Nothing pulls a room together like a great rug, right?

I mean, it's the foundation, the center, often the gathering place. Right now I'm working on a living room where we get to throw out everything in there and completely start from scratch. It's a dream-come-true, but it's also a tad overwhelming because there are soooooo many different ways to go. We've decided on the layout of the furniture (which has not been chosen yet), and a great rug will definitely be an important aspect of the space. So I'm trying to figure out what direction to go in. Why not do it here?

In photos, I can't help but be drawn to vibrant, colorful rugs:

-styled by Kimberly Genevie, via Apartment Therapy

-via Home and Interiors - great pop of color on top of a natural fiber.

I also love layering rugs, as you saw in the Coldwater Canyon house:

-via megbiram.com   (This room is a bit too colorful for me, but I'm really into the rugs and the chairs) — -via megbiram.com (This room is a bit too colorful for me, but I'm really into the rugs and the chairs)

The incomparable Eames were the originators of so many design trends and sooooo ahead of their time. I think it's worth mentioning that they were layering rugs before anybody. I've always been obsessed with their Case Study House No. 8, and that's just one of the reasons:

Case Study House N. 8 by Charles and Ray Eames

Here's a graphic punch that sticks to a single color scheme:

It's fun and exciting, but do you notice what an attention hog it is?? It completely steals focus, so that it's the only thing we really remember when we leave the room.

The house I'm working on is up in the Hollywood Hills, and has a fantastic view (more on that later). I want to be sure the furnishings don't distract too much and the view remains the central focal point. So I'm considering going with a mellow rug that defines the seating area, without drawing too much attention to itself. Maybe something like this:

-Sofia Coppola's NY apartment   (For what it's worth, I would move those couches the instant I got my hands on them...they are way too far apart, with one hanging off the back and the other too far forward.  I'm assuming/hoping they w… — -Sofia Coppola's NY apartment
(For what it's worth, I would move those couches the instant I got my hands on them...they are way too far apart, with one hanging off the back and the other too far forward. I'm assuming/hoping they were put like that for the framing of the photograph, but you never know. l am practically twitching at the sight of it).

These two rugs define the separate seating areas, and warm the place up, but they are light and unfussy, so they don't distract the eye.

The one on the left is a Moroccan rug, which is all the rage right now, and it's easy to understand why. They provide a soft, neutral background, while also touching on the ethnic, handmade quality that is so desirable.

-the home of Christian Duivenvoorden via Svenska Maklarhuset

Then we have hide rugs to consider:

Hide rugs almost always look cool. I have very mixed feelings about them, morally, though. I don't believe in killing animals solely for the purpose of clothing or home decor. But in the case of cows (one of the hides most often used), I have to think that so many are slaughtered everyday for human consumption, that their hides are a by-product that is then put to use. I realize this is a bit of a buzz-kill to talk about, but I don't want to recommend that people go out and buy these rugs without at least touching on the subject. I should probably do more research on their sourcing. I've been loving this above picture since I first spotted it in House Beautiful, though, and the white, oddly-shaped rug is definitely part of it's appeal.

SHOP

If you're in the market for a rug, I've pulled together a few that are worth considering, and are available in stores now:

Hair on Hide Rug, Ivory / Williams-Sonoma

Casablanca Moroccan Rug / Williams-Sonoma

Wide Stripe Dhurrie Rug / Williams-Sonoma

-Vintage Moroccan Kilim Rug / by BazaarLiving on Etsy

-Navy And Natural Dorothy Kilim Flat Weave Rug / Jonathan Adler

-Berry Dorothy Kilim Flat Weave Rug / Jonathan Adler

-Spice Market Overdyed Rug / Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma even has a promotion for 20% off all rugs right now, so definitely check them out!!