Floor it!

Let’s talk rugs, shall we? There are many ways to define a space, but in my humble yet professional opinion, rugs are ‘the bomb’.

Rugs are the ultimate ‘Quick- Fix ‘ because in a matter of seconds you can transform a space through adding, rotating, changing and/or layering rugs. Let me give you a few examples…

1. When working with a large open floor-plan like a loft space or a single living/ dining/ kitchen space, there is no better way to divide and conquer than with rugs. The rug – and the placement of furniture in relation to the rug provides the division and the definition of the space in a way that a wall does in the case of a smaller room. Without the rugs, furniture tends to float in no man’s land – which is fine if you are after a minimalist look or you have really beautiful floors that you want to show off but if you are after a warmer atmosphere, then floor it baby!

2. Like it or not, size matters. It is possible to make a room feel either larger or smaller depending on the rug you select. A really small rug in a large room surrounded by big sofas or under a big dining table can often feel oddly proportioned and a bit skimpy, making the room feel smaller. Similarly, if you have a large rug in a large space with large furniture and you try and squish all the furniture within the perimeter of the rug, what you end up doing is shrinking your usable living space because the rug and the furniture define the space, but in this case, poorly. Do yourself a favor and spread it out. You have the space, so use it. The sofa’s can sit off the rug entirely if you have the space, or on the rug only partially. Trust me, it will change your life!

3. Ever questioned rugs on carpet?? Well, me too. As a general rule I don’t do it – you already have the carpet and the warmth that carpet provides, HOWEVER, there is no hard and fast rule in my book when it cones to rugs, or anything for that matter. I would use a rug on a carpet in the case of my first point – when a room is really large and/or serves more than one function. In this case, use rugs to create clear divisions of the functionality of the space. This is also good for cavernous bedrooms if you are looking for a bit more intimacy.

4. If are a free flowing kind of person and don’t want to be defined by the linearity of a rectangular rug, or you have an unusually shaped space, I have the answers for you too! You can take some tips from my last blog post, and layer it up. Layering rugs is really great if you love texture like I do, or are just really indecisive and can’t decide which rug to take home! Cow-hides are also fantastic in many different interiors from modern to contemporary to country and wintery lodge. The irregularity of the form also allows for freedom of placement as there are no right-angles to define where you should place furniture. Lastly, there are round rugs and I do like to use them to define spaces like dining areas with round settings or large entryways with a round entry table or even large living areas where I would follow the curve of the rug when considering the placement of the furniture – so maybe they won’t suit you free flowing types, but I like them!

5. The final thing I would like to say about rugs – and this is important – consider the configuration (point 4 is exempt from this tip). Most rugs are rectangular for a reason so please follow the shape of your room (considering of course the windows, doors, openings, fireplaces, heaters, etc. that may limit your furniture placement options) and place the larger items along the length of the rug and the smaller items along the width.

So there you have it. My ode to the rug – a friend to the designer and the homeowner alike. Go out there and get your rug on! They are non-committal (unlike upholstery fabrics, paints and wallpapers) and you can transform your space in a flash!

Above is a lovely close up from a current project in South Yarra where we got funky with textures and layers.