• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australiaโ€™s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      Weโ€™re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Get Your Free Ebook

        This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesnโ€™t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • DINING-6-AFTER-0P9A4023Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other peopleโ€™s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether youโ€™re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-16 at 8.34.31 pmBefore & after: Classic, contemporary Adelaide bathroom reno
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? Weโ€™re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • MargueriteNew Sage x Clare range + creative director’s top picks!
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-08 at 9.49.47 amKmart partners with Wiradjuri artist Judith Young on home range
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jenโ€™s a legitimate interiors addict, sheโ€™s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the countryโ€™s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • TAYLORS OF BERRY HR-11Inside Neale Whitaker’s stunning new modern country guesthouse
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      Weโ€™re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks youโ€™ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Sashi X Cobram Shoot – 15th November_GRIFFIN SIMM_Finals 36Foodie Friday: Sashi Cheliah’s chickpea curry in a hurry
    • 211025_Rosedale_12Stylist Steve Cordony’s stunning Rosedale Farm is on Airbnb!
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

How to choose a rug: size, shape, colour, type and budget

By Guest Poster โ€ข 2 Comments

FacebookPinEmailTweet

Rugs wield so much power. They can: ground a room, add warmth, texture and colour, reduce echo, define a space, play off existing palettes and they also feel great underfoot.

Torres Wool Kilim Iron

But just how do you choose a rug? Do you go for a larger rug? A round rug? A colourful rug? Neutral? Wool? Jute? It can become overwhelming if you donโ€™t know the rules to buying a rug to suit your home โ€“ that will last.

Brendan Nash, west elm Bondi’s home stylist, knows his way around rugs! Every day he works with customers to create beautiful homes. With an eye for accessories, together with his know-how on the how-to when it comes to rug shopping, he can help you go from bare floor to brilliant in just five easy tips.

R and R Wabi Sabi Circle Wool

  1. Size. Donโ€™t skimp! Size is important. Size is THE most important. A large rug can make a small room feel larger! How your new rug fits your space will completely change the way it feels.

As a general rule, I tend to go for the largest size that you can comfortably fit, that you can afford, and fits proportionally with your existing furniture. The legs of your sofa and your coffee table should always land on the rug which will help the space not only feel a little more finished, but also give the illusion of more space. Buy larger โ€“ a small rug can look really mean in a large space. Unless itโ€™s a hallway โ€“ then a rug runner is perfect.

Boho Textured

And always, always measure up before you go shopping. I also really love when customers bring a photo of their room with them. It helps me visualise how the rug is going to work within that space.

  1. Style. What’s the look you are trying to go for? Take a look at your room and your furniture โ€“ then decide what direction you want to go in. Are you after a woven natural fibre rug that works back well with your light and airy home, or are you after something a little more wild to complement your eclectic style? Either way, rugs are generally an investment piece so it’s important to get something that will complement your space.

Consider shapes too โ€“ if you have a round dining table, a round rug will work to accentuate that statement piece. Patterned rugs work really well with glass top tables for extra visual interest.

  1. Practicality. Think about where the rug will live, and how you live in the space. Does durability factor into your decision? Juteโ€™s a great option โ€“ and so is wool! Is it a high traffic area? Go for wool. Itโ€™s easy to maintain. Bedroom comfort? Think about who will use the rug, how often it’s used and the upkeep factor to help guide the material and style you decide on. Plus nice soft rugs always work well in the bedroom.

If you have an open floor plan โ€“ a rug really helps to define spaces. A rug has the power to anchor the space โ€“ and differentiate between living, dining and relaxing areas.

