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colorways from Jacaranda
  • Interior Design

How to Choose a Rug Color

  • Christy Lesseig

Published February 2024 | Updated May 2025

The right rug color is pivotal in defining the ambiance and aesthetic appeal of your space. A well-selected rug anchors your room, adds character, and complements your interior design style. But how do you choose the best rug color for your project? Interior designers have a few time-tested strategies that result in a cohesive and intentional living space. We reviewed some of their top tips and created this guide to help you select a rug color that harmonizes with your style.

Table of Contents
  • First, A Rug Color Quiz
  • Know Your Color Palette
  • Consider the Mood
  • Factor in Your Interior Design Style
    • Be Practical
    • Dark vs Light vs Neutral Colored Rugs
      • What color rug makes a room look bigger?
    • Multi Color Rugs
    • Get Samples of Your Favorite Rugs + Colors
    • Conclusion

    First, A Rug Color Quiz

    Take our quick quiz to narrow down the color palette for your next rug.

    Welcome to your Find the Perfect Rug Color for Your Room Quiz

    What is the primary color palette of your room?

    What mood do you want to create in your space?

    Which best describes your interior design style?

    How do you use the room where the rug will be placed?

    What is your biggest concern when choosing a rug?

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    Time's up

    Know Your Color Palette

    The first step in determining the ideal rug color is to assess your existing color scheme. Identify dominant colors, accent hues, and any recurring themes or patterns. Your rug should complement these existing colors. If your room features neutral tones, embellish it with a rug in bold or bright colors. Conversely, if your room already has a lot of colors or patterns, a neutral or solid colored rug provides a counterbalance.

    color palette & inspirational design board for Mandalay silk by jacaranda

    If you are revamping or remodeling your space, then look for inspiration and color ideas in design blogs (like ours!) and social media. There you can discover popular carpet colors or design trends to help shape your vision. But be realistic—even if you like Pantone’s color of the year, will you be able to live with it for years to come?

    Looking for ideas for your next residential or commercial design project? Explore Commercial Projects and see how custom rugs and carpets bring beauty and performance to inspiring spaces worldwide.

    Consider the Mood

    Think about the atmosphere or vibe you want to feel when in the space. Warm red, orange, and yellow tones create a cozy and inviting atmosphere, while cool colors like blues and greens tend to evoke calmness and relaxation. Neutral colors like beige, gray, and white create serene environments and offer versatility since these colors can adapt to various styles and moods. And specific rooms call for different moods, so think about the purpose of each room as you consider rug colors.

    warm colors in a dining room rug
    masai in giraffe
    white wool rug in a minimalist bathroom
    let it rib in snow
    Take a Deeper Dive:
    How to Choose the Perfect Rug for Every Room in the House
    is an excellent resource

    Factor in Your Interior Design Style

    Interior design styles have general palette preferences that can guide your rug color choice. Here are some general recommendations based on designs styles:

    MCM

    Midcentury modernism is an enduring favorite amongst our clients. It offers flexibility—one designer may lean toward a minimalist approach, while another tends toward eclectism. Some MCM spaces have clean lines, an uncluttered look, and a muted color palette. Others display more robust shapes, beloved objects, and pops of color. Pick your tendency and balance your look with a neutral or a brightly colored rug.

    neutral colored rug in dining nook

    Modern or Minimalist

    Opt for rugs with clean lines and minimal patterns. Stick to neutral colors or a monochromatic scheme to maintain a sleek and uncluttered look. And don’t forget to curate natural materials to complete the look, like sisal or seagrass rug.

    Bohemian, Eclectic or Maximalist

    Embrace vibrant colors and intricate patterns. Rugs with ethnic or floral designs in rich colors add another visual layer of interest to this multifaceted style. Alternatively, start with a foundation rug in warm, earthy tones and punctuate the space with bright accessories in reds, pinks, oranges, purples, and blues.

    blue striped wool rug in a coastal styled home

    Nautical, Coastal or Beach

    Rugs in deep colors or soothing neutrals are great options. For example, ocean-deep blues or bright teals are spot-on accent colors for a nautical or coastal aesthetic. A beach-y style with light neutrals like sandy whites or beiges is a great combination.

    Scandinavian or Modern Farmhouse

    Choose light-colored rugs in soft hues that complement the light, airy feel of these styles. Pastels, beiges, warm whites, greys or greens are some of the tranquil colors that complement these décor styles. Textured rugs in simple patterns or muted, solid colors work as well.

    transitional style entry way with antique furniture and a sisal rug in tan color

    Transitional

    This versatile approach to decorating offers freedom to pick and choose the design elements you love best. Hence, your rug color options are endless. This intersectional style is about balance. If you love your antique 19th century dining table but don’t love floral or plaid patterns, then a relaxed, natural fiber rug is perfectly allowed.

