When decorating a home, one common question that comes up is whether rugs need to match in every room or if it’s okay to mix and match styles. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Having a cohesive look with matching rugs can make spaces flow together nicely and feel pulled together. However, mixing rug styles allows you to add visual interest and highlights the unique style of each room. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what fits best with your overall decor.
Do rugs have to match?
The short answer is no – there is no interior design rule that dictates all rugs must match. While having some consistency can help spaces feel cohesive, it is perfectly fine to use different rug styles, colors, and patterns throughout a home. Here are some key factors to consider when deciding whether to match rugs:
Open floor plan
For homes with an open concept floor plan where multiple rooms flow together, matching rugs can help make the space feel unified. Using the same rug style or color palette in open dining, living, and kitchen areas creates a smooth visual flow. Mixing too many clashing rugs in an open floor plan can feel chaotic.
Closed off rooms
If rooms in a home are separated by walls and doors, it becomes easier to decorate each space individually with different rug styles. The divided rooms allow you to highlight the distinct purpose and design of each area without creating a disjointed feel. Matching is less important in closed off rooms.
Formality
Rugs in more formal spaces like dining rooms, living rooms, and master bedrooms often look best matching throughout a home. These main rooms tend to use nicer rug materials like wool and traditional Persian or Oriental patterns. Maintaining this elevated style from room to room enhances the formal ambiance.
Casual rooms
For more casual, everyday use spaces like family rooms, kids’ rooms, offices, etc. there is much more flexibility to mix up your rugs. These rooms often have a more eclectic, playful decor so introducing different rug patterns, textures and colors can add personality.
Purpose
Consider the functional purpose of each room. Bedrooms may feature plush rugs underfoot while bathrooms need absorbent cotton rugs. The dining room likely needs a rug sized to fit under the table while the living room benefits from a larger area rug. Matching the rug style to the room’s purpose is more important than matching rugs to each other.
When to match rugs
While matching rugs room to room is not strictly necessary, here are some situations where opting for cohesive rugs makes sense:
1. Transitional spaces
Using matching rugs in spaces that flow directly into one another, like a living room opening into a dining room, helps connect the two areas. The continuous rug look makes the rooms feel more like one unified space.
2. Open floor plans
As mentioned earlier, matching rugs throughout an open concept home creates harmony. The open line of sight means all the rugs are visible at once so a coherent rug scheme helps the aesthetic.
3. Formal home style
Homes decorated in a more elegant, formal style usually look best with matching rugs in the main living spaces. The continuity enhances the refined ambiance. Mixing highly contrasting rugs could disrupt the upscale feel.
4. Tight color scheme
If your home decor relies on a tight, controlled color palette, sticking to matching rug colors helps maintain continuity. Introducing clashing rug colors can throw off the color flow.
| Space | Matching Rug Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Open floor plan | Yes |
| Closed off rooms | No |
| Formal spaces | Yes |
| Casual rooms | No |
When to mix rug styles
While a coherent rug scheme has its place, don’t feel afraid to mix things up in certain situations:
1. Closed off rooms
Playing with different rug styles in rooms separated by walls and doors adds visual interest and individual flair to each space.
2. Kids’ or pets’ rooms
Children’s rooms, nurseries, and pet areas often benefit from whimsical mismatched rugs that feel playful and express the occupant’s personality.
3. Eclectic decor
Homes decorated in an eclectic or bohemian style can easily handle a wide array of rug patterns, colors, and textures mixed together. The diversity enhances the free-spirited vibe.
4. Providing contrast
Strategically using contrasting rugs in adjoining rooms can help define the different spaces. For example, a vintage Oriental rug in the living room next to a sisal or jute rug in the den.
5. Defining spaces
Using area rugs of different styles or orientations helps delineate unique zones within a large open room. For example, positioning rugs under each furniture grouping in a great room.
| Room | Mix and Match Rug Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Kids room | Yes |
| Eclectic home | Yes |
| Adjacent contrasting rooms | Yes |
| Great room zones | Yes |
Tips for mixing rug styles
If you opt to mix up your rugs, keep these tips in mind for a cohesive look:
Repeat a color
Using rugs that share one central color helps them feel connected. For example,muted blues or greens.
Coordinate color schemes
Choose rug colors that complement each other even if different. For instance, pair neutral, earth tone, jewel tone palettes.
Repeat shapes or motifs
Use rugs with similar silhouettes or detailing even in different colors. For example, all traditional Persian patterns or circular area rugs.
Balance textures
Mix up textures like soft shaggy rugs alongside flat weave rugs but don’t go overboard on wildly contrasting textures.
Mind the sizes
Keep rug sizes in adjacent rooms relatively similar to maintain an orderly look from space to space.
Keep styles consistent
While specific colors and patterns can vary, stick to either casual, traditional, modern, or eclectic rugs – not necessarily all mixed together throughout a home.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, whether you choose to match rugs or intentionally mix them up comes down to personal style and preference. If you want a more polished, pulled together aesthetic, opt for cohesive rugs in main living spaces. But don’t be afraid to have some fun and showcase your unique flair in certain rooms – just look for ways to strategically tie the different rugs together through color, shape, texture or style. Rugs are a wonderful way to define a room’s purpose and showcase your design sensibilities. The most important thing is choosing rugs you genuinely love rather than following arbitrary matching rules. Find the rug styles that bring you joy, harmonize with your decor, and make each room feel special.
