Coziness and warmth are the feelings people wish for when they enter their homes exhausted and frustrated. The surroundings of a home have a psychological connection with a person- its colors and themes, furniture, and decor. Rug trends have changed over the years. What was once a living room staple is now seen as old-fashioned and outdated. Today, people are looking for rug designs to make their space feel modern and fresh.
One way to do this is through layering rugs! Layering rugs can be done in many different ways. You have the option to layer additional colors or patterns (or both!) and use all one type of material. Even you can create a combination of textures to provide an eclectic look.
Layering area rugs is one of the aspects of decor that are so diverse. Area Rugs make a room look rich and warm, adding a pop of color to your space with positive vibes. Layering rugs is a hot trend that adds warmth, comfort, and a unique style to your room. Lots of interior designers have added layer rugs in their own homes. Going for layered area rugs can bring the whole room together; it's the best idea you're going to make.
The sky is quite literally the limit when it comes to layering area rugs. We are going to help you master this hot trend. Keep reading ahead!
What Is A Layering Rug?
Layering rugs have become a highlight in modern decor. There are a lot of reasons behind that. It helps define a room while giving it the vibrant color and texture it needs. Since rugs themselves are so comfortable, why not have two?
Layering rugs in your house can take your house space to another level. Using bold patterns and colors can create a unique style and brighten the space. Layering rugs on a carpet or a hardwood floor are two entirely different looks. You can even go for layering rugs on jute, which is another classy idea. It's up to you- you can just go with as many variations as much as you want as long as it makes some sense.
Layering Rugs Over Carpet
If your home space is capped with wall-to-wall carpet, you can bring innovation to the entire space without removing the older one. Yes! The layering carpet is the best option.
The same consistent color and tone of color make the room dull and boring. It may not look pleasing to the eyes. Layered rugs are usually placed under any furniture piece or maybe a couch to give the house an aesthetic and classy look. You can't go with unmatchable colors and make people go 'eww.'
So, color texturing is very important. Usually, carpets are found in neutral and primary colors, such as beige. As for the fabric used, it's mostly wool. If this is the case, use an area rug that is different in texture. Layering the area rug in the living room by adding a graphic flat weave over a beige layered rug appears stunning. If you have something else in mind, make sure that you use contrasting colors and textures. You can go for a nude base, layering it with some dark combination of colors. As for the texture, go for sisal/jute/silk or flatweave.
Layering Rugs Over Jute
Layering rugs over jute is another way to make your room or living space go boom. The combination of an extended-size jute layered rug accompanied by a shaggy rug or several rugs with white or dark pastel colors makes it look exquisite. Play with rugs of different sizes to add an exciting feel to your room.
White-colored cowhide rugs and a long rectangular jute create the perfect combo. Colorful Round Rugs over a jute rug work just as well. It is also a cheap option for layering rugs over jute.
Who Layers Their Rugs?
Layering rugs in living rooms and other spaces has become a fashion trend. Also, this is not going away anywhere soon, either! One of the ways to get inspired online is to follow interior designers and design bloggers. From celebrities to interior designers to bloggers, they are absolutely in love with layered rugs! By making the differences in the textures, your eyes are not overwhelmed by too many colors either.
Benefits Of Layering Rugs
Here are the most significant benefits of layering area rugs:
Defines A Space
If you're worried about your furniture being too spaced out because of having a large seating area, layered rugs fix it for you. We all know the area rug rule- there should be roughly 10-20 inches of the bare floor in the middle of the edges of the area rug. However, if this rule doesn't exactly work out for you and your room still feels empty. Layering a rug in the center of the room might add more personality to your room and even define the space!
Sound Barriers
When a room has no fabrics, the echoes are terrible. Even though adding a carpet or drapes absorbs the sounds, each additional rug adds more sound-absorbing power. So, if you have kids that are always running around and making noises, go for it! Or if you're someone who loves to listen to music at high volumes, layering area rugs are definitely for you. This even creates a more intimate space for conversations.
Shows Off The Rug Designs
When you follow the design tips, the intricate designs of layered oriental rugs or layered Persian Rugs really pop! The simple act of layering rugs adds interest and depth to the room's decor. This brings attention to each rug - especially the rug on the top. Always make the bottom rug a neutral color to enhance the power of your top rug's design. Then, add a small rug on the top, preferably a vibrant and bold one.
Adds Warmth To The Room
Worried about your unlaminated floors in winter? Considering the area rug for bedroom will provide some insulation to you. However, adding in layered rugs is going to create that perfect cozy space that everyone longs for in winters. Layered rugs in the living room add more warmth to your place. One of the prime examples is adding in a silky, luxurious shag rug on top of a shorter neutral rug that will make you and your feet so happy!
