When you think of a rug as the thing that anchors the different décor elements in your home together, it becomes a lot easier to pick the right color and pattern for a new rug. If you want your home to seem more formal, you’ll choose richer colors and patterns; if you want a more casual feel, you’ll pick more muted tones and patterns. If you want people to feel energetic, you’ll pick vibrant colors and patterns. But how do you decide?
What Is Your Color Palette?
It’s important to know what your color palette is. If you haven’t planned it, take some photos of what you are using now. You can upload them to a color matcher to find out what your palette might be. If you’re not sure but you have a picture or something you’d like to use to create a color palette, you can use software like Canva.com to help you.
What Is the Least Used Color in Your Palette?
If you have a muted color palette, this is an opportunity to add a very effective splash of color to your space by using a rug. Often, it helps to bring out the brightest but least used color in the palette in your rug choice. You may also want to choose a contrasting color, so use your palette to figure out what works best.
What Feeling Do You Want to Evoke?
Remember that different colors evoke different feelings. Yellow brings energy and warmth, while red brings love and excitement. Figure out the type of feelings you want to evoke with your overall décor colors and keep that in mind as you choose.
What Is the Room Used For?
Another question you want to think about is what the room is being used for. If it’s used to eat, you’ll need to think of the potential for stains; if you want to relax, you may need to reconsider using that bright pink color, and if you have pets you may want to avoid shag carpeting.
How Much Pattern Is Already Used?
When you’re picking patterns, you want to be careful about putting patterns together that clash. But you don’t need to worry about mixing patterns. For example, pinstripes and polka dots or flowers go together quite well. A muted floral pattern on a sofa can still go with a more vibrant floral pattern on the floor in the form of a rug. Color can also unite patterns that you may not initially think match.
The best thing to do is use software like Pinterest or Canva to help you lay out what your dream colors and patterns are before you buy, so that you can figure out if it works for your needs before you spend a lot of money on the wrong choice. But don’t be afraid to try new and unexpected things. The truth is, if you like it, that’s really all that matters.
