How to Select the Right Rug for Your Space

This article was written by Melissa Sacco from Melissa Sacco Interiors as part of our Interior Design Newsletter series.

If you can’t put your finger on what is throwing off your space, the answer might be the rug. While the right rug can make a room — adding color, texture, warmth and an overall sense of cohesion — the wrong rug can truly throw off the entire space. As experienced interior designers, we’ve seen it all — from the itty-bitty rug floating in a large space to the oversized area rug that looks more like wall-to-wall carpeting. For this reason, we like to create a furniture layout plan first and then select the rug.

So What Is a Furniture Layout Plan?

A furniture layout drawing shows the schematic top view of all of the furniture that will go into a space as well as its location, size, and shape. If you’re ever watched a home design show, you’ve probably seen the hosts talk through the floor plan and watched as they digitally drop in the pieces of furniture they plan to add to the space in the final design. We use a similar computer program to draw your space and the proposed design elements to scale. This highly visual tool offers an overview of the room that can be difficult, if not impossible, to see when you’re actually in the space. It allows us to show our clients what different sized rugs will look like once all of the other pieces in the room have been assembled.

When in Doubt, Tape It Out!

If you are not working with a designer, an easy and affordable way to estimate the correct size of rug to order is to use painter’s tape to mark the intended location of the rug using the exact dimensions. This will give you a rough idea of the proportion and scale, so that whether you’re shopping in-person or online you can select the correct size rug. This trick also works for furniture, so remember — when in doubt, tape it out!

Selecting the Right Style of Rug

Now that you know how to select the right size area rug, let’s talk about style. Area rugs are one of our favorite layering pieces; they ground the space, add a layer of luxury, help to dampen sound and have the potential to pull the entire design together. We tend to favor natural fiber rugs in wool, jute and sisal as they are versatile, durable and timeless. That being said, each material has its pros and cons making them ideal for some spaces and a poor fit for others.

Below we’ve listed some of the questions we ask clients that help us to determine the right rug for each space.

• How do you currently utilize the room?
• How would you like to utilize the room?
• What works for you now? And what does not work for you?
• How many people will be utilizing the space?
• How frequently will they use it and in what capacity?
• Do you have any pets? If so, how many and what kind?

You’ll notice that all of these questions go to the use of the room because that’s often the determining factor when it comes to the rug. High traffic spaces will benefit from darker designs and low pile, kids rooms call for soft and stain resistant options and bedrooms are where you can bring the luxe.

Selecting the right rug for your space may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Take the time to carefully consider your space, how you live, don’t forget to measure and you’ll be fine

About Melissa Sacco Interiors

Melissa Sacco Interiors provides Long Island and New York clients with designs that effortlessly combine creativity and comfort.

You can trust us to bring out your own personal style with ease, in a way that feels warm and welcoming —never stuffy. It’s not about “whatever’s trending on Instagram”. We design homes that will look great for years to come.

For inspiration and inquiries, you can find Melissa Sacco Interiors here:

Website: Melissa Sacco Interiors

Email: melissa@melissasaccointeriors.com

Instagram: @melissasaccointeriors

Phone: 516-765-3023