Unpopular Opinion: Your Home Deserves So Much Better Than This Rug
A case to stray from a contemporary classic.
Updated Oct 11, 2018 9:27 PM
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You might recognize this rug. As Gray Chapman writes in Curbed, the quatrefoil rug is seemingly owned by, well, everyone. And though she deigns it a safe, inoffensive choice, we have to disagree. This rug—which, yes, might be in your living room at this very moment—is at the end of its run.
There are some things that become popular so quickly that, before you even realize it, they’re ubiquitous. By the time they reach the height of their exposure, they end up feeling a little disappointing. The cable TV show that everyone thought was so funny when it premiered eventually becomes formulaic. The app that consumed far too many of your waking thoughts is now neglected on your phone. We think the same is true of quatrefoil rugs, which have been a design staple across different styles for the past 20 or so years.
The rug’s origins are historied—largely stemming from Islamic weavers—but they gained popularity at the beginning of this century as a more graphic, contemporary alternative to the Oushak and floral rugs that previously dominated the market. Now, however, the tables have turned: Quatrefoil rugs have become so universally embraced that they’re overly expected. And rugs, as we’ve said time and time again, should make your home feel as special as possible.
From tiger rugs to abstract rugs and, hey, even vintage rugs, there are plenty of options that can elevate your space in the most unexpected, cool ways. When it comes to a floor covering—something that can be so easily switched out whenever you want!—it pays to put a little extra thought into picking one that will make your home feel distinctly you.
Your floor deserves something new and exciting; by opting for a rug that plays with abstract, graphic patterns or has a unique texture, you’ll make your home that much more personable. Your rug, after all, might as well be fun.
See more exciting rugs: Yes, Machine Washable Rugs Can Be Chic—Here’s Proof 12 Ways to Style Rugs Over Wall-to-Wall Carpeting Would You Pay $1,500 for a Virgil Abloh x IKEA Rug?