When it comes to creating a cohesive living room look, it’s important to get the rug and the couch just right. They are, after all, the two largest pieces in the space! But how to find the perfect combination for your lifestyle and home? We’ve got you! Below, we’ll guide you through the process of how to pair a rug with your couch.
Find a Color in Common
This is the easiest way to pair a rug with your couch. Simply identify a common color on your rug that’s also on your couch, and voilà—you’ve done it! We recommend using this method if you want to roll out a patterned rug in your living room, but don’t want it to overwhelm or clash with the rest of the space. Case in point: the way our Nordic Emblems Washable rug, with its gray and black tones throughout, pairs with the textured gray couch above.
Or Go for a Tonal Look
Hoping for a more subtle, streamlined look for your living room’s couch and rug combo? Try going tonal! This means selecting two different shades from the same color family, like the light gray couch and darker gray rug seen above. Gorgeous, right? We love the way the two hues work together, while still creating a contrast that looks pleasing to the eye.
Try Contrasting Textures
As we mentioned above, the eye loves when contrasts are paired together. Aside from contrasting colors, another great way to pair a rug with your couch is to use differing textures. Rugs come in an array of textures and materials, but our favorite way to strike that perfect contrast is to roll out a fluffy shag rug. Not only does it bring in that cozy element to your living room, but it pairs beautifully with couch materials of all types, from velvets to tweeds to leather.
Pair Your Rug with Textiles
The great news about decorating is that every element in a room works together, so your rug and couch don’t need to match up perfectly to work within the wider context of the space. One way to create cohesion in the room at large is to pair the colors of your rug with the textiles featured throughout the room—whether it’s through throw pillows, blankets, curtains, or upholstery on other furnishings.
Layer for Added Richness
Want to bring in more than one of the design elements mentioned above for your rug and couch pairing? Go for it! One of our favorite ways to create a more textured, rich space is to layer two rugs together (and we have a whole guide dedicated to it here!). Try pairing a heavily patterned rug on top of a solid jute style, or choosing two in a similar colorway with contrasting patterns. Play around with various combinations to figure out what will feel best for your space!
When in Doubt, Pick a Neutral
If you want to roll out a rug you know will work—no matter the color of couch you have or the other decorative elements featured throughout the room—go for something neutral. This could be in the form of a jute rug, which will add a layer of lovely texture to the space, or something subtly patterned in a lightened-up hue.
