The Unexpected Colorful Touch To Give A Standard Living Room A Retro Twist

There are many reasons to love vintage decor. For some, collecting and displaying timeless pieces can hold sentimental value and connect them to the past. Some may find that vintage style gives their homes a richness in character and a vibrant, lived-in look. Whatever draws you to the funky interior style (or even what era you consider retro), certain styling choices can reflect a vintage aesthetic. Vibrant pieces, including colorful rugs, are reminiscent to iconic shag rugs and carpets that covered 70s living rooms. Adding a vibrant focal point to your space can dazzle any vintage-inspired interior — try using a rainbow rug to complement your kitschy flair or earthy color combos to liven up a neutral color scheme.

Believe it or not, a living room rug can be a key player in the overall look of your space. In fact, it's an essential styling choice used to add visual appeal, create a cozy ambiance, and, more personally, tell a story. The use of bright, bold colors was a major design trend in many vintage eras and continues to add depth to modern twists of retro decor. If you want to choose the perfect colorful rug for your living room, you'll want to consider a few tips on how to find and style the perfect color scheme to complement your interior.

Just like you would before painting your walls or picking the perfect wallpaper, you want to consider the power of balance and contrast before you choose a rug. Adding a bright rug can add depth to and make a neutral space look more inviting, for instance. You may consider certain color combinations that help tie in and complement a space. For example, a rug featuring bright oranges or reds can look beautiful near a moody, navy blue wall. The trick to complementary palettes is using contrasting colors that have similar undertones, which help balance each other out.

While a colorful rug can enhance an eclectic vintage space, overwhelming a space or making it look clunky can be a challenge if you use too many colors. To avoid this issue, choose a rug that uses colors that are already found in your living room. For example, you may want the shades in your rug to match your curtains, decorative pillows, throws, or lighting. This avoids clashing colors and unifies the space with intentional color decisions. Once you choose your color palette, look for patterns that fit the vintage era you love to bring a little of the past into your current living room design.