Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mark & Day. However, all opinions stated here are my own. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Ever feel like your room is missing something? I have found the best way to “finish” a room or inexpensively give it a face lift is to add an area rug! Now, I will be honest… I have the hardest time deciding on rugs for rooms. Prior to choosing these new Mark & Day rugs for my space, I was lost. I wasn’t sure patterns were acceptable to mix or how big of a rug I should order. So I went on a search mission on the inter – web.
I would typically purchase rugs that were shag, neutral, and a solid color. This did nothing for my space! We recently decided to get new area rugs for our living room, kitchen, and Gianna’s nursery. I decided it was time to branch out a bit more and choose patterns and colors I would normally steer clear of. These new rugs have completely rejuvenated what felt like a boring stale place in our home and I am in love!
*Click photos for links to rugs
5 Considerations When Choosing a Rug
1. Material
As I mentioned I always gravitated towards shag rugs because they felt the most “comfortable”. I have learned that this is not ideal in our living room because it is such a high traffic area and keeping it clean was a nightmare (and our Roomba would always get stuck on it). We also have old dogs that are not the best at always making it outside and cleaning the shag was such a pain! For our new living room rug we opted for a lower pile, but still soft rug.
For Gianna’s nursery we still went with a shag rug as it has minimal foot traffic and I wanted her to have a soft ,comfortable, plush rug for when she starts crawling and playing in there.
Therefore, consider how much foot traffic your room will get to ensure the durability of your rug as well as the ease of cleaning.
2. Size
There are so many different “rules” when it comes to choosing the proper size rug for your space. After tons of research, here are some that I found most useful.
Living Room
The rule of thumb for choosing an area rug for your living room is to ensure you at least have the front legs of all furniture sitting on the rug. Ideally you should have the entire piece of furniture on the rug, with a 1 foot border between the rug and the wall.
Now to be honest, I did not follow this rule for a reason. Our sectional has 3 electric recliners which make our couch very heavy. As I mentioned we have dogs that like to deface our carpet and when we need to clean it, I don’t want to have to life the couch off every time. So our living room rug is just centered to the base of the recliners under the couch.
Bedroom
When choosing a rug for your bedroom you can use the following as a guide:
King size bed = 9’x12’
Queen-sized bed= 5’x8’ rug under the foot of the bed or an 8′ x 10′ under the entire bed
Twin = runner alongside the edge
3. Purpose
Is this rug going to be in a space for a tumbly toddler or elderly individuals? Then you likely want to choose a low pile rug (and a non slip carpet pad!) If you are looking for a rug for your foyer or entryway, consider an outdoor rug or jute which will clean easy as well as handle the highly trafficked area.
4. Color
I see so many accounts on Pinterest and Instagram mix colors and patterns and pull it off so well, but for some reason it always makes me nervous. I took a leap of faith (with a push from friends) and went with a patterned rug in all 3 rooms and I am so glad I did. Don’t be afraid to be bold, more likely than not it will make your room pop!
5. Budget
Area rugs can be super pricey, especially the larger ones! Set a budget and stick to it! You can find affordable options and be sure to shop around. Many companies sell the same patterns or very similar ones so be sure to check multiple sites. During our recent remodel, we found the best prices for our area rugs at Mark & Day. They are always having awesome sales and the quality is unbeatable! Reviews are a great place to ensure the rug is worth the price tag.
So how do you decide?
In the end, these are all just suggestions! Do whatever you feel fits your needs, space, and taste. We don’t even have a rug in our bedroom but may likely add one someday. Or do what I did an enlist your best girlfriends to vote!
Xo, Emily