How To Layer Rugs?
Now that you know why you should be layering your area rugs, let's get into how to do it! This trend is so easy to do. The following tips are just places to start. Once you begin experimenting with rug layering, you will for sure find the look you love.
Start With An Oversized Rug
An oversized rug is the perfect first layer. If you have a wall-to-wall carpet, that works just as well. Just make sure the bottom rug is larger than the area where the furniture is seated. The closer the base carpet is to the walls, the better. This will undoubtedly show off that top rug you invested in better.
Place the very large rug under the entire sectional and chairs. Then, spread the smaller rug. This art of layering rug is incredibly appealing and a beautiful way to transform the space while adding maximum comfort.
Use A Neutral Base Rug
When you use a neutral-colored bottom rug, the top layer must be of some vibrant color that pops out. Another thing you should keep in mind is that the base rug should be a low pile rug, such as a jute and Flatweave Rug. We highly recommend you choose something other than a high-pile rug. This is because a high pile rug, such as a shag rug, used as a base rug is just not meant to be. It could end up looking like a total disaster. If you want to use a colorful bottom rug, then make sure the top one compliments the other one. In fact, you can use this color combination cheat sheet when layering two cowhides or any other rugs.
Quick Tip: Neutral Soumak rugs are best as bottom rugs.
To enhance the power of your top rug's design, always make the bottom rug a neutral color and the top small rug a vibrant and bold one. When you have an amazing rug on the top, you want it to shine! You want people to notice this rug. Our hand-knotted rugs have intricate details that make excellent top-layer rugs. Buying rugs with bold textures and colors can make this top rug really pop up.
Consider Texture And Color Of Layered Rugs
Before layering the area rugs, you must consider the texture and the color of the rugs. It is never a wise idea to layer the two shag rugs together. However, you can put a shag rug on top of a short pile rug. This really makes the environment of the room extra comfy, and the different piles bring out and show off the intricate designs on the rug. However, never go for high pile rugs as the base rug.
Our go-to layered rug is an overdyed rug with a neutral faded colored rug. We at RugKnots use all-natural vegetable dyes that don't bleed or transfer. So go bold! Feel free to choose whatever popping color you desire from our stunning rug compilation. Your color will stay where it should be on the rug.
The pop of color brings the room together, giving it the personality it needs. The red color perfectly complements the beige base rug. This is another idea on how you can layer your rugs.
Connect Two Rugs Together
If you have bought the two rugs for the home decor, but they do not look appealing after layering over one another, stop worrying. There are many other possible ways to use the two rugs to make the space alluring. You can think about connecting the two rugs together.
It's really simple; you need one main thing, that is a carpet seaming tape (one-sided). You can join the two rugs together and tape it from the backside, where both ends of the rugs meet in the middle. You can even connect two different small and same size rugs together to give your room a hippie look. However, if you want it to remain simple and natural, leave it as it is.
Design Profile To Follow
It is so much easier to design a room when you have a big picture in mind. Do your research before layering rugs. It makes you familiar with the terms and types of design portfolios. Some trending design profiles are a modern farmhouse, eclectic, and art deco. There are so many out there; here, we are going to explore the most popular designs.
Neutrals / Modern Farmhouse
The modern farmhouse look is super popular right now on Instagram. These rooms tend to have more neutrals and whites. This look is great for people who fancy a more natural look than a more vibrant one. Since you're choosing a neutral look, white or beige will be the more prominent colors. To make the room come together, pair these colors with gold, brown, tan, and grey. In these rooms, Oriental Rugs that are more muted will work best.
Boho/Eclectic
Boho style embodies an aesthetic opposite of minimal, contemporary, and streamlined decor. The essence of a boho-styled space lies in the mixture of diverse decorative elements in rich hues. No matter if it's a living room, bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen.
You can even layer rugs in a variety of shapes and styles. Choose busier prints like the Ikat or the Chobi Ziegler for eclectic and boho decor. One of the more common ones is layering a vintage rug over a jute rug.
Art Deco
Art Deco began in the Roaring 20s and is still around today. Art Deco adds a very artistic and creative feel to your room. When you are a fan of Art Deco, you like black and white decor and furniture from around the world. Traditional prints like Bokhara work best in Art Deco rooms.
Use Furniture Sparingly
Layering rugs work fabulous in all room sizes. But layering rugs are perfect for you if you have a small room and want it to look bigger. You don't need any extra furniture in the room to create a clutter-free atmosphere. This is a fantastic way to make a room look larger than it is.
