5 Insanely Helpful Tips For Mixing Rugs (That You Need To Know!)

This post is all about mixing rugs in an open concept room & how to style multiple rugs.

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The 3 Main Types Of Rug Styles

There are 3 main types of rugs: irregular, patterned, and solid. The photo below has an example of each style.

Irregular is anything that doesn’t follow a set pattern, think vintage or organic lines. Patterned is exactly as it sounds… it must contain a clear repeating pattern. Solid rugs can be completely solid in color, a natural fiber like jute, or a hide rug. Think of solid rugs as a basic or neutral option that tie everything together. (Similar to the way that jeans are in an outfit!)

A well-balanced open concept room should have at least 2, preferably all 3, styles of rugs. (P.S. make sure you’re using this hack to keep your rug corners from curling up too!)

PATTERNED RUG | IRREGULAR RUG | SOLID RUG

Tip #1: Don’t Match When Mixing Rugs

Using the same rug multiple times in a room will lead to a less “designed” look. It’s a similar concept to dining sets. A dining set that comes with matching chairs looks less expensive than a dining table with custom chairs. The bright side is that it doesn’t have to be more expensive like dining chairs usually are!

Tip #2: Mix Rug Textures & Pile Heights

Mixing rugs with varying textures and pile heights will add visual interest to your room. One secret tip I swear by is using an outdoor rug indoors. Our living room rug (pictured below) is an outdoor/indoor style. It has a standard pile height, but inside the “checkered” parts it drops down to a low pile height. It also is more durable since it’s an outdoor rug. Play around with both textures and pile heights for a dynamic look!

CHECKERED RUG | VINTAGE COFFEE TABLES | WHITE COUCH | PILLOW CASES

Tip #3: Stick To A Color Palette When Mixing Rugs

A color palette is key to coordinating your rugs, but not matching them. I lean towards neutral color palettes or cool toned palettes. Warm toned is also great, just not my personal style.

One tip for checking if a rug works in your color scheme is to use a color picker (you can even use the Instagram story feature!). Color select from your rugs & then pop those colors on a blank word doc. You’ll then be able to evaluate the color palette alone without the patterns distracting you.

Tip #4: Try Inverting Your Colors

If you want to keep things more neutral in your home, but still want your rugs to be interesting try inverting your rugs.

Our living room rugs are an example of this. Our main rug is dominantly white with dark accents, our entry rug is dominantly black with light accents, and then we have a jute rug in the kitchen.

Tip #5: Your Rugs Should Contrast Against Your Floor

A simple yet important thing to remember. Each of your rugs should contrast in some way against your floor. It doesn’t always have to be a high contrast, but some variation between your rug and floor is important.

@ahousetohomey

Replying to @CamFamHomestead My go-to home hacks for styling multiple rugs. These are my staples that help me design a balanced room, but ultimately design should be whatever feels best to you. Which ones do you agree with or disagree with? 1. Separate the different “types” of rugs. 2. Coordinate your colors, but don’t match them. 3. Mix & match your textures & pile heights. 4. Mix vintage & modern styles. 5. Follow a color palette. I never mix warm toned rugs & cool toned. Keep it consistent in a room. 6. If you’re using neutrals instead of colors, try inverting the colors. (Example: mainly black rug with white accents next to a mainly white rug with black accents, etc.) 7. Each rug should contrast against your flooring. 8. Use your favorite rug as your “center point” rug or largest rug & design around it. #homehack #rughack #homedecor #hack #rugstyling #interiordesigntips

♬ original sound – Megan

You can shop my exact living room rugs here!