Consider Your Room’s Main Focal Point When Choosing Rugs
Rugs are a decorative item that can draw attention to certain areas of a room, compliment existing focal areas in a room or even become a focal point themselves. When choosing rugs or area rugs, it is important to consider your room’s main focal point. Would it be the furniture, the fireplace or the rug?
If the focal point of a room is the furniture and surrounding décor in the room, then it’s best to choose a rug that is more subtle and subdued with little or no pattern or a rug that compliments the color of existing furniture. Soft colors and tones will work best for this with many plain rugs being good choices. In some cases two or more smaller rugs can work better than one large rug. If the fireplace is to be a focal point, it is usually best to choose a rug that has a subdued all-over pattern or a plain rug that compliments the surroundings so that it does not become a distraction.
If you are planning to make the rug that you choose as the focal point, then it is best to choose a rug that is quite busy, bright or bold in design/color, thus attracting attention to it and drawing attention away from the furniture and surrounding décor. Cheap rugs that are to become focal points work best in rooms when the surrounding décor is neutral or soft in color, thus creating a picture frame so to speak for the rug that becomes the artwork within that frame.
Keep in your mind that it is often best to just have one focal point in a room. If two or more items happen to compete for a focal point it can unbalance a room and upset the atmosphere within it. This can be avoided with good planning and placement.