Choosing the perfect rug can be tricky, though. You might be wondering how to place a rug in your living room, or what size rug works best for your space. With so many shapes and styles to look at, the choice can be overwhelming and if you’re looking for a rug to fit in an awkward space or to match a specific colour, you might find yourself getting caught up in the specifics.
But don’t worry! We’re here with everything you need to know about choosing the perfect rug for your living room. We’ll look at living room rug ideas, giving you all the design inspo and practical info to make an informed choice. Let’s get into it!
What this article covers:
Read on to discover more about:- What types of rugs are good for the living room
- Choosing the right rug size
- Rug ideas for a small living room
- Trending rug styles and colours
- How to pick a rug colour
What types of rugs are good for the living room
When choosing a rug for the living room, there are a few things to consider. As most living rooms are high-traffic areas, rugs need to be practical as well as stylish – think darker colours, detailed patterns and a hard-wearing finish.There are lots of rug styles on La Redoute – here are some of our favourite rug ideas for a living room.
Extra large rugs
If you have a big living space or an open-plan living/dining area, an extra large rug will stop it from feeling cold and empty by adding warmth and texture to large floor areas. We love this Navaja Aged Effect Kilim Jute Cotton Rug, which has a natural aged effect to give it that vintage feel – great for your design choices and fantastic for high-traffic areas. The jute cotton finish is hard-wearing but softer on the feet, so still has that cosy feel.
Neutral rugs
Rugs with soft neutral colours work so well in a living space, as they complement the existing colour scheme without introducing clashing colours or interrupting the flow of your interior design. This Mirjana Hand Knotted Berber Style Tassel Wool Rug is a great option for the living room, and the neutral style is appealing yet understated.
Deep pile rugs
When it comes to choosing the perfect rug, adding warmth is really important – especially in the living room, where you want to curl up on the sofa in a cosy, relaxed atmosphere. Deep pile rugs have a luxurious feel underfoot – particularly useful if you have wooden floors. This Afaw Berber-Style Rug is a La Redoute classic in thick wool with a timeless monochrome style to suit any space.
Choosing the right size rug for your living room
When deciding how to place a rug in a living room, there’s lots to consider- but one of the key factors is size. Ensuring you have the right size rug for your living room will enhance the size of your space and your furniture choices, making the room feel light, airy and cohesive.
Step 1
Start by measuring the floor space available. Take into account awkward angles and inaccessible corners, measuring only the area your rug will sit. Once you have the dimensions, you can filter our rugs by size so you only see ones that will work in your living room.
Step 2
Next, consider the furniture you already have in your living room. A rug should complement your existing design choices, so think about the colours and textures of your furniture and look for rugs that pull out those elements – a flash of green to match a green sofa, or a warm neutral shade to highlight wood tones. You could also think about how your rug will interact with your furniture – will a coffee table sit on top of it? Could it tuck under the front legs of a chair?
Step 3
Finally, look at how a rug could define your living space. This is particularly useful for open-plan living/dining areas – a rug can be used to create definition between the two spaces, sitting solely on the living room side. It can also be used to link the two together, running through the centre of the room to create a flow as you move from one to the other.
Rug ideas for a small living room
If you’re working with a smaller living room, rugs can help maximise the space, making it appear bigger and more spacious. Take a look at these rug ideas for a small living room to find a design that works for you.
Look for smaller patterns
Rugs with a small, detailed pattern help balance the proportions of a small living room, whereas a large pattern could easily overwhelm. This Fatonia Hand Knotted Wool Rug has a delicate, repeating pattern that won’t look OTT in a narrow space.
Try an off-centre placement
When floor space is limited, your perfect rug might not sit comfortably in the very centre of your living room. And that’s ok! Experiment with placing your rug off to the side, flush against the wall or tucked under the sofa slightly.
Layer up multiple rugs
Stay with us on this one – in tight spaces, a couple of small rugs layered over each other will work better than one large rug that doesn’t quite fit. Especially for awkward areas where rugs need to be positioned on an angle, look for different rugs in complementary styles and layer them together to fill the space more efficiently.
Go for a runner
If you’re working with a very narrow floor space, a runner could well be your best option. We love this Ourika Berber-Style Colourful Runner Rug – it’s a great size for a tight spot and the bright colours and white base will bring light to darker corners.
How to pick the perfect rug colour
The perfect rug for your living room is one that works seamlessly with your existing interior design and fits your own personal style. Once you’ve got the size and shape decided, it’s time to think about colour! Here are our tips for picking the perfect rug colour…
- Coordinate with the existing shades in your living room. Rugs are great for picking out pops of colour - if you have green walls, why not look at green rugs to match?
- Think about your personal preference – if you like clean, minimal styles then look for monochromatic or geometric rugs. If you like a bit of chintz, a pastel paisley pattern could be for you!
- If you like your home to be very of the moment, check out trending rug colours like blue, green and beige. If you’re more classic, neutral shades like cream and grey will never date.
Trending living room rug styles and colours
The final consideration when looking for living room rug ideas is what’s trending. Rugs follow trends just like other interior design elements, and specific shapes, colours, patterns and styles tap into key homeware looks for each season. Here we look at what’s trending for rugs right now, and how you can get the style in your living space.
Style and texture
There are lots of trending rug styles available at La Redoute. If you like a statement style, geometric and patterned rugs are great for a maximalist look. If you’re keeping it more simple, plain rugs are subtle and understated while bright, bold rugs add an easy pop of colour.
On the texture front, natural fibres like jute, rattan and wool are really having a moment, and will add depth and warmth to your space. Another texture trend, Berber rugs are known for their diamond design and distinctive deep loop pile that attaches to the backing and remains uncut.
Plain or pattern
Whether you like an eye-catching patterned rug or a subtle plain style, both options have trending elements to keep your interior design bang up to date.
Geometric rugs have long been popular in clean, minimalist spaces – we particularly love the symmetry of geometric styles for small spaces. In other patterned rugs we’re seeing nature motifs trending – think leaves, florals and animals.
For a more simple style, plain rugs are following the trend for soft, natural shades and textures, with detail added through edging and cut-outs.
Shape and size
Rugs come in all shapes and sizes, and more interesting proportions are really popular right now.
The round rug works well in a large living space, especially when multiple small round rugs are layered together. We also love oval, rectangular and square rugs to add a bit more interest.
Colour and shade
Finally, you can use rugs to pick out key colour palettes to work with overall interior trends.
Soft, natural shades are perfect for the living room – look for beige rugs in jute or rattan to tap into this trend. Grey and black are also popular, especially in geometric styles for a clean, design-led look. 
Hopefully, you’ve found plenty of living room rug ideas and inspiration from this article. Take a look at the rugs available at La Redoute and start shopping for your perfect style!