In fact, when you layer rugs, let the rugs set the entire mood for the room. Sometimes, too much furniture can either clutter up space or even cover up the rugs. Ottomans and glass-top tables are excellent choices because they are minimalist. Layering rugs underneath your coffee table looks ideal.
Best Rug For Layering
Let's start with the base rug. Jute, wool, and sisal rugs are best for layering rugs. However, the wall-to-wall carpet will also work well. We prefer you to choose neutral colors for base rugs. Gold and shades of brown, blue, and black also work well as a base rug.
As for the material, you can use silk, cotton, and leather as a top layer rug. Now for patterns and textures, one of the most important things to consider when buying rugs. Geometric rugs as top-layer rugs are a good choice. Other than that, you can use shags or novelty rugs too. The top layer should be set in a way that gives you a warm and cozy look at first glance. You can set it with a fluffy rug or sheepskin, too. Also, you can opt for a zebra shape and printing top rugs with light colors that look stylish and fancy.
How Many Borders To Leave When Layering Rugs?
Taking into account the distance of the top rug from the base rug can be quite a hassle. Since the base rug is quite large, the top rug has to coordinate with the base rug. There should be at least a distance of 12 inches from the edge of the top rug to the base of the rug. Otherwise, the area will feel cluttered, and the base rug will be lost.
However, if you're in doubt, choosing the largest base rug is best. In case you want more than two rugs, you can add in as many rugs as you like to create a fun and hippie look. In this case, there's no need to worry about the amount of border that has to be left. Just do whatever you like!
Pros And Cons Of Layering Rugs
Layering rugs is a great way to add warmth and dimension to your space. Creating different seating areas with layering can also help define the room you're in! When searching for an area rug that will make your home uniquely yours and reflect your personality, layering rugs do wonders. Layered rugs work best when one pattern is placed over another subtle design. For example, solid colors or patterns with similar designs on them or natural fiber carpets that provide warmth without sacrificing style!
However, before layering area rugs, you must know its pros and cons. So, let's explore them in detail.
Pros Of Layering Area Rugs
Layering rugs will provide a visually appealing effect to any large area. Warm up your space with a layered rug! Place one in the center of the room to help soothe and soften it.
Spills and stains are inevitable in high-traffic areas or main living spaces. So, a simple solution for protecting your carpeting is layering an area rug over light-colored wall-to-wall carpeting! This will protect against spills and stains coming into contact with the floor's surface underneath it.
Layered rugs can be the perfect addition to a hard surface floor- especially concrete floors or tile! Rugs create an interesting focal point in large and open spaces. You can also use rugs for traffic flow! For example, place the rug at one end of your room and then angle it all the way over to another side as far away from that wall. Now, there's just enough space between this area and everything else so people won't bump into anything when they walk by. Also, they will move straight out through those front doors without even noticing what was on their left-hand side.
Layering rugs is a great way to save money without sacrificing style. Rather than splurge on an extensive oriental rug, use the sisal or jute and add this smaller version of the patterned design. You'll still get all the benefits of that beautiful rug without any of its costly price tags!
Layering a designer rug over carpets is an excellent design solution for someone renting an apartment or house with less-than-perfect wall-to-wall carpeting. This will give your space more depth and visual interest while adding texture to the floor!
Cons Of Layering Area Rugs
Put all the tough stuff on top. Layering a plush rug over a carpet is often problematic as it can cause buckling and trip hazards. However, use this to your advantage by adding an extra layer of protection for any potential falls with shag rugs. Being the prime example, shag rugs will always be soft underfoot!
Layering multiple designs and patterns of rugs together can create a chaotic and messy look if not done accurately! The trick is to use different types of rugs at the same level but in slightly different sizes. Lay some carpet or mats on top for extra texture!
If you're looking for significant savings on a high-quality wool rug, chances are your local showroom is going to be different. Many rug dealers charge extra because they have employees and a space where they need to maintain their inventory during business hours. However, this is not the case with RugKnots! We sell our rugs at factory-direct prices while providing a great online customer experience through free shipping.
Also, if you decide not to keep it within 30 days, we'll give back 100% of what you paid. So, for more information, email us at info@rugknots.com or call us at (301) 660-7046. We are happy to answer all your questions. If you have any questions, comment below! We would love to hear your comments on our blog post!
