Area rugs are great! We use them to ground the furnishings in a room. They are a great way to introduce a color palette to a neutral space. Rugs help create a cozy feel and cut down on echo. In large open concept floor plans they help delineate and define usage areas. Rugs are a powerful tool to set the tone for the space as well. From a fluffy white rug to a bold geometric, both look great but deliver far different feels to a space.
However, they can also clutter and complicate spaces. For staging purposes, we always suggest removing rugs that are smaller than 5 x 7. In a small online photo these small rugs are distracting and create visual clutter. Runners can be a great tool to add impact and interest to a long corridor, they can also help warm cold, echoey spaces. But… they can also be a nuisance and a tripping hazard. When in doubt, go without!
The same applies to using too many area rugs in a large space. While it’s tempting to place an area rug in every space to “create a room” , we find it useful to avoid creating furniture islands, and instead choose to leave one space without an area rug to help maximize the appeal of an attractive open concept design.