  1. Budget. Sometimes what we dream of and what we can afford are two very different things. My biggest advice is to set a realistic budget on what you can afford but will still very much fit the brief. A rug will live in your space for quite some time โ€“ and therefore should be seen as an investment piece. Shop smart! Invest in a good quality product that will stand the test of time. Like anything, it’s easy to get swept away in the moment, and the next thing you know – that vintage persian rug from Sotheby’s is on its way to you! Think calmly and pragmatically, and plan out your purchase.\

Multi Pixel Woven Rug

  1. Try before you buy! To give you an idea of the dimensions of a rug and how that size and shape looks in your home, map out some painting tape and newspaper on the floor โ€“ exactly where you would place the rug, to give you more of an idea whether that size will work. This gives you a better idea of dimensions instead of having to visualise.

Given rugs always look different in your home than they do in store โ€“ lighting, furniture and your space will all factor into how the rug looks โ€“ west elm offers customers samples to take home and try before committing.

—west elm offers free design services to all customers โ€“ from picking colours and palettes, to designing your whole home.

FacebookPinEmailTweet

February 17, 2016

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • Breathtaking new Hamptons style home in Melbourne’s south east
  • Palette Cam 15 apps to help you build your dream home
  • How to: bench seat with storage for just $1200
  • Lime wash blonde brick house makeover for just $50! Really!

Follow us on Instagram

Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before ๐Ÿ˜‚

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION? How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION?!

Our friends at @mintdesignau have done it again!

Homeowner Briony Marsh says: Itโ€™s totally changed our home lifestyle now we can sit outside on the lounge in the sun or shade, be in the pool, spa, sauna or cooking pizzas and hanging out with friends. It sounds cliched but it really feels like we are on holiday at home!โ€

Head over to the blog to see the finer details, including a sauna and a seriously good looking copper pizza oven. There's a lot packed into this space!

#backyards #smallpools #smallpool #homesauna #pizzaovens #outdoorpizzaoven #landscapedesigner #mintdesign #holidayathome #resortstylehomes #landscapeartist #backyard #exteriorinspiration #exteriormakeover #exteriordesigns #pergoladesign #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno. L Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno.

Located inside a 1912 sandstone villa in Adelaideโ€™s Kensington, this bathroom makeover combines classic and contemporary elements that complement the homeโ€™s original, period features. 

Designed by the homeโ€™s owner @designby_Tahirih, who is a property stylist too, the renovation came sooner than expected after water ingress made the makeover of their only bathroom an urgent necessity!

The whole project cost an impressive $20k, project managed herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

#realrenovations #realhomes #realreno #heartyourhome #renoaddict #freestandingbath #classicbathroom #classiccontemporary #classiccontemporaryinteriors #theinteriorsaddict  #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #homestaging #laundrymakeover #bathroomrenovations #bathroomremodels
Maybe it's an antidote to the grey weather but we Maybe it's an antidote to the grey weather but we find some of the most colourful interiors from my motherland, the UK!

This beautiful lilac kitchen is found in a renovated apartment by @llidesign in a grand mansion block in London's Bloomsbury. You can tour the rest of it on the blog now, via link in bio.

#londonapartment #bloomsbury
#bloomsburylondon #luxuryapartment #westendlondon #lilackitchen #colourfulkitchen #londonhome #londonhomes #londoninteriordesigner #londoninteriors #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #kitchenshelf #kitchenshelves #kitchenshelfie #openshelves #openshelvingkitchen
I remember the chair being such a key purchase whe I remember the chair being such a key purchase when I put together my first ever baby room for Seb. I spent many an evening relaxing on mine while pregnant as I tried to get my head around impending motherhood! Not only are glider recliners like the Chelsea fromย @iltuttoย the most comfortable chairs EVER for those many hours spent feeding and settling, why shouldn't they look this good too, am I right?!

Did you love your nursery chair? Did it look this good?!

See more on the Il Tutto Chelsea Glider Recliner Chair via link in bio now.

#feedingchair #nurserychair #nursingchair #reclinerchair #nurseryroomdecor #nursery #nurserygoals #nurserydesign #babyroomdecoration #babyrooms #babyroominspo #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #iltutto #newmumlife
Here's a sneak peek of the kitchen and powder room Here's a sneak peek of the kitchen and powder room to whet your appetite! 

