How to Choose the Perfect Shaped Rug for Your Home
As modern design evolves, professional designers and homeowners alike are on the lookout for unique decor choices capable of tying entire rooms together – and one of the hottest ways to do that is by choosing a shaped rug. We are here for this trend! The options are as limitless as the designers who make them; shaped rugs encompass everything from jagged edges and curves to obtuse angles and cutouts. Completely customizable and available in every color and material imaginable (think Chinese silk, linen, wool, and even recycled felt), shaped rugs will take your room design to the next level – and make a bold statement in the process. Here are four tips that will help you find the shaped rug of your dreams.
Giovanni by John Booth for FLOOR_STORY
Listen to Your Gut
“Shaped rugs, particularly in vibrant palettes, are a big statement of personality,” says Simon Goff, the founder of London-based rug purveyor FLOOR_STORY. Case in point: Floor Story’s Giovanni Rug by John Booth, a colorful hand-knotted wool and bamboo viscose offering that was modeled after a stoneware vase the ceramist created for the House of Voltaire. “Rugs are about non-conformist expressions, so it’s really just important that you like it,” he notes.
Chroma Primary rug by Kitty Joseph for FLOOR_STORY
Cosmic Yolk 1 Rug by Ohni Lisle for Aelfie
“There are no hard rules for decorating,” adds Aelfie Oudghiri, who started out as an antique tribal carpet dealer and now helms an eponymous home décor shop in Brooklyn. “Make a mental note of spaces that you like being in, and try to pinpoint what about that particular space is resonating with you.” One of the most popular shaped sensations currently available in her shop is the Cosmic Yolk 1 Rug by Ohni Lisle – a hand-knotted wool rug with yolk-like color layers that were sheared down to create a multi-layered effect.
Cosmic Yolk 2 Rug by Ohni Lisle for Aelfie
Take the Materials into Account
While the shape and style of a rug is important, buyers should also consider which materials are best suited for their space. Oudghiri recommends looking for a durable material, such as wool rugs that have been hand-knotted or hand-woven – especially if you have kids or pets.
From The Shop
Sottovolto Rug
Iso Rectangle Rug
Super Rock Hot by Bethan Laura Wood for cc-tapis
Think About the Shape of Your Room
Daniele Lora, the art director at Italian-based rug company cc-tapis, notes that it’s important to take the shape of the room as well as the existing furnishings into account when pondering a new rug purchase. “If you have a round sofa, or a sofa with a curving or soft shape, the rug could have the same soft shape,” she says. “However, if the furniture is very geometric and linear, then a more linear shaped rug could work.” She also suggests combining two or more rugs in the same space (and maybe even overlapping them) for visual variety. When in doubt, Goff adds bigger is better: “It’s best to go a little oversized if anything, as a rug that’s too small for the space just looks plain odd.”
Visioni by Patricia Urquiola for cc-tapis \ Photo by Jeremias Morandell
Ply by MUT Design for GAN Rugs
Play Around with Shapes
Mapi Millet, creative director of Spanish-based GAN Rugs, recommends placing elongated rugs on the sides of beds or corridors and using circular ones to visually enlarge rooms. “The size and shape are just as much a determining factor as colors,” she says.
Vestry by Ghislaine Viñas for Empire Collection \ Photo: Paul Godwin
Ghislaine Viñas, who manages a residential interior design firm by the same name in New York, recommends anchoring a bullet shape with a pouf or chair on the end and placing scallops or interesting edges against a straight wall. “A shaped rug is often a statement piece not just an accent, so you don’t want to cover up the good parts,” she says. Playful yet elevated, shaped rugs can add a whimsical pop of color to any space – and help you build the home of your dreams from the ground up.
Westside by Ghislaine Viñas for Empire Collection
Inspired? Check out more rugs in the Design Milk Shop here!
Rebekah Bell is a writer who lives in Los Angeles.
