ideas and inspiration

Guide to Decorating Your Living Room with Jaipur Rugs

• 24 December 2021
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• 5 Min Read
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• By Jaipur Rugs

Area rugs give a comfortable and luxurious feel to any space, and when used in a large space like a family living room, these can make a huge difference in the style and look of a place.

Quite aptly named, the living room is where we spend most of the time that we are in our homes. It is an all-in-one place where we relax, eat (if not dine), or—at times—even work from. Of all the spaces in a home, the living room is usually the first one that needs repairs or redecoration, or simply a makeover. And because we spend so much time there, it is understandable for us to want to change the decor a little. Living rooms are the most frequented spaces in the house and do require a little extra something to make the decor pop out. Here is where beautifully designed handmade rugs can come in. Area rugs give a comfortable and luxurious feel to any space, and when used in a large space like a family living room, these can make a huge difference in the style and look of a place. 

Of all the rooms in a home, if there is any room that absolutely needs a rug, it is the living room. The ultimate style tool, a rug can do anything from making a statement and setting themes, to defining a space or a zone. If you’ve ever felt that your living room looked somewhat off or was not up to the mark, then a rug is definitely something you should consider. With Jaipur Rugs’ stores offering rugs for sale all over the country, and our website store offering a wide range of carpets and rugs online, you can be sure to find something to suit your preferred style and look for your living room.

Styling a rug can be easy and difficult, depending on how you look at it. Putting all items of decor together so that they complement one another may seem like a trial and error process, but there are actually some rules of thumb as well as some tried and tested techniques. To help make redecorating easier for you, we have come up with some of these points that you can keep in mind while you look for your perfect rugs and try to style them after you’ve made a purchase. To know more, read on.

Getting Started:

The first questions that you should be asking yourself are the basics. Before trying to figure out what kind of rug will look good in your space, ask yourself what type of rug you want. Natural material or synthetic? Patterned or solid coloured? What should the texture be like? Decide what type of rug will suit the needs and requirements of your family the best. Once this is done, take a look at the layout of the room. The size of your space and the number of sofas, chairs, or coffee tables will decide the size of the rug.

Make and Materials:

The next step is to consider the existing aspects of your decor and visualise the theme or feel that you want to create in your space. The sofa, chairs, the colour of the walls, and even the geometrical shape of the room will affect how your rug will interact with all the other elements in the room. A relaxed mood can be created with a rug made out of natural fibres and set in a muted palette. For something rich and moody, try putting in a textured rug in deep and rich tones. Bold and prominent designs will help create visual impact, while mellow designs tone down the space. Dark rugs can also make the space look intimidating, while a pale rug won’t look as imposing. 

It's always helpful if you already know your rugs style, but it’s difficult to know your preferred style if you are new to decorating spaces. The make and material of a rug will have a lot of effect on the space. Generally, hand-knotted rugs are generally serious-looking rugs that have a defined and uniform look, and the effect that they lend to a space is that of composure and good definition. Hand-tufted pieces are much more relaxed and their shagginess will add a bit of youth and playfulness to the living space. Flatweaves carpets and hand-loomed rugs are well-suited to be outdoor rugs in summer. 

While considering the make of the rug, it is good to have an idea of the kind of service life you expect from a rug. A well-made hand-knotted rug can last anywhere from a few decades to more than a lifetime, whereas flatweaves and other thinner piled rugs seldom last for more than 10 years.

It also makes sense to look at the place holistically. A rug with a brilliant design and intricate patterns would be wasted under a sofa or furniture that covers up most of it. Rugs act as pieces of visual focus and attract a lot of attention, and this tip can be used to draw attention to or away from the various areas in your home. 

The shape of the Rug:

Rectangular and square rugs are very traditional rug and work great in any space. They can be used to define spaces and beautify them, but there is something about the appeal of round rugs that makes them look snug and unique. They add a certain character of softness to the room and don’t always have to fit the space perfectly. They are said to be quite forgiving in some aspects like colour and patterns because their unique shapes are a novelty in themselves.

How to Position your Rug:

There are no hard and fast rules when you are positioning a rug in your space, and we strongly believe that when placing around your decor items, what you really like is what really matters the most. But at the same time, a little inspiration and ideas can’t hurt, right? Here are some pointers that can work for you:

A rug to tie it all together: Your rug can be used as a centrepiece for your sofa or chair furniture. Try to place your couch seaters symmetrically, and even place a coffee table over the rug in the centre for the purpose of utility. 

To arrange the furniture: You can place the chair to sit on the rug, or only their front legs can also sit on the rug.

The rug in the corner or the centre: This is a matter of choice. If your rug is in the centre of the room, it can be kept bare. If it is in a corner, the furniture can be arranged over it. The rug edges should be at least 20 inches away from the closest wall. 

To designate a dining space: A rug can be used to designate a separate dining space in a living room. Use round or square rugs for circular or square dining tables, and make sure that the edges of the rug should extend to at least two feet from those of the table. This is to ensure that there is enough space to sit, stand and push back the chairs without tripping.