Working with color in your room can be done in a few different ways depending on circumstances.

1. The ideal situation in any room is to work from the ground (reflective surface) up!

For example, if you have a White room and we add a red rug, the whole room will take on a rose hue. If we change that rug to navy, the whole room will have a blue or grey hue.

It’s important to do reflective surfaces FIRST as they will influence choices throughout the room as far as color is concerned. Floors First and then Rugs.

1. Many people have existing furniture and are adding a rug without changing much to replace a worn-out piece or to freshen up the space.

This isn’t a problem, but it can make the choices more limited as you have already chosen the style and overall colors, so you have a narrower “Lane” to explore within. In this case, if you are also painting, wait and do the RUG FIRST. Painting is the least expensive part of the room and the easiest to change a shade subtly.

1. Remember style and color go together! If you are working in a contemporary color palettes, your rug options will generally be in colors used in contemporary deign and traditional rugs will come in traditional colors( Red, blue, ivory, navy rust and many accent colors). That being said different styles of rugs carry different color palettes.  There are many different types of rugs and what you see in a tribal geometric design won’t be the same colors you see in a floral rug. (Style and color walk hand in hand!)

The wall color and the rug SHOULD NOT MATCH!!!! Matching will make the room look small and disjointed.

Working with a NEUTRAL palette:

Neutrals have been a design trend for roughly the past decade. Today a vast majority of people are trending away from all-neutral design. Instead consider taking a page from Classic Design and add some color! Color does not mean you have to be bold or dark, it can still be open and airy.

The purpose of adding color is to add contrast to the room. Having contrast, the room will open up and seem more open and airier and have depth vs. being washed out. For Example: if you have a room with various shades of beige and grey throughout, don’t do a beige or grey rug! It’s just more of the same and the room will feel washed out or sterile in most cases. INSTEAD, try a light-colored rug with a border in a light constaiting color such as blue, green or even something more earthy. You may want to try something with a more saturated color to add some interest and depth to the room.

Working with a Colorful Palette:

Color is an easy concept to work with by following a few simple guidelines. If you follow color being used in design, paint, fabrics and rugs they are meant to work together and floor through the room and from room to room. Take the word matching out of your vocabulary and embrace depth. It makes your room cozy and inviting. Your room can still be light and airy or moodier depending on your preferences.

Here are a few examples:

Let’s say you want to try a darker color on the wall that we are seeing from all the paint manufacturers. (Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin-Moore, Farrow and Ball) In this case you need to choose your rugs in a lighter or more bold color so there is a high contrast in the room and then the furnishings in a mid to light tone.  If everything is dark, then the room is very heavy and looks muddy. (The opposite of being washed out)

A second example would be a more adventurous design.  Choose a rug in traditional designs that is brighter and lots of colors. Then choose your wall color in more of a mid-range shade and your ceiling in yet another color! Make sure you have a plan for your trim and crown molding…there are a lot of options. The furnishings are more blocks of color…think a warm leather accent chair and a textured fabric on your sofa.

If you are not sure how to scale color paint and pattern together, Kaoud Rugs has experts in every location who can help guide you and find what YOU like.  Remember there isn’t only one way to do a room and visiting a showroom you may find ideas you would have never seen online!

Final thoughts

It’s important to consider other elements of the room when planning your space. A living room, dining room or bedroom have many elements to consider after you select your rug. Wood color, style, fabric preferences, personal item that you will be using that you have accumulated over your lifetime that add meaning and personalize your space.

Scale is also important. If you are choosing your design inspiration from pictures of Versailles, your room most likely will need to scale down a bit as it may not be as big as a palace! Stairwells are generally not lit well and have little going on so add something fun on the floor to add some personality!

Finally, remember it is your space and you have to live in your home. Be mindful that professionals who work with design daily should be able to show you a multitude of options so you can visualize the options. Kaoud Rugs also will do a design consultation free of charge and when you have a few options chosen, we will be happy to bring them to your home so you can view them in your lighting!

Enjoy your journey!