Frequently Asked Questions About Layering Rugs
1. How Can We Layer Up Rugs?
You can layer rugs by placing a rug beneath your main area rug. This is the first layer of rugs. It can provide an extra level of insulation underfoot and add extra comfort for those who spend time on their floor. A second layer could be placed above the main rug to add color or texture. This is often referred to as "rug blankets" and can be a more affordable alternative to purchasing an additional area rug.
The third layer would consist of mats. These are typically placed in front of furniture. These are used as footrests or for extra insulation on the floor next to furniture legs. When it comes to layering rugs, there's no one-size-fits-all solution - it's really just about finding the best combination of your needs.
2. Can You Double Layer Rugs?
Yes, it is possible to layer two rugs on one another. It's vital that you consider both thickness and style when determining whether or not they'll work together well.
For instance, a pile rug cannot withstand being layered over an area rug. Double layering rugs are a great way to mix and match patterns, textures, or colors.
3. Is Layering Rugs In Style?
Yes, layering rugs is trending now. The ability to layer rugs in various ways allows you to mix patterns and textures for an exciting look. You can add warmth by placing two layers under furniture legs on the floor. Moreover, you can use different colors together, like reds and blues, if you want more color contrast as well! This approach also works well for pets with allergies.
4. What Size Rug Should You Layer Over 8x10?
You can layer a rug of the same size or larger over an existing one. Layering rugs is tricky. There's no black-and-white answer to whether you should go bigger or smaller than your 8x10 rug.
It depends on many factors, including how much space you have in the room and what color scheme you are going with. What else will be occupying that floor area?
You can't just take two measurements of the bottom and top layers- and then divide them by two because it doesn't work like that! The key is finding something visually appealing with enough asymmetry without being too drastic.
5. How Can We Layer A Rug Over A Carpet?
Layering rugs over the carpeting can be a little more complicated. It is because you're adding an extra layer to the existing carpet in your space. So, take into consideration what's going on there before jumping right in! There are some ways of making it work, though.
Find a rug that has the same texture as your carpet. Layer it over top of the area you want to be covered with little concern for the edges matching up perfectly. The idea is to use it more like a border than anything else. Try not to think of it as one large rug that covers two separate areas.
6. What Type Of Rug Is Best For Carpets?
You can use any rug for carpets, but the best choice is one made from nylon or polyester. The polyester and the nylon area rugs are durable and won't show dirt easily. The ideal rugs are those with a flat pile that doesn't show dust and debris as quickly when they're layered over the carpet.
An important thing to keep in mind is that the pattern should be on a weave, not an open back. So, you can see through it and vacuum right up against it without having your vacuum cleaner pick up any of the patterns from below.
7. How Do You Layer Jute Rug?
Place a cotton rug on top of the jute rug for softness and comfort. You can place felt pads over the bottom corners to protect your floor from scratches. Lay another cotton rug, thin carpeting, or an area mat on top of it. If you want more cushioning when walking across it, this also helps with noise.
Place an area rug or a small cotton runner over your jute carpet to add texture and pattern. Area rugs work best in high-traffic areas; runners can be used as decorative accents.
8. What Size Rug Should I Layer?
The rug size should be according to the traffic it is expected to bear. Also, consider how much you want to highlight it in your room decor. For a smaller area, use one that measures about four feet by six feet; for larger spaces, opt for rugs at least eight or more square feet in size. We should know what size to buy for layering by measuring the space we want to cover.
If you want to layer multiple rugs of different sizes, think about how you're going to use the space. For instance, layering two or three similar-sized area rugs will be perfect if it's a bedroom.
9. How To Maintain Layered Area Rugs?
Layered area rugs are easy to maintain. You only need the right vacuum, broom, and dustpan for minor spills. Vacuum thoroughly, then shake off any dust bunnies that may have gotten caught in your rug.
For larger areas of dirt on your carpet, use a washcloth dipped into soap and water, then scrub away. It is necessary to clean your rugs at least once a month to avoid any buildup of dirt and grime.
10. Is Rug Layering Worth The Investment?
Yes! If you want to enhance the interior design of your house and create a unique and bold statement, then layer rugs are the answer. Patterned layer rugs will bring a gorgeous and faux bohemian vibe into your home. You will surely enjoy the new look and feel that these rugs will provide. In short, it is a great way to invest in your house.
11. Do Layered Rugs Need A Rug Pad?
Yes! You need a rug pad to keep the rugs in place and avoid them from bunching up. It will also help your layered rugs stay clean longer as it protects against dirt, spills, stains, and other debris. A rug pad will also help extend your area rug's life.
12. What Is A Cowhide Rug?
These rugs will vary in style and price depending on the materials used to make them, but they are typically very durable. You will surely love how they look in your room because of their versatility.
