Four Tips for Matching Your Rug to Existing Furniture

Four Tips for Matching Your Rug to Existing Furniture

Did you know that the oldest surviving pile carpet—the ancestor of the oriental rug—dates back to 5 BCE? Back then, matching your rug to other furniture wasn’t too much of a challenge, since furniture was very rudimentary to begin with. Today, homeowners are all too aware of how difficult it can be to match a gorgeously woven rug to existing decor and furniture. Here are four tips to keep in mind.

Neutrals are your Friend

An oriental rug is typically colorful, with hues of red, purple, blue and orange remaining very common. These colors can easily become visually overwhelming if you try and match them to your furniture. Rather than opting for red chairs, lean toward neutrals. White paint, beige accents, and dark wood cabinetry can be the perfect accompaniment to a red-based rug and a few well-placed colorful vases.

Don’t Be Afraid to Clash

While too much clash can confuse the eye (or terrify), a little bit can be intriguing. Just imagine an oriental carpet paired with white chairs and mismatched, patterned throw pillows. These days interior designers are advising clients that there’s no need to go matchy-matchy on everything, and a little bit of contrast can bring a certain elevating boldness to a room.

Unify Undertones With Existing Features

You don’t always need to stick to a specific color scheme in order to make a room look great. Instead, look to unify the overall look by working with the colors in your rug. If orange is a predominant hue, think about repeating this hue on lamps, table decor, and wall paintings. The result will lend the room a unifying impression, even if your chairs don’t match the couch and the couch doesn’t match the rug, et cetera.

Understand the Color Wheel

If you want your rug to really pop as a feature of the room, rather than blend into the background, you’ll need to understand the color wheel and how it applies to your furniture and decor. When it comes to colors, opposites attract—that is to say, complementary colors sit opposite each other on the wheel. If your rug is primarily green, for example, look for red and orange, depending on the exact hue. Keep in mind that not everything needs to be in a saturated tone, however. Pairing soft, mint green walls or furniture with a more boldly red hued rug and table books can energize and invigorate your space without overwhelming.

Not sure how to match rugs to your furniture? The rug experts at Persian Oriental Rug can help. If you are planning to buy a new rug and want to figure out which one works best with your existing color scheme, give us a call at 508-753-4667.