One of the first things we did upon moving into our old house was rip up all the carpeting throughout. It was older carpet and we knew there were hardwood floors underneath, so it was really a no brainer.
The wood floors were in pretty good shape and had likely been refinished at one time or another. We didn’t have kids or pets to worry about at the time and figured we’d just sand and refinish them ourselves, eventually.
And, here we are 12 years later with the same floors. Don’t get me wrong… I love hardwood floors but there are few things I don’t particularly like about mine (i.e. the orange-tinted stain, the missing quarter-round trim likely removed when the carpet was installed, and the multiple stains and dark spots).
It really would have been grand if we had prioritized the sanding and staining of the hardwood floors before kids and a dog. Instead we are making the best of it by using area rugs to style our hardwood floors, create warmth and define our spaces.
My favorite place to shop for rugs is at Rugs USA. I have found that they have BY FAR the greatest selection of rugs at the best prices. I’m in the midwest and the rugs always arrive in just a few days, too! I prefer wool rugs in my home. They are soft, resilient, and seem to withstand the heavy traffic produced by our kids and dog. Wool also cleans really well. It’s a bit more expensive than other materials, but that’s why I shop Rugs USA!
{Note: Rugs USA provided Robb Restyle with our bedroom rug in exchange for an honest review, but I was shopping and buying Rugs USA well before that. I absolutely love their rugs! See my disclosure here.}
Here are a few ways you can use area rugs in your own home.
Use area rugs to define spaces.
My living room is long and narrow so I use area rugs to separate the living room space from our entryway near our front door. It makes my living room cozier since it is part of a larger room and anchors my furniture. We have a 9×12 rug in this space and it helps create our conversation/TV area.
Use area rugs in high traffic areas, near doorways.
I added a bold rug near my front entryway… for two reasons. We had to cover up the leftover glue from the laminate that was placed there years ago. Yikes! We picked at it for a few hours and then gave up… a rug covers it perfectly.
I also needed something to define my front entryway space in the large room mentioned above. Without it, the space would seem too open and stark. This bold pattern also helps disguise any dirt that our guests may bring in with them. I wanted a unique rug that would compliment my bright happy door here and here!
{BTW: I couldn’t find the link to this rug anymore, so I’m not sure if Rugs USA still carries it – I love this swiss inspired pattern and there are other similar versions.}
Use area rugs to create warmth.
I have mixed feelings about hardwood floors in the bedroom. On the one hand, it’s easier to clean and I like the look of bare floors. On the other, it can be cold and noisy. When we priced wall-to-wall carpet for our bedroom, it just seemed like a waste of money, when much of the carpet would be covered by bedroom furniture. So we opted for a large area rug in the center of the room. It makes the floor warmer and the entire space cozier. And I like that the hardwood still peeks out from the sides.
Use area rugs to express your style.
There are certain things you just can’t change about your house {easily, that is}. For me it’s the stained woodwork. I really do love all our original woodwork, but if it were totally up to me, I’d consider the painstaking task of painting it all white to brighten our rooms. It’s not all up to me and the one place where my hubby stands his ground. So instead I like to choose other ways to express myself. My home decor style is pretty eclectic. It’s easy to find a unique rug at Rugs USA that compliments our decor. Choosing patterned rugs helps me brighten a room, add a bit of color, or even achieve a bolder style statement among all the stained woodwork and neutral colors.
Hardwood floors are a blessing in kids rooms, and I’m headed there next for some updates and new area rugs. Remember, area rugs can be a quick and easy room update! Expose your hardwood floors and embrace all the imperfections… don’t worry, a rug can cover it! 🙂 Cheers!