How to Layer Rugs Like a Pro [Living Room Edition]

This is a little look that I’ve been wanting to try for a while now, and so when Frith Rugs asked me to work with them and choose a new rug for my home, it was a great opportunity to give it a go and give you a few tips on how to layer your living room rugs.

Whilst I would have loved a Persian rug, budgets on neither side ran to that and so I was more than happy to select a beautiful wool rug in a very deep blue to really bring my dark living room to life.

How to Layer a Rug:

When decorating your home with layered rugs, focusing on colors, textures, and sizes is essential for creating a harmonious and stylish space. Here are three key tips from an interior design perspective:

By keeping these tips in mind, you can successfully layer rugs in your home, enhancing both comfort and style.

How to Layer Rugs in the Living Room:

Let me show you how the Frith Rug looks in my living room. It’s a dark room, painted and updated last year, but I love bright colours so it’s not all doom and gloom. It’s punctuated with sharp colours, bright blues, greens and yellows and plenty of pattern too.

I think you’ll agree the bright blue of the Indian wool rug works well with my other accessories and the look in general. The floor is a luxury vinyl and calms and lightens the room, but I love a colourful, warm rug under my feet too.

This rug, from the Modern Rugs section, is a beautiful 100% wool rug designed with a lattice pattern. Handmade in India, the pile is a slighly thinner 15mm, exactly what I wanted for the layering look but also perfect for the living room on its own.

Whilst I don’t mind a thicker rug, when you have children, they can trip on a thick rug, and the younger ones lose their small toys in the plusher pile.

You can see more of the Indian Lattice Design Rug HERE.

So let’s discuss how you can use a beautiful piece like the Frith Rug to achieve a layered rug look in your living room. Why not pin now in case you want to come back later:-

5 Top Tips to Successful Rug Layering

1. Choose a base colour to work through your rugs and help them hang together. Don’t worry if they’re different patterns or prints, it will work if they have a connecting colour.
2. Get the rug depth right. Choose 2 or more thinner rugs when layering to avoid tripping or an odd uneven look.
3. Play around with sizes. If you have one very large rug, layer a smaller one over the top allowing a ‘border’ to show and be on display.
4. Offset the rugs, one on top of the other to get a more geometrical look and fill a bigger space than you could by using just one rug
5. Use rugs of different shapes and sizes to get a more eclectic, random effect. This works well with different patterns, or with one print and one plain. Play around and see what works and what you love.

The other rug underneath the Frith rug is one from La Redoute that I’ve had for a while. It’s a thin cotton style which lies flat against the floor.

Together the two rugs take up much more floor space and give the effect of one single, much larger rug.

I lived with this look for more than a week to see if I could live with it. I appreciate it’s quite a busy look and won’t be to everyone’s taste so if that’s case, look at the tips above and choose a plain rug with your patterned one to get a calmer, quieter effect.

Do you like to layer rugs in the living room?

Frith Rugs have many different sections on their website including Pakistani, Indian and Chinese rugs so do take a look if you’re hunting for a new piece for your home. Check them out HERE.

Layering Rugs in the Bedroom

Layering rugs in the bedroom can add warmth, texture, and a unique style to the space. Here are five practical tips to help you achieve this look:

1. Mix Textures and Patterns: Combine different textures and patterns for a rich, layered look. For example, place a plush, shaggy rug over a flat-weave or jute rug. The contrast in textures adds depth and interest to the room.
2. Consider Rug Sizes: Start with a larger base rug to anchor the room, then layer a smaller rug on top. Ensure the top rug is significantly smaller than the base rug to create a well-defined layered effect.
3. Align Rugs Thoughtfully: Position the top rug at an angle or off-center to add an element of surprise and break up the uniformity. This asymmetrical approach can make the room look more dynamic and inviting.
4. Play with Colors: If you’re mixing patterns, keep the color scheme cohesive to avoid overwhelming the space. You can choose colors that complement your bedroom’s existing color palette for a harmonious look.
5. Focus on Functionality: Consider the functionality of your rugs. In a bedroom, you might want a soft, comfortable rug underfoot when you step out of bed. Layering a smaller, softer rug on top of a larger, more durable one can offer both comfort and practicality.

Remember, layering rugs is a way to express your personal style, so don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the combination that feels right for your space.

Jen x

All images copyright Jen Stanbrook