Choosing the Right Rug

Rugs are one of the trickiest elements to get right in a home.

They do a huge amount of heavy lifting - anchoring furniture, defining zones, softening acoustics and adding warmth - yet they’re often expensive, difficult to judge online, and a pain to return if they’re wrong. It’s no wonder so many people end up with rugs that feel almost right, but never quite work.

As an interior designer, we never treat rugs as an afterthought. Instead, they’re considered early on, alongside furniture layout and how a room is actually used day to day.

Why Rugs Shouldn’t Be a Finishing Touch

One of the most common mistakes we see is choosing a rug purely on looks, right at the end of a project. In reality, scale, texture and tone all play a huge role in how a space feels.

A rug that’s too small can make a room feel disjointed. The wrong texture can feel impractical underfoot. And a tone that’s slightly off can throw the whole balance of a scheme.

When we’re designing a space, we think about:

• How furniture will sit on the rug

• Where people walk, sit, and pause

• Whether the rug needs to be durable, washable, or purely decorative

• How it supports the overall mood of the room

A good rug doesn’t just fill floor space — it helps a room feel grounded, calm and properly considered.

Bespoke vs High Street Rugs

We regularly commission bespoke rugs, particularly where unusual sizes, layouts or colour requirements are involved. Custom rugs can be transformative, but they’re not always necessary and they’re not right for every brief or budget.

For many projects, we source from the high street, mixing practicality with good design. And for clients who don’t want to go fully custom, these are some of the brands we often recommend.

Our Go-To Rug Brands

La Redoute A great source for jute and flatweave rugs in genuinely useful sizes. Well priced and ideal for relaxed, lived-in spaces.

Nordic Knots Simple, contemporary designs with excellent quality. Now with a London showroom, and they offer paid-for samples - always worth doing when possible.

West Elm Particularly strong when you need a very large rug. As an American brand, they’re good at generous proportions, which can be hard to find elsewhere.

Dunelm A brand we’re watching closely. The design direction is improving, prices are accessible, and recent collaborations (including with Sophie Robinson) have been genuinely interesting.

Jord Home A small independent offering simple Scandi flatweaves, jute rugs and beautiful sheepskins - great for adding texture without overpowering a space.

Weaver Green Strong on sustainability. Their rugs are made from recycled plastic bottles, are machine washable, and work particularly well in bathrooms, kitchens and children’s rooms.

The Takeaway

A good rug shouldn’t just make a room look finished. It should support how the space works, how it feels, and how it’s lived in.

If you’re planning a room, it’s worth thinking about the rug at the same time as the layout - not as a last-minute purchase to tick a box.

Save this for the next time you’re designing a space, not just decorating one.

Choosing the right rug is much easier when it’s considered alongside the layout of a room. If you’d like support with space planning or interior design, you can get in touch.