    Traditional

    Rugs with rich, deep colors like navy, burgundy, and forest green can add a touch of elegance and sophistication. Cascading patterns or eye-catching motifs in a delicate medley of colors are quintessentially traditional.

    Learn more about your style…

    and which rug works best with it in the post How to Choose the Right Rug for Every Design Style.

    Be Practical

    Beyond aesthetics, consider the rug’s functionality and maintenance. Do you have children or pets? Will the rug be in a high traffic area or a rarely used room? Do you have the ability to regularly maintain your rug or carpet with quick spot cleaning, routine deep cleaning, etc.? Which rug color hides dirt the best? Answers to these questions will lead you to what color rug you need.

    Dark vs Light vs Neutral Colored Rugs

    A dark area rug adds drama and often, much-needed contrast into a space. Darker hued rugs are great at hiding stains and wear and tear, making them suitable for high-traffic areas. And dark doesn’t mean dismal. Rich colors create mood and can act as a “bridge” between other elements, pulling out accent colors to achieve a cohesive look.

    dark blue rug and a striped blue and white sofa
    Simla in Atlantic Blue
    white rug and white sectional sofa
    Akoya in Sand

    Light-colored rugs are uplifting and certainly brighten a room. But they require more frequent cleaning and will more easily show stains. A light-colored rug or carpet may perform well in an infrequently used room. If you love lighter hues, consider the material and the construction—some carpet fibers like wool or polypropylene clean up better than cotton or sisal rugs, and a tight weave construction is a lot easier to clean than a shaggy, high-pile carpet.

    Neutral colors like tans or beiges are chameleons and blend well with all color schemes or design styles. A neutral-colored rug complements a monochromatic décor and fades into view, or it contrasts with other dominant, bolder colors for added drama. Both light and neutral-colored rugs create a calm expanse on the floor that doesn’t distract the eye.

    But what about the color of the floor? Or the color of the couch?

    Don’t worry, we have guides to help you navigate that too: Should my rug match my couch? and How to Pair Rug Color with Your Floor or Wall Colors

    What color rug makes a room look bigger?

    Sometimes the interior architecture of a space requires creative solutions. If a room is small, a white or light-hued rug makes the small space appear larger, especially if there is abundant light to bounce off the rug’s canvas. 

    light colored wool rug in bedroom reflects light from the windows
    Portland in Greystone

    Another way to help a room look bigger is to be sure you have the right size rug. A too-small rug only highlights the small size of the room, while an area rug that is way too large for the space creates a sinking, crowded feeling. The right sized rug should show the flooring around the edges and all furniture should fit on it. To learn more about rug sizing, read our rug size guide.

    Multi Color Rugs

    a multi-colored rug matches the blue sofa
    Spaced Out in Driftwood

    When should you opt for a multi color rug? First of all, avoid color competition. If you already have a busy, colorful space, a multi-colored area rug might be overload. In that case, be sure that the rug shares some of the dominant colors already on display in the space. This could be a good time to try color block or striped rugs—the scale of the repeat and the linear nature of this style provides a nice counterpoint to busy, colorful environments. If you have neutral colors in your furnishings or on the walls, a vibrant rug may be exactly what you need to make a statement.

    Get Samples of Your Favorite Rugs + Colors

    Before making a final decision, obtain samples or swatches of the rug colors you’re considering. View these samples in your space at different times of the day and see how natural and artificial light affects the color and how it interacts with your existing décor.

    Our Rug Buying Guide is a one-stop shop for gathering all you need to know about buying a rug, from selecting the best material for your lifestyle to the delivery of your new rug.

    Visit the rug buying guide

    Conclusion

    Choosing the right rug color involves balancing aesthetics with practicality. By considering your existing color palette, desired mood, and interior design style, you can select a rug that not only complements your look but also enhances the overall ambiance of your space. Remember, the perfect rug is one that reflects your personal style while seamlessly integrating with your interior design.

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    Christy Lesseig

    Christy is the Flooring Content Specialist at Curran and sisalcarpet.com. She writes about flooring products with a focus on design and sustainability. For 5 years, her blog posts, technical guides, and product descriptions have led customers along the path from purchasing to maintaining their flooring investments. Her favorite natural flooring? A sisal rug, of course.

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