The Best Area Rugs for Living Rooms

A rug does more to pull a living room together than any other single thing. It gathers the sofa, the chairs, and the coffee table into one group, and it puts color, pattern, or texture on the floor, which is a great deal of the room.

Size comes first. A rug that is the wrong size for the room floats under the coffee table like a bath mat, so settle the size before the pattern. The size of each rug here is listed in its details.

Then choose what the rug should add. A faded, pale pattern gives a room some age without adding color. A red one warms the room and sets its palette. Jute and wool bring texture, which is often what a plain room is missing. Washable rugs make pale colors practical in a busy house.

Aoyaomi Vintage Living Room Area Rug

The Aoyaomi has the look of an old Persian rug that has been washed by decades of sun, pale beige with a faded medallion. Quiet enough to go under any sofa, cream, grey, or leather, it gives a plain room some age without adding color. Because it goes in the washing machine, a pale rug becomes a realistic choice in a house with children or a dog. Put a dark coffee table on it for contrast.

Deerly Boho Area Rug

Brick red, navy, and blush in a traditional medallion pattern make the Deerly the rug for a room that needs warming up. Its color is that of a well-loved Turkish carpet, and it looks very good under a tan leather sofa or beside dark wood. Start the room’s palette from it, picking out the navy for cushions and the red for a throw. Since the rug is washable, the richness doesn’t come with worry.

RIANGI Hand Woven Jute Area Rug

Round and braided in thick coils of golden jute, this rug brings the texture of a basket to the floor. A circle breaks up a room of rectangles, and it sits naturally under a round coffee table or a pair of armchairs by a window. Its honey color goes with white walls, linen, and plants, the makings of a relaxed, coastal sort of room. Turn it over now and then to even out the wear, since both sides can be used.

Indoor/Outdoor Jute Rug

Think of this plain, flat jute rug as a base layer. On its own it gives a living room a calm, natural floor the color of dry grass, and with a smaller patterned rug laid on top it becomes the frame around it, a trick decorators use to make a small rug fill a big room. A sunroom or a covered porch is within its range too, since it is made for outdoor use as well.

SAFAVIEH Natura Collection Wool Blend Rug

Chunky hand-knotted loops of wool in ivory, grey, and oatmeal give the Natura the texture of a heavy fisherman’s sweater. This is a rug that looks made for bare feet, and its flecked, uneven color hides a great deal of daily life. Wool has a depth that synthetic rugs imitate, and in a pale, simple living room it would be the richest thing there. Keep the furniture plain and let the texture carry the room.

homewill Vintage Rug

With a lot going on, a traditional pattern in cream, charcoal, and coral inside a dark border, the homewill is a big rug for a big room. In a large living room it pulls a sofa, two chairs, and a coffee table onto one island, which is what a rug is for. That dark border frames the seating area like a picture frame, and the coral is easy to repeat in cushions or a lampshade. Thin and washable, it is easy to live with.

What to Look For in a Living Room Rug

Low pile and flat weaves are easier to clean and sit better under furniture with legs, while a deeper pile feels softer and shows more wear. Natural fibers like wool and jute bring texture, and washable synthetics bring convenience. A busy or faded pattern hides footprints and spills, and a plain pale rug shows them.