How to Choose The Right Rug—And Where To Shop For Them
Picking out the right rug is one of my favorite parts of styling any room. As I continue renovating the rest of my home, I've definitely learned a few tricks!
Picking out the right rug is one of my favorite parts of styling any room. They add so much warmth and texture to a space, and really have the power to pull together a cohesive space. For my conversation room I was lucky enough to work with English Village Lane on a beautiful custom wool rug—from the colors to the topiary trim, it feels so "me." Going through the design process, and as I continue renovating the rest of my home, I've definitely learned a few tricks!
1. Material Matters
I've learned that investing in high-quality wool rugs goes a long way as they're typically more durable and easier to clean—essential when you have three littles and a pet at home! Most of my rugs are 80% Wool / 20% Nylon. As a general rule of thumb, I would avoid Polysilk when selecting a rug in a high-traffic areas as they're known to be harder to keep clean.
I've found that 1/4 cup warm water and a tablespoon of Dawn dish soap does the trick for almost any spill or dirt—just be sure to clean it up right away.
2. Rugs Can Shrink A Room
You won't regret a big rug, but a small rug—no matter how nice—can really throw off your space. Most pros agree that in a living space the front legs of your furniture in the room should be on the rug, if not the whole pieces. In your dining room, you'll want your rug to extend at least two feet beyond the edges of the table. As for bedrooms, at least the lower third of your bed should be on the rug. If you have a beautiful rug that you don't want to part with but it's on the smaller side, you can layer a sisal or jute rug underneath!
3. Rugs Are Like Art
Color, texture, scale, all of those elements matter when you're choosing a rug, just like art for your walls! I love looking through vintage sites like Chairish and1st Dibs to find truly one-of-a-kind pieces, or stopping by some of my favorite antique shops.
4. Make It Custom
Having a rug custom cut around air vents, the fireplace hearth or inside an alcove can give your room a polished, elevated look. Designers love this trick, but you can do it it, too, if you visit your local flooring store! In Charlotte Hall's Flooring is a great source for this sort of project and carries brands like Prestige Mills, Karastan and Stanton.
Pretty Rugs
Looking for more styling tips? Check out our posts about layering lighting or front door paint colors, or explore timeless high country style. We've also rounded up a trusted list of design experts across the U.S. — find them all on the Garden & Grace Directory.
Before and After: My Personal Bathroom Renovations
Today I'm sharing some before and after images from my personal home's powder bath and boys' bathroom. My husband and I bought our 60-year-old house in 2022, and have been making it our own ever sense. I hope you enjoy!
Today I'm sharing some before and after images from my personal home's powder bath and boys' bathroom. My husband and I bought our 60-year-old house in 2022, and have been making it our own ever since. I hope you enjoy!
Powder bath
I had the honor of working with Zoffany for our powder room—an absolute dream. I wanted something to play with the antique vanity and slate floor tiles, and complement the rich blue grasscloth and trim color in the hallway.
I landed on Emperor’s Musician in Charcoal. This beautiful chinoiserie scenic paper is inspired by oriental draughtsman Jean-Baptiste Pillement. The textured finish adds the warmth the room needed—and it’s even better in person. I also lightened the space by painting the interior trim, door and ceiling Farrow & Ball Old White No 4. I love how it pops against the slate floor tiles.
boyS' BATHROOM
We made some big changes to this small space, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. We created more square footage by pushing the tub back 5 inches into the closets behind it, and replaced doors with pocket doors to save even more space. We also took the bathtub tile all the way up to the ceiling, and put in a framed mirror that matched the detailing and color of the cabinets to make the space feel bigger.
We went with Benjamin Moore's White Dove for the cabinet and mirror frame, and Farrow and Ball Chappell Green for the trim and door color. The wallpaper is Farrow and Ball Closet Stripe 357 from a local Charlotte wallpaper shop called Celedore. They also offer online shopping and shipping across the U.S. I love how cheerful the green is, and how playful the stripes are.
All images are by Dustin Peck Photography. Read more about the renovation process here. Follow @garden_and_grace for more home renovation updates.
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FOR the kids
This Classic Raleigh Home Showcases the Beauty of Blue and White
This classic Raleigh home is proof you can't go wrong with shades of blue and white throughout your home. Here are five rooms where you can incorporate the classic color combination.
Today we're re-sharing inspiration from one of the most-loved Garden & Grace home tours to date. Years later, and the classic Raleigh home still stands the test of time—proof you can't go wrong with shades of blue and white throughout your home. Here are five rooms where you can incorporate the classic color combination.
Living room
A collection of ginger jars on built-in shelves, a pair handsome chinoiserie sofas and fringe-framed throw pillows work together to create a modern interpretation of classic design.
BEDROOM
Used here in a mintier hue—and with pops of pink—this blue primary suite is elegant and relaxing.
POWDER ROOM
A half-bath is the ideal spot to experiment with wallpaper. We love the darker blue floral paper used here, and the light blue painted trim.
BREAKFAST NOOK
Ikat blue and white cushions and woven dining chairs punctuate this playful dining space.
OUTSIDE
Blue cushions bring a nature-inspired pop of color to this white outdoor patio space. A sisal rug and chippendale furniture complete the look.
In the previous post Raleigh-based home builder John Sanders took us on an exclusive tour, and we shared all the details, including specific paint colors for each room. Take the full tour here.
All images are by Garden & Grace. Katherine Connell Design is the main designer with recent additions by Allison Davis Interiors. The landscape design is by Liggett Design Group.
Blue & WHITE TABLETOP INSPIRATION
FOR YOUR CLOSET
