Decor with Carpets and Rugs

Determining which rugs and carpets will work best in a room can be trickier than predicting who will win the Superbowl. A soft colorful Oriental rug, a bright contemporary one, maybe sisal? Wall-to-wall or just an area, blue or dirt-camouflaging patterns?

With all the styles and colors offered, choosing an area rug that integrates with your decor can be difficult. However, considering a few factors before you buy your rug can help:

•Choose what you want the focal point of the room to be. Think about which furniture you want to highlight. A rug can draw the eye in the right direction. If you want the rug itself to serve as the focal point, think about choosing one with a central pattern. However, if there is another obvious focal point, such as a hearth, you may want to use a rug with a more repetitive pattern and no center.

•Consider the patterns and colors on the upholstery and walls in the room, so they don't compete with the rug. If you have upholstery or wallpaper with an ornate pattern or a bright color, choose a subtler pattern and a lighter shade for the area rug. If the walls and upholstery are fairly subdued, you can try a busier pattern and brighter color to give more interest to the room.

•Notice how much traffic the area receives. In high traffic areas, selecting a rug with a intricate pattern may be more practical. The more pattern, the lower the maintenance.

•Select a rug with colors that coordinate with your decor. While all the colors in the rug don't have to match the colors in the room, at least one color should coordinate. Rather than urgently trying to match a rug precisely to an existing color in the room, just go with a rug in the same color family. Take swatches of wallpaper, paint or upholstery fabric with you when you shop. Or get a rug with variegated tones, which can more easily pick up a color that’s already in the room.

•Keep in mind that lighter-colored rugs make the room seem more spacious and darker colors in the rug bring a cozy atmosphere to the room.

•Remember that texture is also an important element in your decor. Several different fibers within a rug or carved areas can add more zing to an area rug's texture. Rugs made of sisal or jute add an out of the ordinary texture to smooth hardwood or tile floors. If you want to get away from the usual flat-weave patterns, consider a design with raised stitching or one with a weave (or pile) that adds depth and dimension.

•For the dining room-choose a rug that’s about four feet wider and four feet longer than the table so that chair legs — and guest legs — don’t get caught on the edges.

•Don't feel limited to rectangles. Octagonal or circular rugs add a unique touch to a room.