Head on over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest of this gorgeous Sydney reno by @_studio_trio 

Pix by @mareehomer.photography and styling by Jackie Brown.

#interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #realreno #housetour #australianhomes #australianhouses #sydneyhomes #sydneyhouses #texturedtiles #kitchenshelfie #kitchenshelves #kitchenshelf #powderroomdesign #powderroomwallpaper #studiotrio #kitchenhooks
There's a LOT of goodness in @sageandclare's lates There's a LOT of goodness in @sageandclare's latest collection Marguerite but the Aida rug has to be my personal fave.

Handcrafted from wool, it features a rustic check design with a rainbow of nostalgic colour. Embroidered edge stitching furthers its handcrafted feel. 

โ€œThis is pure colour joy bundled up in a hard-wearing and happy rug that will lift any room with ease," says creative director Phoebe Bell.

Head over to the blog now via link in bio to see more, including Phoebe's 5 faves.

#sageandclare #rugshopping #rainbowrug #tartanrug #checkeredrug #flatweaverugs #statementrug #handcraftedhomedecor #handcraftedhomewares #funhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
A DIY dining nook bench seat with storage for $120 A DIY dining nook bench seat with storage for $1200!

After 4 years of saying โ€œa dining nook would be great thereโ€ฆโ€ South Australians @the_groves_abode finally got a quote from a local cabinet maker for a built-in bench seat with storage. When the $4,000 price tag was revealed, criminologist, chronic over-achiever and wannabe carpenter Andrew decided to have a crack at it instead.

And we're so impressed with the end result which cost just over a grand. Read what they did, what they used and how in the blog now, via link in bio.

#diningnook #benchseat #benchseating #builtinbench #upholsteredbench #diybench #diycouple #budgetdiy #bunningsdiy #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #realreno #diningroomideas #breakfastnook #breakfastnookdesign #homediyproject
Mess = stress! Today on the blog, @little_label_c Mess = stress!

Today on the blog, @little_label_co founder Natalie Manoushian is sharing her top tips for a more organised home. I'd love you to share your best tips in the comments too!

"Disorganisation puts barriers in the way. Imagine how much quicker you would get things done if your home or work space ran smoothly. Researchers have found that clutter can actually make it more difficult to focus on a particular task. From the frustration of not being able to find what we need, to the feeling of being constantly surrounded by chaos, a disorganised environment creates brain fog and can lead to procrastination and reduces productivity. It can also trigger feelings of stress and anxiety, making it difficult to switch off, relax and sleep well."

Read the full post via link in bio now 

#littlelabelco #labelling #labellingeverything #homeorganisation #homeorganizationtips #homeorganising #homeorganisation #organisationtips #tidyingtips #homehack #storagegoals #pantrymakeover #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #cupboardstorage
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: What Made The Biggest Impact in Jen's Own Reno.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Avatar

About Guest Poster

If you have high quality, original, relevant content to share, we might be interested in publishing your guest post on Interiors Addict. Please email [email protected] with your submissions.

More from Decorating 101

5 home styling trends that will take over 2023

2023 outdoor trends: Mediterranean is the new Hamptons

New Linen House range will help you hibernate this autumn!

A hotel suite named after you? Neale Whitaker can now claim this!

The ultimate guide to designing a modern masculine home

Styl Studio box

DIY interior design kits delivered to your doorstep

Seasonal styling on a budget: 20 Kmart homewares under $20

Considered patterned curtains? Neale Whitaker shares his tips

Granite Lane

How to avoid waiting for furniture amid pandemic delays

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarTammy says

    March 20, 2016 at 3:34 pm

    Hi there,
    Great advice on the perfect rug!
    Quick question. Do you know where those last two patchwork type rugs are from?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      March 20, 2016 at 8:15 pm

      All these rugs are from west elm ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2023 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP ยท Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!