We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Martha Stewart's Rug Styling Tips Will Bring Harmony To Your Living Room

Rugs can either make or break the layout of a living room. If you select a rug with a busy pattern or bold color that does not compliment your space, for example, it can throw off the visual appeal of your home. It is necessary to evaluate whether a rug will enhance your living room before making a purchase. Home and hospitality TV personality Martha Stewart took to her website to share a few rug styling tips that will help you bring harmony to your living room. According to Stewart, you should avoid rugs that are too small for your space. She explained that it is also important to make sure your rug is properly positioned with enough empty space around the perimeter.

Advertisement

It's all about finding the right balance between having one large enough to fill your living room adequately, but not so big that it fills all of your floor space. When laying your rug on the floor, ensure that there is enough space between it and the surrounding walls. There should also be an appropriate amount of room between the rug and any nearby furniture. These tips will help you get the most out of your living room rug. Stewart's expert advice is a great way to avoid common rug styling mistakes as well.

Make sure your rug is large enough for your living room

A tiny rug can easily look out of place in a spacious living room. Stewart revealed that this mistake can even make rooms look smaller. Homeowners with small living rooms should be extra careful about choosing the right size area rug. Luckily, it is not difficult to ensure you purchase one that is large enough for your space. Before going shopping, take measurements of your living room. Your new rug should be 18 to 24 inches away from the base of your walls.

Advertisement

When shopping in store, you can have a sales person direct you to the correct rug sizes based on your living room measurements. When shopping online, most product listings for rugs include multiple sizes. This makes it easy to select exactly what you need. If you are a fan of Stewart, you may be interested in her Martha Stewart x Safavieh rug line. Thankfully, the TV personality's online rug listings include a variety of size options.

Leave enough space around the perimeter of your rug

Stewart also recommends leaving the right amount of empty space around the perimeter of your living room rug. With medium sized rugs, which are typically 4 by 6 feet to 6 by 9 feet, you should leave enough room so that furniture does not touch the material. If you have a larger living room, you might require a 8 by 10 feet rug instead. With this size, leave 6 to 9 inches of empty space around the rug.

Advertisement

Homeowners with big living rooms may opt for a rug that is up to 10 to 14 feet large. This is a great size to fill in most of that empty floor space. However, you will need to leave even more room around the perimeter of a rug this large. Aim to leave about 9 to 18 inches of free space between a rug this size and any furniture or walls.

These tips should make it far easier to choose the right rug for your living room. If you are not interested in any of the options in the Martha Stewart x Safavieh line, you can also browse Amazon for rugs. The Vintage Living Room Area Rug comes in a variety of sizes. It also has neutral color options, so it would compliment many living rooms without clashing with other decor elements. The 6 by 9 feet size is $109.99.

Advertisement

Recommended

Advertisement