or monochromatic – like bathrooms or ultra modern settings.
“I once used a bright citrine over-dyed antique rug in a bedroom to dramatically set off the otherwise neutral space, and the impact was quite compelling and rich.” – Caleb Anderson of Drake/Anderson told Architectural Digest.
Photo source: Unsplash | Spacejoy | A boho-inspired space given more warmth with a rustic-colored rug that fully complements the design
On the other hand, a rug can also reinforce the current design and color theme of the space. It can serve as an added piece to further accentuate the current design – you just have to pick one that mimics the space’s style and color.
Bonus tip: it’s easier to introduce patterns using rugs than putting them permanently up on walls because it will seem less intrusive and easier to change.
Photo source: Pexels | Antoni Shkraba
7. Adding new textural dimension
Amidst adding all that warmth and character, a rug naturally adds texture to the floor and overall space.
There are many rugs designed with 3-dimensional quality to add more visual depth to the floors. Or, there’s the super shaggy or fluffy rugs that softens up the entire area, not only literally but figuratively too. Who wouldn’t want to sink their feet and relax on a super soft rug?
Another way to get that textured effect is layering. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one rug. If you’re feeling it for two designs, just go for it! All you have to do is make sure that they match and will not break away from the harmony and cohesion of the space.
Photo source: Jessica Helgerson Interior Design | Making a feature out of angling and layering two large rugs in an open space plan and putting most of the attention on this seating area
Photo source: HomeKlondike | The Do-Lo-Rez rug – hand tufted 3D rug created by famous designer Ron Arad
