Welcome to our Q&A with Rugs USA column, where we answer your burning questions about rugs and all things interiors! This week, we’re talking about the best rugs for the dining room, homes with pets, kids’ playrooms, and more!
Have a question you want answered? Follow Rugs USA on Instagram and drop us a comment or DM any time—then watch this space for the next round of Q&As!
Q: What’s the best rug for people with dogs who shed a lot?
A: We’re big believers in the fact that you can have the home you want with kids and pets—you just have to get a little strategic! And we have a few tricks up our sleeves when it comes to concealing all that shed fur that seems to stick to your rug like a magnet.
First: Think about the color fur your dog has, and align your rug colors closely with that. This will help any shed fur blend in with the rug, meaning you won’t need to vacuum as much to keep your rug looking clean. For example, if your dog is light-colored, consider cream, beige, light gray, or any other color that’s on the lighter side of the spectrum. Lighter fur will be extra visible on dark rugs, so definitely stay away from the black, dark gray, and navy rugs of the world!
We also recommend choosing a rug that has at least a hint of pattern to it. A busy pattern will go a long way in concealing all that shed fur, while solid rugs or patterned rugs with solid swathes (like stripes) can cause the fur to stand out.
If you’re finding dog fur especially piled on your rugs, say in a spot your pup particularly favors, you might consider going with one of our washable rugs. These rugs are perfect for pet owners and truly couldn’t be easier to clean. Any time your rug is feeling a little furry, or your pup makes a mess, just pop the one-piece rug in the washer and dryer, roll it back out, and your rug and room will be good as new.
Q: How do you pick a rug? They all seem too busy for me.
A: Picking out a rug is a big decision! Case in point: They play one of the biggest roles in your room’s overall look and feel, and tend to be that piece that really pulls everything together.
We totally get your feeling of some patterned rugs seeming like a lot. Rugs are large, and rolling out that much pattern (and possibly color) all at once can feel like a big design risk, especially if you’re used to minimal patterns and neutrals. Luckily, we have a few ideas for finding a rug you’ll love!
The first is: Stick to textures in a neutral hue. Rugs with a textural component to the weave will add a warm layer to your space—and you’ll avoid that busy feeling while adding tons of character underfoot. Take a look at these styles, which are some of our favorite textured pieces: the Veronica Wool Braided rug, Chunky Jute Tasseled rug, Aisha Monochrome Texture rug, Diamond Textured Trellis Tassel rug, and Waves Shag rug.
If you do want to experiment with pattern, we have a ton of styles that are on the subtler side and won’t feel overwhelming in your space. Check out our Ripple Waves rug, Rosette Medallion Fringed rug (shown above), Moroccan Trellis rug, Floral Ornament rug, Diamond Mosaic rug, and the Paddle rug.
When you find a rug or two you think might work, upload a photo of your room with our Rug in Room tool, which can be found on each rug’s product page. You’ll be able to virtually see what your rug will look like in your space, which will hopefully give you a little peace of mind before taking the plunge and placing the order.
Q: Can you recommend a soft rug for nursery?
A: Decorating a nursery is such a fun, special experience. And a rug is an integral part of the design! When picking out a rug for the nursery, it’s all about soft materials. You want something that will feel soft on your baby’s hands and feet—and something that will feel good on your feet too, since you’ll be spending a lot of time in there!
For that reason, we love rolling out shag rugs in the nursery, which are super soft under feet thanks to their high, shaggy piles. They also add all the cozy vibes—another essential feeling to foster in the nursery and other spaces for little ones! If shags feel like the move for your space, here are a few favorite picks: the Easy Shag Lattice rug, Radiance Kids Bohemian Diamond Trellis Shag rug (shown above), Shaggy Diamond Trellis rug, Kenzie Carved Shag rug, Washable Solid Shag rug, and Carved Polka Dot Shag rug.
Q: How do you layer rugs, and what sizes go well together?
A: The only thing better than one rug? Two rugs! Layering rugs is one of our favorite ways to bring extra pattern, color, and texture to a space to create that cozy, lived-in, collected vibe we can’t get enough of.
When it comes to pairing two rugs together, we recommend starting with something more neutral on the bottom. That can be a natural fiber rug, like our Handspun Jute rug (shown above) or Jute Braided rug, something soft and textured like our Sutton Solid Chevron rug or Paddle rug, or something with a subtle hint of pattern like our Regency Stripes with Tassels rug or Reverse Herringbone rug.
On top is where you can really have some fun, since it’s the rug that will be the most visible. So go for that colorful, patterned style, or any rug that you’d have rolled out in the room on its own if you weren’t layering it with another piece.
In terms of sizes, there are no hard-and-fast rules aside from the top rug needing to be smaller. If you want to go big on top, allow that bottom rug to peek out just a little, even if it’s a few inches. Though it works to do a much smaller rug on top too, if you want to have a bottom rug that spans the whole living room and a top rug that frames just the coffee table.
To learn more about layering rugs, check out our guide here!
Q: What’s a rug that will match an olive green velvet couch?
A: Thanks to its deep jewel-toned nature, olive green goes with so many different hues and styles. Here are a few different options we think will be a great fit for your couch!
If you want to play into the earthy theme of the hue, tapping into the nature-loving trend that’s so big this year, pair your couch with beautiful neutrals in the form of beige, tan, or gray. These hues will complement the natural vibes of the olive green while adding tons of warmth. Take a look at our Gothic Rosette Medallion Tassel rug (shown above), Handwoven Jute Jagged Chevron rug, Atrium Medallion Washable rug, Shaggy Barbed Medallion Tassel rug, Eldorado rug, and Felted Wool Tassel rug.
If you’re more into color and want to emphasize that beautiful olive green, look to styles that have jewel tones in their pattern to make it really pop. We really love our Tasseled Medallion rug in rust, Clouded Impressionism rug, Distressed Persian rug in pink, gold, or red, Fading Herati Medallion rug, and Wool Geometric rug in multi.
