Rugs: The Case of Round vs. Rectangle

I'm a massive fan of hardwood floors, so rugs are a must in my home. And although I'm probably the biggest supporter of rug use, there's always one question that leaves me utterly baffled: Round or rectangle? I could tell you my opinion, but I thought it would be much more fun to ask one of my favorite interior designers what the pros think.

Read on to hear Canadian interior designer Lori Andrews weigh in on the age-old debate (you don't want to miss this advice!).

Exhibit A: Round
"A round rug can add color and softness in a small space or an awkwardly shaped room," says Lori. "For example, in the above pictured modern ranch style home of my Swedish born friend Oscar, the fireplace angles out in an unusual manner. This colorful round rug from IKEA works well as it enhances the shape of the furnishings without detracting from the star of the show -- the fireplace design."

Lori points to the photo of one of her client's living rooms (above). Since the space is small, a round rug would work well, she says. "While we opted not to use a rug in this space, I can visualize something like this rug from Thomas Paul," she says.



Exhibit B: Rectangle
On the contrast, a rectangular rug's purpose is to define a living area and enhance the scale of a room. She points to the rug used in the clean-lined room above. "The client's home as pictured above was built in the mid 1950's and featured large rectangular rooms. I played up the scale of the room with a wool rug I had made large enough that all of the furnishings can sit upon," she says. "The natural toned area rug adds softness and depth, which did not otherwise have high ceilings or much architectural detail."

Exhibit C: Either works
Lori points to the bright open room above as an example of a room where both a round rug or a rectangular rug would work. "The fireplace angles sharply into the room and it will be difficult to get a really large rug to work, so we have narrowed it down to either a boldly patterned rectangle like this one by Diane VonFurstenberg or a simple cream colored wool/silk custom round," she says.

Whatever you decide, it seems that round vs. rectangle is a matter of personal taste. Keep in mind the size of the room, scale of your furniture and any architectural angles. Lastly? Lori offers one more piece of advice:

"Bigger is better," she says. "I like to use really large rugs in my designs -- as large as a room will allow. One great way to get a very large rug in your space for less is to have it cut and serged from a roll of wall-to-wall carpeting. There are beautiful wools and natural fibers available for a fraction of the cost of a hand-knotted one. Remember to have it made large enough to fit underneath at least the front legs of major furniture pieces."

Happy decorating, rugrats!

For more decorating tips and tricks, read on:
-8 Great Window Makeover Ideas
-How To: Stress-Proof Your Home
-12 Ideas for Decorating with Mirrors