Area rugs can instantly add color, style, and texture to any room. The design of the rug sets the personality of a room and reflects your unique taste and style. The only rule to remember when decorating with rugs is there are no rules. Most decorative area rugs have several colors in the design. The primary color and several accent colors. Take the primary color of the rug and use it to accessorize the surroundings. Choose the accent colors  to blend with your walls, sofa, or fabrics. Remember colors need to blend together they don't need to be a perfect a match. Stay in the same color family and you will be fine. 

Most interior designers reccommend using some black in a room. A black rug with several accents colors will anchor a setting and define a focal point for the eye.  Today many homes are being designed with an open floor plan. One question my customers ask more often than not is " Do all my rugs need to match?" That is of course your preference, but most designers say it is better to stay with the same color scheme in the rugs and choose different patterns to create individual areas. I agree. Using the same design through out the home will become boring and you will get tired of your rugs more quickly. If you keep the same color scheme flowing in the open rooms and have different patterns in the rugs, you can move the rugs around periodically for a new look.

Customers come in to my store wanting an area rug, but they just layed hardwood or tile flooring and don't want to cover it all up.  The interior decorators that I have worked with say to leave at least 2ft of your hardwood or tile floor exposed on all sides of the rug, if you are using a room size area rug.   

For more tips on decorating with area rugs read our others guides