Area rugs play a huge part in contributing to the overall look of the room. A great way to add color and texture to your room, a properly placed area rug can help bind the different elements in the space together and anchor your furniture placement. Additionally, it can also add warmth and help keep your floors clean. However, Choosing the right area rug for your space needs some thought about various factors like size, shape, color, pattern and placement. Read on for a few general guidelines on these elements.
1. Size
It is important to pick an area rug which is proportionate in size to space that it is meant for. A rug which is too small will create a disconnected, fragmented look while a rug which is too large will overwhelm the space. One way to use a smaller rug is to layer it with a large rug underneath for an interesting effect. In a large room, two or more rugs can be used to define and segregate different areas.
2. Color
The color of your area rug could ideally complement the other elements in your room. The color of the rug becomes especially important when the furniture is all wood or metal. Darker colored rugs create a cozy feel while lighter rugs open up spaces.A quick tip for color balance would be to match the color of the rug with another accent in the room.
3. Patterns 
A patterned area rug can bring vitality to a space. One way to ensure harmony would be to pick up the same pattern for the area rug and another element in the room like a wall panel or cushion. To avoid excessive repetition of the same motif, you can pick similar patterns with different scales to create a visual hierarchy. If the rug has a symmetrical, central motif, make sure that the pattern is not covered up with furniture.
4. Shape
Round rugs can bring a playful feel to the room, but are best used in small sizes.A round area rug is best used with circular or curved furniture pieces – round tables and beds etc. Rectangular and square rugs create a more formal feel. A square or rectangular area rug can be used with similar shaped furniture or occasionally round tables, provided the table is small enough to be centred on the rug.
5. Placement
The right placement of an area rug depends a lot on the setting, type of space and other decor elements of room.
Foyer : An area rug for an entryway or foyer would be ideally placed at the centre of space, and oriented along the longest direction of the hallway.
Living Room : Area rugs can be used in a number of ways in living rooms.
- Wall to wall rugs can be used create cozy, warm spaces.
- Medium sized rugs are best suited for central living room seating arrangements. A common method of placing is positioning the front of the furniture on the rug and the other half on the bare floor. While using a medium sized area rug with a sofa, its best to have to have the rug extend for a foot or two on either side of the sofa for a spacious look.
- A small area rug can be used below a centre table.The empty space between the edge of the rug and the rest of the furniture should be sufficiently large and preferably equal on all sides to avoid a spatial disconnect. Oblique placements of small and medium rugs
Dining room : Dining room sets can ideally be placed at the centre of the area rug, with enough left over space on the sides.
Bedroom : An area rug for a bedroom should ideally cover a third of the length of the bed and extend out around a foot or two on the three sides away from the headboard. Orienting the rug along the longer direction of the room will enhance the sense of space within the room.
A little bit of experimentation with the shape, colors and positioning of your area rug could give you unique and surprising results.
