How to Make a Vintage Rug the Centerpiece of Your Decor

Rugs play a big role in creating the aesthetic and the mood of the room. They are usually the largest piece in the room, and they tend to dominate it even when it’s lavishly designed.

If the rug is chosen because of its vintage style; that style will transfer to the rest of the furniture, and it will be its central feature. In some cases, it might be useful for your design plans to start with a rug, and to build from that until you find the look you were going for.

The Size

The first step for choosing the right rug for you is to choose the size of the rug itself. That’s easier than it might seem even though many take a long time to make this call, since it’s one that can’t be fixed.

Start by measuring the room and then subtracting between 2 and 3 feet from each dimension. This will keep you covered, and allow you to place the furniture in an interesting and creative manner. Remember that it’s much more difficult to work with a rug that’s too short than with a one that’s too long.

The Materials

A rug is something you don’t buy that often, and its longevity should be amongst your top concerns. If a rug is going to be walked on every day, and if you’re going to wash and clean it quite often, you should consider investing in one made out of natural fibers.

Wool and silk are the most common choices, and they aren’t preferable just in terms of cleaning, but also when it comes to softness and the overall feel of the rug. This obviously depends on where the rug is. The rugs in your bedroom or bathroom should be especially comfortable.

Clashing

Chances are, the rug won’t be the only noticeable fabric in your room. In most rooms drapes are equally noticeable since they are large enough and lighting makes them noticeable. When this is the case, you need to make sure that the rug isn’t clashing with the drapes.

For instance, if you’re buying colorful Moroccan rugs make sure that the drapes and large pieces of furniture are monochromatic and in soothing earth tones. Otherwise, the effects of both will be diminished by the clashing.

The Shape

The shape of the rug depends on the shape of the room, and the features you’re trying to put an accent on, or downplay. If the rooms are long and narrow, the rug should be the same way, and with large enough rooms you could get away with oval shapes, especially if you want the empty space to be noticeable.

It’s also a good idea to consider rugs with curves especially if they go around a coffee table or a similar noticeable piece of furniture.

Furniture Coasters

Large pieces of furniture are often placed on top of your gentle and expensive rug. There are ways to avoid this, but most rooms aren’t large enough to accommodate this sort of set up and you’ll have to place a few furniture coasters beneath the furniture to keep the rug from getting damaged.

There are a lot of different ways to go with coasters, but if you want the weight of the furniture to be distributed evenly across the rug, it’s best to go with glass ones. These could be very easily hidden and they don’t jeopardize the visual identity of the room.

A vintage rug is a great addition to your main room, and it can even be its centerpiece if it’s chosen smartly. This means making sure you have the right size, shape, and the materials figured out.