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Bare floors have their time and place, but if you really want to start your days off on the right foot, put a rug in the bedroom. Different ones serve different purposes, so what you choose should depend on how you use your space. A substantial 8-by-10, for instance, can anchor a queen-size bed, while a shaggy Moroccan runner instantly lends warmth and texture to cold hardwood. A round jute can distract from awkward architectural details, and an easy-to-clean flat-weave is kid- and breakfast-in-bed-proof. We rounded up all the various directions you can go, plus the pieces you need to bring the look home.
Channel Your Inner Child With Illustrations
Don’t knock something just because it looks like it came from the kids’ department. The rug artist duo Terri Chiao and Adam Frezza (also known as Chiaozza) made for IKEA’s Art Event in 2019 looks right at home in Jen Levy’s Brooklyn apartment alongside a supersize pencil sculpture.
Elevate a Neutral Color Scheme With Something Vintage
Exposed brick is a covetable feature in a home, but designing around it takes a little more effort than you’d think. To make the rough material feel warm and inviting, lean into its earthy brown tones with a decorative Persian rug and wood accents.
Create a Cozy Atmosphere With Faux Sheepskin
A plush sheepskin throw is an underrated bedroom essential. This versatile accessory can be tossed over a chair or sprawled across a bench, though you’ll really get the most use out of its fuzzy surface by putting one on either side of the bed.
Make Things Easy With a Flat-Weave
While they might not be as cozy as high-pile shag rugs, flat-weaves have a ton of benefits. For starters, they’re easy to clean and can slide right under any piece of furniture. They also have a breezy quality to them. The graphic pick Athena Calderone chose for her Amagansett bedroom makes it feel like a hotel suite somewhere in Mexico or Portugal.
Layer, Layer, Layer
The more rugs the merrier—especially if you’re looking to elevate greige wall-to-wall carpeting. For your base rug, begin with something large and graphic. Once that’s down, sprinkle in a fluffy sheepskin throw.
Walk on the Wild Side
Leave it to the British to come up with an unexpected combo: sisal and cowhide. Matilda Goad displayed the latter over the former to bring a luxe touch to this farmhouse-y space. The foot of the bed is the perfect place for a shapely thin rug like this, so it doesn’t catch.
Embrace Loud Prints on a Large Scale
Stark Carpet’s popular Deerfield print offers a subtle way to hop on the animal-print trend. In an extra-extra-large size (peep Angela Chrusciaki Blehm’s bedroom) the speckles blur into a solid hue.
Let the Architecture Guide You
You might think it awkward, but a round rug in a curved room makes everything look more intentional and calls attention to the space’s unique shape. Just don’t go overboard with it (your bed can still be a rectangle!).
Double Up
While you wouldn’t think the two rugs underneath Kimberly Von Koontz’s bed would ever work in the same room (one has a checkered print, the other diamonds), their tasseled edges and similar dimensions play nicely together.
Go Big on Color in the Kids’ Room
Steer clear of cheesy, theme-y rugs that feature your kids’ favorite cartoon characters and instead introduce a dose of fun with a vintage Moroccan option covered in funky shapes—one that’s guaranteed to put some pep in your step.
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