Styling Ideas: Bring a Bold, Patterned Rug Into Your Room
Spread an image across your floor with an arty rug that paints a picture while packing a strong style punch
Patterned rugs featuring neat repeats, smart stripes or graphic geometrics are only one part of the rich and varied story of rugs. It’s also possible to find ones that paint a picture, depict a scene or simply create a huge splash with a wild, unfettered design. These rugs give you the opportunity to treat your floor as you would your walls – as a large expanse ripe for displaying images. Check out this roundup of picture-perfect rugs to help you step out in style.
Use colour confidently
Bold, linear designs like these owe a lot to the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, who worked in the early 20th century and favoured a combination of white background, black lines and three primary colours in his paintings. This rug is a busier version of that idea, creating a strong patchwork underfoot.
Bold, linear designs like these owe a lot to the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, who worked in the early 20th century and favoured a combination of white background, black lines and three primary colours in his paintings. This rug is a busier version of that idea, creating a strong patchwork underfoot.
Stay symmetrical
An abstract butterfly design walks the line between pattern and image on this beautiful rug and lends a wonderful sense of symmetry to the space. The two chairs reflect this idea and seem to be mirror images of one another, while pale walls are the perfect neutral accompaniment.
An abstract butterfly design walks the line between pattern and image on this beautiful rug and lends a wonderful sense of symmetry to the space. The two chairs reflect this idea and seem to be mirror images of one another, while pale walls are the perfect neutral accompaniment.
Choose an icon
Laying Jimi Hendrix on your hallway floor may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this rug shows how even a famous face, when produced in an abstract way with a limited palette, can create a pleasing pattern.
Laying Jimi Hendrix on your hallway floor may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this rug shows how even a famous face, when produced in an abstract way with a limited palette, can create a pleasing pattern.
Illustrate the space
A child’s playroom or bedroom is the perfect place for playful, pictorial design. Source a rug that features a creature they love or reflects an activity they enjoy to personalise their space and introduce colour.
Check out these 10 themes for kids’ rooms
A child’s playroom or bedroom is the perfect place for playful, pictorial design. Source a rug that features a creature they love or reflects an activity they enjoy to personalise their space and introduce colour.
Check out these 10 themes for kids’ rooms
Go wild
This rug can be read as a witty take on safari-lodge style, or a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Empire-era fashion for laying cheetah, tiger or leopard skins across the floor, as proof of hunting prowess. Of course, this leopard is simply woven into the rug and, thanks to the silver pouffes and bubble chairs, is taken in more of an Austin Powers direction!
This rug can be read as a witty take on safari-lodge style, or a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Empire-era fashion for laying cheetah, tiger or leopard skins across the floor, as proof of hunting prowess. Of course, this leopard is simply woven into the rug and, thanks to the silver pouffes and bubble chairs, is taken in more of an Austin Powers direction!
Zone a space
Looking like a piece of abstract 20th century art, this beautiful rug brilliantly zones an open-plan space, helping to define the dining area. When using a rug beneath a dining table, it’s vital to choose one that’s really generous, so it can be seen beyond the table top, but also so that each chair’s back legs remain on the rug when the seat is pushed out.
Learn how to ace open plan living in India
Looking like a piece of abstract 20th century art, this beautiful rug brilliantly zones an open-plan space, helping to define the dining area. When using a rug beneath a dining table, it’s vital to choose one that’s really generous, so it can be seen beyond the table top, but also so that each chair’s back legs remain on the rug when the seat is pushed out.
Learn how to ace open plan living in India
Make it big
Any simple, familiar pattern, such as leaves or flowers, looks more abstract and makes a bigger splash when blown up in size. Rendered in just two colours, this huge design of flower heads and leaves looks graphic and arresting.
Any simple, familiar pattern, such as leaves or flowers, looks more abstract and makes a bigger splash when blown up in size. Rendered in just two colours, this huge design of flower heads and leaves looks graphic and arresting.
Take art underfoot
A large picture woven into a rug becomes a piece of floor-level art, and while this is striking, there is a risk it can draw the eye down and leave other details in the space overlooked. This living room shows how to avoid that. By choosing a rug in tones that perfectly match the rest of the scheme, the rug acts as a harmonious detail without dominating.
A large picture woven into a rug becomes a piece of floor-level art, and while this is striking, there is a risk it can draw the eye down and leave other details in the space overlooked. This living room shows how to avoid that. By choosing a rug in tones that perfectly match the rest of the scheme, the rug acts as a harmonious detail without dominating.
Reinvent the everyday
Some familiar items from everyday life lend themselves perfectly to life as a rug. A postage stamp, for example, is the ideal rectangular shape and has already been designed to look clear, clean and iconic. It easily makes the leap from postal necessity to cool floor covering.
Read more:
How to Choose the Right Carpet for Your Home
Tell us:
Do you favour a bold, artistic rug over a plain or patterned design? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Some familiar items from everyday life lend themselves perfectly to life as a rug. A postage stamp, for example, is the ideal rectangular shape and has already been designed to look clear, clean and iconic. It easily makes the leap from postal necessity to cool floor covering.
Read more:
How to Choose the Right Carpet for Your Home
Tell us:
Do you favour a bold, artistic rug over a plain or patterned design? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Is it cracked glass? The centre of a flower? A map? This beautiful rug with its intriguing pattern leaves you guessing, but brings lots of sensuality, movement and interest to this floor.
Browse through images of eclectic rugs