Myndu Interior Design

If you’ve ever looked at home design catalogs, you’ve probably noticed that décor trends come and go—sometimes a lot faster than we’re comfortable with. One day your home is the height of contemporary design, the next it’s a thing of the past. But who said you had to keep up all the time, and spend a small fortune doing so? With a few well-chosen elements, your home can stay in style through the years without needing a makeover. And as most experts agree, one of the best ways to do that is decorating with area rugs.

Rugs are probably among the most versatile elements in home décor. Think about it: there’s a rug out there for modern, country, traditional, Asian, and even Victorian homes. No matter what’s in or out of the trend, you won’t run out options for area rug designs. And since they don’t need to be installed (as carpets do), you can always change them up whenever you feel like it. If you want to stay in style with your area rug, here are some ideas to help you get started.

Bold and classic

New design trends are always marked by bold choices, whether in terms of color, pattern, shape or size. Often, something that’s out of the ordinary is automatically considered modern or contemporary. But breaking the mold all the time can get old after a while. With area rugs, it’s easy to find patterns that are both bold and classic. One good example is animal print area rugs: they’re practically a fixture in contemporary décor, but they’ll still draw attention long after the trend is gone.

Bold designs such as animal prints tend to draw attention to themselves, so they can easily overpower a room. When decorating with them, you’ll want to tone down the rest of the room so there’s not too much going on. As much as possible, you should stick to solid colors and plain surfaces to make the pattern stand out. That way, the rug itself becomes the room’s focal point, setting the theme for the entire room.

Unique shapes and contours

No matter what the theme is, you can’t go wrong with an interestingly shaped area rug. If you want to make a statement, veer away from the usual straight-edged squares and rectangles, and go for shapes like oval, round, hearts, flowers and abstracts. These shapes give the room an unusual angle, making it look less flat. Put round area rugs against sharp corners or straight walls, where they offer a soft contrast that make the space look more inviting.

To emphasize the shape of the rug, try looking for one with a distinct colored edging. Most rugs are made with a protective edge in almost the same shade as the rug itself, so that it looks seamless from a distance. But when you’ve got an interesting shape, a defining border helps draw attention to it. This can work especially well in a large space, where it’s important to break up the room and define different areas.

Natural materials

Natural fibers may be considered modern these days, but they’ve actually been around as long as rugs themselves. The only difference is in quality: today’s natural rugs are made with more advanced technologies that give them added strength and better wear. They also come in more designs, some of them so finely made that they almost look synthetic. Manufacturers are also able to offer more options such as seagrass, sisal, and jute area rugs.

When choosing a natural rug, keep an eye out for treatments and chemical additives that can affect their quality. Cheaper fibers often come loaded with synthetic coatings, which not only defeat the purpose but also make them more brittle over time. If you’re allergy-prone or live with kids who are, it’s probably best to stick to tried-and-tested materials such as wool and organic cotton. These materials have self-cleaning and antibacterial properties, so they’re less likely to contain chemical additives.

Learn from the pros.

Of course, the best way to keep up with the trends is to read up on them. Area rug designs are constantly evolving, and you have to be in the know if you want to make the most of them. Read magazines on interior design, take note of seasonal changes in the stores, and check online for different design trends. You don’t have to follow all of them, but they can give you a good idea of what’s in and out in the market.

Another thing you can do is subscribe to an area rug blog. These are usually maintained by professional designers themselves, or homeowners with a passion for rug design. Either way, you get advice from well-informed sources and people who have used rugs themselves. Besides design trends, a rug blog is also a great source of buying guides, product reviews, and pricing information.